Federal Duck Stamp Program
Stored: Federal Duck Stamp Program
| Type | Program |
|---|---|
| Sponsor Organization | Migratory Bird Program |
| Top Organization | Department of the Interior |
| Creation Legislation | Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act of 1934 |
| Website | Website |
| Purpose | The Federal Duck Stamp Program sells stamps to hunters and collectors to fund wetland conservation within the National Wildlife Refuge System. It aims to protect migratory bird habitats and enhance biodiversity and recreational opportunities. |
| Program Start | 1934 |
| Initial Funding | $635,000 |
| Duration | Ongoing |
| Historic | No |
Federal Duck Stamp Program is a Department of the Interior initiative managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Migratory Bird Program that has raised over $1.3 billion since 1934 through stamp sales to conserve more than 6 million acres of wetland habitat across the United States within the National Wildlife Refuge System, supporting over 300 refuges and 1,093 migratory bird species as of 2025.
Mandating stamp purchases for waterfowl hunters aged 16 and older, it sold over 1.5 million stamps in FY 2024—including 1.1 million E-Stamps—generating $40 million annually, with a 2024 modernization extending E-Stamp validity through June 30, 2025, and featuring Adam Grimm’s spectacled eider painting, enhancing conservation amid a 3-billion-bird decline since 1970.
Goals
- Fund wetland habitat acquisition and protection for migratory birds.[1]
- Conserve biodiversity and ecosystem services via the Refuge System.
- Enhance hunting, birdwatching, and recreational access nationwide.
Organization
The Federal Duck Stamp Program was sponsored by the Migratory Bird Program’s Division of Migratory Bird Management within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, under the Department of the Interior, headquartered at 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, Virginia.[2] Funding came from stamp sales ($25 per stamp, $40 million annually), managed by a staff overseeing distribution via Amplex, state vendors, and E-Stamps across 30 states, collaborating with over 2,000 partners including Ducks Unlimited and state wildlife agencies.
The leader at the Department of the Interior level was the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, currently Martha Williams (as of February 20, 2025), with the program led by Assistant Director Jerome Ford.
History
The Federal Duck Stamp Program was established by the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act of 1934, signed into law on March 16, 1934, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, with sales beginning August 1934.[3] Initiated with J.N. “Ding” Darling’s mallard design, it opened its art contest to the public in 1949, evolved with the 2008 E-Stamp pilot, and modernized via the 2023 Duck Stamp Modernization Act (effective 2024), raising $1.3 billion by 2025, with 2024’s spectacled eider stamp by Adam Grimm marking its 90th year.
Funding
Initial funding in 1934 was $635,000 from stamp sales at $1 each.[4] Funding began in 1934 and continues, with FY 2024 at $40 million from 1.5 million stamps ($25 each, 98% to conservation), supplemented by a $4 E-Stamp fee, with no end date as sales sustain efforts like 2025’s $46.2 million wetland grants integration.
Implementation
The program was implemented by selling Federal Duck Stamps annually—physical via vendors, refuges, and Amplex, and E-Stamps via 30 states—funding habitat purchases via the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund, with a juried art contest selecting each design.[5] It operates continuously with no end date, conserving 6 million+ acres, with 2025 efforts adapting E-Stamp validity through June 30 and supporting post-Helene recovery.
Related
External links
- https://www.fws.gov/program/federal-duck-stamp
- https://www.fws.gov/program/migratory-birds - Migratory Bird Program
- https://www.doi.gov/ - Department of the Interior Overview
- wikipedia:Federal Duck Stamp
Social media
References
- ↑ "Federal Duck Stamp Program Overview," U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, https://www.fws.gov/program/federal-duck-stamp, accessed February 19, 2025.
- ↑ "Migratory Bird Program Structure," U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, https://www.fws.gov/program/migratory-birds/about-us, accessed February 19, 2025.
- ↑ "Federal Duck Stamp History," U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, https://www.fws.gov/program/federal-duck-stamp/about-us, accessed February 19, 2025.
- ↑ "Federal Duck Stamp," Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Duck_Stamp, accessed February 19, 2025.
- ↑ "Duck Stamp Sales," U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, https://www.fws.gov/program/federal-duck-stamp/what-we-do, accessed February 19, 2025.