|
Oregon Wildlife Fund
There is a spotted frog, a frisky little ground
squirrel, and a bevy of native songbirds just waiting to join your fan club.
On your part, all it takes is a checkmark in the Nongame Wildlife Fund box
on your Oregon state income tax form. Every donation
― large or small ― matters
for the many conservation programs dependent on donations.
Nongame wildlife―animals
that are not fished, hunted or trapped― account for 88 percent
of Oregon's wildlife. Unfortunately, there is not a stable state funding
source for programs to support them; nongame programs receive only a
fraction of the amount needed for species and habitat conservation.
To address this problem, the Oregon Legislature
established the Nongame Wildlife Fund, allowing us to make tax-deductible
contributions on our state income tax returns. To date, donations to the
Fund have benefited Oregon's wildlife in many ways. They have helped bring
back the American peregrine falcon, bald eagle, and western snowy plover
from the brink of extinction; develop conservation programs for a number of
sensitive species including the western pond turtle, Willamette Valley
grassland birds, the yellow legged frog, the Townsend's big-eared bat, and
the white-headed woodpecker; improve wildlife habitats on both private and
public lands; provide opportunities to watch, photograph, study and
appreciate wildlife in their natural setting; and implement strategic plans
to determine the status of various species and establish priorities for
programs.
The Nongame Wildlife Fund is administered by the
Wildlife Diversity Program of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The program works in partnership with numerous non-profit conservation and
wildlife organizations, other federal and state agencies, citizen groups,
universities, and individual volunteers. Additionally, many Fund supporters
are sportsmen and sportswomen who are committed to the conservation of all
Oregon's wildlife. Many others are people who enjoy watching their backyard
wildlife.
So, please, place a checkmark in the Nongame Wildlife
Fund box on your state income tax form. You can donate $1, $5, $10 or any
portion of your refund to support the Nongame Wildlife Fund. Your donation
will be deducted from the refund check and is tax deductible on next year's
federal tax form. If you are not receiving a refund, you can still support
wildlife with a donation by mail to the Nongame Wildlife Fund, Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife, 3406 Cherry Avenue NE, Salem, Oregon
97303-4924.
Thank you. Together we can make a difference.
|
|
