Duck Stamp History and Importance to Conservation

Suzanne Fellows will speak to us about the Federal Duck Stamp Program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Duck Stamps are not postage stamps. The Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps, as they are officially known, are one of the most successful conservation tools available to help preserve our wildlife resources. Wildfowl hunters are required to buy the stamps annually and display them on their hunting licenses. In addition, the stamps are highly sought after by collectors and wildlife art aficionados. Funds from the sale of the stamp are used to purchase wetland habitat for the National Wildlife Refuge System, leading to the purchase of over 8 million acres for wildlife conservation in the program’s 80+ year history. The artwork on the stamp changes annually and is selected through an open competition among wildlife artists. Suzanne will talk with us about the history of the Duck Stamp, the annual competition, the junior competition for students in K- 12th grades, and the impacts of using the proceeds from Duck Stamp sales for conservation purchases.

About the lecturer

Suzanne Fellows is the Director of the Federal Duck Stamp Program at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She holds a BS degree in wildlife ecology from the University of North Dakota and an MS in wildlife management from Utah State University. She began her USFWS career at refuges in Colorado and Kansas prior to joining the Migratory Bird Program in Denver, Colorado in 2000. In 2013 she joined the Duck Stamp Office at USFWS Headquarters. She has been involved in the Junior Duck Stamp Program since 1996 and currently serves as the national coordinator for the program.

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PGAS monthly programs are held on the second Tuesday of each month, September through June, in partnership with the Patuxent Bird Club, a chapter of the Maryland Ornithological Society. There are no programs scheduled in July or August. PGAS members are encouraged to attend monthly meetings and non-members are always welcome.

The formal program always begins at 7:30 pm, but doors open at 7:00 for informal conversation, refreshments, and exchange of birding news.  Each program opens with brief statements from leaders of both clubs about upcoming events, items of interest and other club business, followed by the featured speaker with a question-and-answer period afterwards.

The programs are held at the College Park Airport Operations Building, 1909 Corporal Frank Scott Drive, College Park, MD.