BLOOMINGTON, Minnesota, October 17 -- The first round of judging in the Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest closed at 3:00 p.m. today, as judges chose 30 entries to move into Saturdays second round. Art from 270 artists were submitted and judged, following an opening ceremony keynoted by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director, H. Dale Hall. The five judges will be allowed to add up to five pieces each to be included in tomorrows judging, potentially raising the second round competitors to 55. Round two judging will commence at 10:00 a.m., on Saturday, Oct. 18, with a final round at 11:45 a.m. The announcement of the 2008 Federal Duck Stamp Contest winner is expected around noon Saturday. Attending participants will be available for interviews immediately following the announcement.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) will announce the 2009-2010 Federal Duck Stamp this weekend at the Bloomington Art Center at 1800 W. Old Shakopee Rd., in Bloomington, Minn. Opening ceremonies will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 17, and the winner will be announced around 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18.
The 2009-2010 Federal Duck Stamp will be selected by a panel of five judges from a pool of 270 eligible entries. The winning design will be made into the 2009-2010 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, or "Duck Stamp," the cornerstone of one of the worlds most successful conservation programs. This is the first year Minnesota will host the contest.
"A Minnesotan myself, I have anticipated this weekend since the day I found out the contest was to be held in Minnesota. Its a privilege to be part of a conservation effort that has proven to be so successful," said Jim Leach, Chairman of the Duck Stamp Planning Committee and Midwest Region Refuge Supervisor. Since the inception of the Federal Duck Stamp program in 1934, sales of Duck Stamps have generated more than $700 million to acquire and preserve more than 5.2 million acres of habitat for migratory waterfowl, and wetland and grassland wildlife on the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Contest judging will be open to the public and media. The opening ceremony will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 17 and will include presentations by the 410th Air Force ROTC Cadet Wing and Angelica Cantanti Concert Choir. Paul Schmidt, the Services Assistant Director of Migratory Birds, will open the judging weekend as Master of Ceremonies, and Midwest Regional Director Robyn Thorson will welcome the audience to this years contest. Director H. Dale Hall will reveal the names of this years judges before the first round of judging begins at 10:30 a.m.
"This is a remarkable year for conservation in Minnesota. This year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Small Wetlands Program, and 75 years of the Federal Duck Stamp program. These are programs that help protect of millions of acres of our nations irreplaceable wildlife habitat," said Thorson.
The five-judge panel was selected by the Secretary of the Interior based on knowledge and/or expertise in at least one of the following fields: art, anatomy and natural habitat of eligible waterfowl species, wildlife sporting, stamp collection, and/or involvement in the conservation community. The artwork itself will be judged based on anatomical accuracy, artistic composition and suitability for engraving in the production of a stamp.
In the first round of judging on Friday, the judges will vote "in" or "out" on each entry. The second round of judging will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday and the judges will vote by indicating a numerical score from one to five for each entry. The entries receiving the five highest scores will be advanced to the final round of judging at 11:45 a.m. The judges will vote on the remaining entries using the same method as in round two, except they will indicate a numerical score from 3 to 5 for each entry. Service Director H. Dale Hall is expected to announce the winning entry as well as the entries that place second and third around 1:00 p.m.
The artwork will be on display for public viewing at the art center from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Friday and 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. The pieces of artwork that do not advance to the next round will be returned to the lobby for display during judging.
Last years Federal Duck Stamp winner, Joe Hautman, a native of Owatonna, Minn., will sign autographs throughout the judging weekend. The Minnesota Federation of Stamp Clubs will also provide stamp caches and cancellations. A History of Wildlife Art session with wildlife art scholar David Wagner will be held from 8:45-9:30 a.m. before the second round of judging on Saturday, Oct. 18. For a complete 2008 Federal Duck Stamp Calendar of Events, visit http://duckstamps.fws.gov
The $15 Federal Duck Stamp is a vital tool for wetland conservation, with 98 cents of every dollar generated going to purchase or lease wetland habitat for the National Wildlife Refuge System. Since the stamps inception, more than $700 million has been raised to acquire more than 5.2 million acres of habitat and hundreds of refuges across the nation to conserve Americas fish and wildlife resources.
The first Federal Duck Stamp was designed in 1934 by Midwest native, editorial cartoonist and Director of the Bureau of Biological Survey J.N. "Ding" Darling. It sold for $1. In 2006, more than 1.6 million people purchased a Federal Duck Stamp. Every waterfowl hunter over the age of 16 is required to buy a Federal Duck Stamp. In addition, Federal Duck Stamps are highly sought after by collectors and provide free entry into any national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge
A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.
Learn more about national wildlife refuge in the country that charges an entrance fee.
These prairie wetlands and grassland habitats are known as waterfowl production areas and are purchased using revenues from Federal Duck Stamp sales. In the last half-century, the Small Wetlands Program has developed into one of the most successful landscape-level conservation efforts in the United States, complementing the success of the Duck Stamp
This years Federal Duck Stamp Contest partners and sponsors include Audubon Minnesota, Bell Museum, Cabelas, Delta Waterfowl, Ducks Unlimited, Minnesota Federation of Stamp Clubs, Minnesota DNR, The Nature Conservancy, Minnesota Waterfowl Association, Wildlife Forever, Pheasants Forever, Minnesota Horse and Hunt Club, Dicks Sporting Goods, Eagle Optics, City of Bloomington, and Bloomington Art Center.
For more information about the Federal Duck Stamp Program, see http://duckstamps.fws.gov.
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit http://www.fws.gov
-FWS-
