Wetlands and Waterfowl at County Museum
Museum Director Robert McKernan will present two talks on the
subject of waterfowl and wetlands at the San Bernardino County
Museum in Redlands. On Saturday, November 13 at 1 p.m. he will
speak on “Waterfowl and Duck Stamps.” On Sunday, November
14 at 2 p.m. his topic will be “Wetland Conservation and
Duck Stamps.” Each talk is free with museum admission.
Duck stamps are not postage stamps; rather, they are revenue
stamps sold annually to licensed waterfowl hunters. Proceeds from
the sale of duck stamps, which are also popular among collectors
and conservationists, are the single largest source of revenue
for the purchase and conservation of wetlands in the United States.
Today 1.7 million stamps are sold each year. As of 2003, Federal
Duck Stamps have generated more than $600 million used to preserve
over 5 million acres of waterfowl habitat in the United States.
Many of the more than 540 national wildlife refuges have been
paid for all or in part by Duck Stamp money.
“Inland Southern California lies under a major flyway for
waterfowl species,” said McKernan. “Literally tens
of millions of ducks, geese, and other waterfowl cross our region
during migrations twice yearly, stopping at wetlands such as near
San Jacinto and at the Salton Sea. This habitat is crucial to
the survival of these species, and these species are beloved by
bird watchers, conservationists, and hunters alike.”
Each year the federal government sponsors an art contest for
the design of the annual Duck Stamp. The top entries from the
competition are shown at the county museum in their first west
coast exhibition, this year from November 18 through 28. The museum
will also exhibit winning entries from state and federal Junior
Duck Stamp competitions from November 9 through 21. The winning
artist for this year’s federal duck stamp competition, Mark
Anderson, will be at the museum during its annual Wildlife Art
Festival, November 19, 20, and 21.
The San Bernardino County Museum is at the California Street
exit from Interstate 10 in Redlands. The museum is open Tuesdays
through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission is $6
(adult), $5 (senior or student) and $4 (child ages 5 to 12). Children
under 5 and Museum Association members are admitted free. Parking
is free, and the facility is handicapped-accessible. The museum’s
Garden Café is open for lunch, snacks, and beverages from
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, visit www.sbcountymuseum.org
or call (909) 307-2669 / TDD/TTY: (909) 792-1462.
|