The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Great Swamp to unveil new Duck Stamp
James Hautman’s Canada geese design will be shown at the Conservancy on Saturday, Aug. 19at 10a.m.
CANASTOTA » Great Swamp Conservancy, Inc. will unveil the 201718 winner of the Federal Duck Stamp contest on Saturday, Aug. 19 at 10 a.m. James Hautman of Chaska, Minn. won the honor with his portrayal of three Canada geese in flight.
Sales of Federal Duck Stamps support conservation of bird and wildlife habitats, with 98 percent of the stamp cost supporting wetland protection and conservation easements to reduce soil erosion, aid flood control, purify water and offer recreational op- portunities.
Duck Stamps double as licenses to hunt waterfowl and are also free passes to any fee entry national wildlife refuge.
The Duck Stamp program began in 1934 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act into law. J.N. Darling, director of the Bureau of Biological Survey (today’s Fish & Wildlife Service), designed the first stamp. Subsequent designs have been selected from hundreds of entries through an annual juried art contest that is open to the public.
The Great Swamp Conservancy, Inc. hosts the Duck Stamp Art Exhibit annually, which is comprised of the top contest entries and the winning design. Each original work of art depicts a unique rendering of waterfowl and habitat, which are prized by stamp collectors.
“Every year we are honored to display the Federal Duck Stamp Exhibit and the original art work of artists from all around the country that are the runners-up,”
up,” said Michael Patane, president and CEO of the GSC. “There are about seven to ten runners-up sent to us annually. This display’s beauty has a broad appeal.”
GSC offers educational programs for adults and children, and opportunities for environmental internships as well as research. Individuals and corporations can support the Great Swamp Conservancy’s programs through investments and volunteer efforts. For more information, call Barbara Henderson, executive director, at (315) 697-2950 or e-mail executive.director.gsc@gmail.com