Federal Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program — Conservation Through the Arts

Obtain an entry form at Federal Junior Duck Stamp Web site.

Utah's kindergarten through high school age students can learn about waterfowl and the value of wetlands by participating in the 2005 Federal Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program. The core of the program is an integrated art and science curriculum developed to teach environmental science and habitat conservation.

Patterned after the original Federal Duck Stamp program, one of the most successful conservation programs ever initiated, the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program is designed to instill in America's youth an appreciation for waterfowl and wetlands conservation. The program is administered nationally through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and within states, by state coordinators operating through a variety of conservation organizations and agencies. Information about the program can be obtained by visiting the Federal Duck Stamp Web site at duckstamps.fws.gov.

2002 Jr. Duck Stamp winner

More than an art contest, the Junior Duck Stamp Program incorporates a dynamic, integrated art and science curriculum to teach wetlands and waterfowl conservation to K-12 students nationwide. Concentrating on waterfowl and wetlands, the pairing of subject areas through this program allows students to learn about conserving habitat while they explore the aesthetic qualities of wildlife and nature. To participate in the program, public, private and home school teachers can download a free copy of the Jr. Duck Stamp Program Curriculum Guide and the Duck Stamp Design Contest registration/entry form from the Duck Stamp Web site printed above. Submission details and competition guidelines are included in the registration/entry form.

A Junior Duck Stamp design is a term paper in which students use visual rather than verbal articulation to show that they have learned. Students select a species of North American waterfowl, do research on this species and its habitat, and then depict the species in an artistic medium. Contest entries are submitted in each of the 50 states, which host statewide competitions. The award winners and their families are honored at a special awards ceremony following the contest. Prizes awarded to state winners are purchased with funds generated from donations by individuals, local business and organizational sponsors. State Best of Show winners are then forwarded to the National Competition. The First Place National Winner receives a $2,500 cash award and a free trip to Washington, D.C. to attend the Federal Duck Stamp Contest. Winners from previous Junior Duck Stamp competitions can be viewed on the Web at Junior Duck Stamp Web site as well.

The Federal Duck Stamp Program has been one of the most successful conservation programs ever initiated. Since 1934, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act, also known as the Duck Stamp Act, Americans have lined up for the opportunity to collect these works of art published as Federal Duck Stamps.

For more than 60 years, the money generated from Duck Stamp sales has been used to buy or lease wetlands for the National Wildlife Refuge System, resulting in the preservation of millions of acres of waterfowl habitat in the United States.

The Federal Junior Duck Stamp program was initiated in 1994 to increase knowledge about the Federal Duck Stamp as a conservation program, and to teach the importance of wetland conservation. It provides youth, from kindergarten through high school, the opportunity to participate in activities that raise awareness of our nation's wildlife resources.

Teachers throughout the nation use the curriculum to develop an understanding and appreciation of wetlands and waterfowl, and to introduce students to the annual Federal Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program.

Like their predecessors, Junior Duck Stamps are sold throughout the country to collectors and enthusiasts of fine art. Proceeds from the sale of the stamps support conservation education awards and scholarships to contest participants.