DNR reminds people to help wildlife during tax season

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DNR reminds people to help wildlife during tax season


The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Nongame Wildlife Program urges Minnesotans to remember to help wildlife by donating to the Nongame Wildlife Fund on their Minnesota tax forms.

The survival and future of Minnesota’s nongame wildlife depend on donations.

The Nongame Wildlife Program is unique since 80 percent of its funding comes from donations to the Nongame Wildlife Fund. The program is unlike other government programs that are supported primarily by general tax dollars or license fees.

The number of people donating to the Nongame Wildlife Fund decreases every year, with less than one person in 35 households remembering wildlife at tax time. This year the average donation has been about $10.

These tax deductible, voluntary donations fund more than 80 conservation projects. They include monitoring of wintering eagle roosts; surveys of wood turtles ospreys and timber rattlesnakes; a new statewide dragonfly survey; frog and toad research; habitat restoration and protection; monitoring of heron rookeries; and protection and management of important wildlife habitat for bald eagles, piping plovers, and other wildlife at risk.

The recovery of the bald eagle, trumpeter swan and other species such as the peregrine falcon were made possible in part by the donations by Minnesotans to the Nongame Wildlife Fund on their state income and property tax forms. Minnesota has the second highest bald eagle population in the U.S. and boasts the largest common loon population in the lower 48 states.

Carrol Henderson, DNR Nongame Wildlife Program supervisor, said imagine what life would be like without the 800 species of nongame wildlife that inhabit Minnesota. Imagine people not hearing the haunting call of the loon on northern lakes, or failing to spot the regal silhouette of a bald eagle at it perches atop a tall tree.

Minnesotans can help by reminding their tax preparer that they would like to make a donation.
This opportunity to donate to help wildlife first appeared on state tax forms in 1981.

[JohnWester]

i think I can speak for most everyone here when I say to the DNR... "SHUT THE F@CK UP!"

[Randy Kaar]

Maybe all the PETA people just need a reminder, Yea like they will donate anything...

randy