Artist chosen for the 2013-2014 Duck Stamp

Robert Steiner, an artist from San Francisco, CA, is the winner of the 2012 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest, which determines the design for the 2013-2014 stamp.

… a much coveted “prize.”

Robert Steiner, an artist from San Francisco, CA, is the winner of the 2012 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest, which determines the design for the 2013-2014 stamp.

The announcement was made today (Oct. 4) by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Deputy Director Rowan Gould at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah.

Steiner’s acrylic painting of a common goldeneye will be made into the 2013-2014 Federal Duck Stamp, which will go on sale in late June 2013.

According to the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), on Sept 29, a panel of 5 judges reviewed 192 waterfowl art submissions and chose Steiner’s work.

Federal Duck Stamps are not valid for postage.

Originally created in 1934 as federal licenses required for hunting migratory waterfowl, Federal Duck Stamps have a much larger purpose today.

Federal Duck Stamps are a vital tool for wetland conservation; 98 cents out of every dollar generated by the sale of Federal Duck Stamps goes directly to purchase or lease wetland habitat for protection in the National Wildlife Refuge System (http://www.fws.gov/refuges )

Since 1934, sales of Federal Duck Stamps have generated more than $750 million, which has been used to purchase or lease more than 6 million acres of wetlands habitat in the United States for protection.

An estimated one-third of the nation’s endangered and threatened species find food or shelter in refuges established using Federal Duck Stamp funds.*

People, too, have benefited from the Federal Duck Stamp. Hunters have places to enjoy their sport and other outdoor enthusiasts have places to hike, watch birds, photograph and explore. Moreover, these protected wetlands help purify water supplies, store flood water, reduce soil erosion and sedimentation, and provide spawning areas for fish important to sport and commercial fishermen.

Besides serving as a hunting license and a conservation tool, a current year’s Federal Duck Stamp also serves as an entrance pass for national wildlife refuges where admission is charged. Duck Stamps are also popular collector items.

To learn more about the stamps, including when and where to buy them, visit the Federal Duck Stamp web site at http://www.fws.gov/duckstamps/Info/Stamps/stampinfo.htm

Posted October 4, 2012 based on a press release, as edited and added to by HTNP.com Editor Brenda Sulllivan

*From the Federal Duck Stamp web site

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