#05-251 November 21, 2005

25 Years Of Duck Stamps Help Waterfowl From S.C. To Canada

South Carolina's 25th anniversary duck stamp this season features a pair of canvasback ducks flying over the ocean by wildlife artist Rodney Huckaby of Simpsonville. It is the 25th edition of conservation stamp and art print that has helped the Palmetto State make continued progress in waterfowl habitat conservation, as well as support breeding habitat restoration in Canada.

This year 2005 also marks the 100th anniversary of game and fish law enforcement in the Palmetto State.

Huckaby's painting of a pair of canvasback ducks flying over the ocean with a shrimp boat pulling its trawl nets in the background was judged the winner of South Carolina's 25th annual State Duck Stamp Contest by members of the S.C.

Migratory Waterfowl Committee. The stamp competition is a program of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The winning artwork is featured on the 2005-2006 S.C. Migratory Waterfowl and Hunting Stamp currently on sale. For more information on the duck stamp program, visit www.dnr.sc.gov/wildlife/stamps/index.html.

It has been almost 25 years since the first South Carolina duck stamp-a pair of wood ducks painted by artist Lee LeBlanc-went on sale in July 1981, and the limited edition art prints for 1981-82 literally sold out that year as they did the next season with a pair of mallards by Bob Binks. Two other top-selling prints in the 24 year history of the S.C. duck stamp program are the 1988-89 painting of a Boykin spaniel with wigeon by Jim Killen and the 1991-92 painting of a black lab with pintails, also by Killen

New state migratory waterfowl stamps, often called duck stamps, go on sale each July 1 for the upcoming season and cost $5.50 each. Stamps are available from most retail businesses that sell hunting and fishing licenses or directly from the S.C. Department of Natural Resources. Collectors should purchase stamps from the DNR. South Carolina duck hunters age 16 and older are required to have the state waterfowl stamp in their possession while hunting. Duck hunters purchase about 24,000 stamps each year, and collectors buy another 5,000 stamps. For more information contact Adrian Rivera in DNR licensing at (803) 734-3824 in Columbia.

Funds from stamp sales are by law used strictly within South Carolina, which includes the cost of stamp production, and "those migratory waterfowl projects specified by the S.C. Natural Resources Board for the development, protection and propagation of waterfowl in the state. None of such funds shall be expended for administrative salaries."

Funds derived from the sale of art prints and related artwork is used as specified in state law. The committee administers and promotes the sale of prints, stamps and related articles. The amount needed to make up 50 percent of the total from stamp and print sales is transferred to the DNR for use in its specified projects. The remainder of funds derived by the sale of prints and related articles is disbursed to a nonprofit organization for the development of waterfowl propagation projects within Canada. The projects must specifically provide waterfowl for the Atlantic Flyway and must be able to demonstrate evidence that the projects are acceptable to the appropriate governmental agencies having jurisdiction over the project areas.
Since 1962 a portion of the revenues from nonresident hunting licenses has helped to fund waterfowl conservation projects within South Carolina and in Canada. One dollar from each annual nonresident hunting license and 50 cents from each temporary nonresident hunting license is used by DNR for propagation, management and control of ducks and geese in the state. A like portion of such license fees is contributed by DNR to proper agencies in Canada for propagation, management and control of ducks and geese.

DNR Director John Frampton said: "South Carolina has enjoyed a long history of working with Ducks Unlimited both in providing funds for improvement of breeding habitat in Canada but also in acquiring and enhancing habitat n South Carolina through the MARSH (Matching Aid to Restore States Habitat) program and in other major conservation efforts such as the ACE basin project. Through the MARSH program the state was able to purchase two notable waterfowl areas in Colleton County: the 987-acre Cut plantation in 1989 and the 696-acre Springfield in 1987. We also work with Ducks Unlimited in Canada as they strategically locate high quality sites having significant potential to improve waterfowl production habitat benefiting species of importance to South Carolina."

The statewide Wood Duck Nest Box project for construction and distribution of nest box units to requesting landowners began in 1982. The project was renamed in 2004 to the Governor's Wood Duck Project, and rejuvenated by private funding. Since 1982 30,032 nest box units have been issued to 4,059 cooperators. The project provides nest boxes, poles and predator guards to landowners having suitable wood duck production and brood-rearing habitat. Cooperators voluntarily submit data on nesting activity each year.

Since the first duck stamp prints were sold South Carolina has averaged $85,000 annually in stamp print revenues to the conservation of waterfowl breeding habitat in Canada which have included wetland restoration projects and land securement initiatives that benefit breeding and staging waterfowl species known to be important to the South Carolina harvest. The total S.C. duck stamp print revenues going to Canada, including a portion of non-resident hunting license revenues, amount to $2,036,671.

In fiscal year 2004-05 alone DNR contributions from print sales to Ducks Unlimited of Canada totaled $52,096 in US dollars, which "leveraged" an additional $156,288 from Ducks Unlimited Inc., plus $659,471 from Canadian government sources. This multiple matching of funds accumulated a total of $867,855, resulting in a ratio of almost 16:1 on DNR's contribution. In FY 2004-05 Ducks Unlimited of Canada invested a total of $6,226,212 in habitat conservation.

Since the first South Carolina duck stamps were sold to hunters and collectors in 1981, a total of $3.6 million has been raised to fund in-state waterfowl conservation projects and habitat purchases. In the first 24 years of the duck stamp program annual collections have ranged from a high of $269,635 in 1990-91 to a low of $142,758 in 2001-02.

"As a result of the availability of state duck stamp funds we are better able to manage important DNR waterfowl projects and do things like treat infestations of aquatic nuisance weeds in waterfowl areas," Frampton said. "We have been able to purchase and maintain agricultural equipment used on waterfowl management areas. And, we have been able to purchase additional waterfowl habitat.

"The South Carolina Wood Duck Nesting Box program, which began one year following the initiation of the duck stamp program, is perhaps the flagship of duck stamp funding," Frampton said. "It is the most successful such program in the United States. In the past 23 years just over 30,000 boxes have been provided to some 4,000 cooperating landowners."

The nine-member S.C. Migratory Waterfowl Committee, created by state law in 1981, has the responsibility for selecting the design used on annual migratory waterfowl stamps and prints and administration of art print sales. A contest to select the stamp design is held each year and is open to any artist with United States citizenship. The waterfowl committee by law is composed of three ex-officio members-a designee from Ducks Unlimited of South Carolina, a designee from the S.C. Waterfowl Association, and the chairman of the S.C. Natural Resources Board-and six appointed members-two members appointed by S.C. House of Representatives, two members appointed by the S.C. Senate, and two members appointed by the Governor.

Milton L. Brazell of West Columbia currently serves as chairman of the S.C. Migratory Waterfowl Committee and Joe S. Johnson of York is vice-chair. Other members are: Danny Stone or Georgetown; Thomas Towns Jr. of Conway; Wes Fowler of Florence; Thomas L. Wilcox of Greenville; Mario P. Insabella of Spartanburg, with Ducks Unlimited; Bobby Creech of Charleston, with the S.C. Waterfowl Association; and Michael G. McShane of Johns Island, chairman of the S.C. Natural Resources board.

- Written by Mike Creel -

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