MONTPELIER, Vt. – The Vermont Habitat Stamp raised $238,513 dollars in 2023 and leveraged a $417,912 federal match, totaling more than $656,000 for the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s land conservation and habitat improvement efforts.
“This is one of our strongest years for the Habitat Stamp since the program was established in 2015,” said Fish and Wildlife’s Director of Wildlife John Austin. “The growing support for habitat conservation and managing land for wildlife habitat over the past nine years is encouraging.”
The Vermont Habitat Stamp is designed to allow anyone who cares about wildlife to help improve habitat for diverse species on private lands and the department’s more than 130,000 acres of Wildlife Management Area (WMA) lands. Habitat Stamp funds also go towards both land acquisition projects to expand or create new WMAs and to making improvements on existing WMAs.
In 2023, the department spent $189,355 dollars from the Habitat Stamp Fund. These dollars contributed to habitat improvement assistance with private landowners and conservation partners to benefit native pollinators, songbirds, amphibians, bats, white-tailed deer, turkeys, and other wildlife. A dam on the Saxtons River was removed to restore natural habitat and allow passage for trout and other aquatic organisms. A total of 68 acres of invasive plant control was done on six Fish and Wildlife Department WMAs. A total of 355 acres of wetlands, floodplain and riverbank were added to Otter Creek Wildlife Management Area in Wallingford.
The Habitat Stamp was inspired by the Vermont Migratory Waterfowl Stamp and Federal Duck Stamp which raise funds for wetland conservation from waterfowl hunters who are required to display a stamp along with their license. The Habitat Stamp is a way for conservationists who do not typically purchase a hunting, fishing or trapping license to contribute to the state’s habitat conservation efforts.
“Although we can be proud of the Habitat Stamp Fund’s accomplishments this year, there is still room to grow,” said Austin. “We especially invite Vermonters who do not contribute to conservation by buying a hunting, fishing or trapping license to consider buying a habitat stamp this year. It is one of the most direct ways to funnel your dollars to supporting biodiversity in our state in 2024.”
The 2023 Habitat Stamp Annual Report highlighting the conservation work done through the program is available online at www.vtfishandwildlife.com. Matching funds for habitat projects sponsored by the stamp have come from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program.
Discover more from Vermont Daily Chronicle
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Categories: Environment, Outdoors, Press Release
the fish and wildlife do not need to buy any more land/// take care of the land you have/// stop the public private partners///
I wonder how many anti-hunters contribute to this ? I’d be willing to bet that they can come up with some cockamamie idea that it enables their enemy .
It was likely all trapper John Wehner’s concept, so he can have more lands to shoot pet dogs on. His next court date has not yet been set – though I’m just guessing if you can shoot humans in VT now and walk – he will be able to do the same.
Meanwhile, in response to the new more humane trapping regs that took place on 1/1/24, Chrisopher Herrick, Commissioner of VT F & W, stated that: ….they strike a middle ground between concerns raised by {animal rights} activists and trappers {and} are among the most comprehensive trapping regulations in the country.” Middle Ground = Compromise, i.e.: Synonyms. Let’s see now if the law-abiding trappers abide by the laws……..
Poor dog, very sad situation. Although it was the dog’s owner that killed that dog, not the land owner. It’s your responsibility to control your own dog. It could have just as well been a car that hit the dog.
That dude shouldn’t have lied to the police and made up a bunch of stories for sure. Rule number 1, never answer questions. It also helps if you aren’t an asshole that shoots dogs.
VermontVermonter states “It could have just as well been a car that hit the dog.” Truer words have never been spoken, but you realize that there are those who believe that Rover should not have to be on a leash just because the town does not have a leash law . Therefore in their anthropomorphic little minds the motorist is at fault. It’s so common that I have made it a point to stop and thank those who are walking their dogs in public roads that DO leash their dogs, therefore keeping them safe, and close. (maintaining real control !)
Ah yes – shooting a dog & then lying to the police are totally synonymous with accidently hitting one with one’s car – at least they’re synonymous on Planet Bizarroland anyway.
The trapper in question either intentionally shot the poor dog OR he aimed & pulled the trigger prior to identifying his target…either way he is either an inhumane being or a person who shouldn’t be touching any firearms.
People truly love their pets and consider them family regardless of the sorry reality that there are people on here that harbor no such emotions. The dog wasn’t apparently required by law to be leashed & was simply romping on public property, the precise reason why trapping can pose such a danger.
murder rate very high in vermont/// some are being solved/// it is best you protect your self/// of course this has nothing to with the fish and wildlife topic///