VERMONT FISH & WILDLIFE
Media Advisory
Contact: VTF&W -- Susan Warner or John Hall, 802-828-1000
Conservation License Plate Unveiling w/ Gov. Shumlin
Monday, November 10
WHAT: Governor Shumlin will unveil three new conservation license plate designs – a loon, brook trout, and white-tailed deer.
WHEN: Monday, November 10, 2014 at 11:30 a.m.
WHERE: The Governor's Ceremonial Office in the second floor of the State House, Montpelier, Vt.
WHO: Governor Shumlin, D.M.V. Commissioner Robert Ide, Fish & Wildlife Commissioner Louis Porter, F&W director of public relations Susan Warner, wildlife division director Mark Scott, wildlife diversity program coordinator Steve Parren, D.E.C. Environmental Analyst Rick Hopkins.
BACKGROUND INFO:
- Conservation plates have raised over $2 million since they were first released in 1997.
- The original conservation plate was the peregrine falcon – the catamount plate was added in 2006.
- Funds from the sale of the plates are split between the Nongame Wildlife Fund and the Watershed Grant Fund.
- Funds in excess of the needs of the current programs will go to the Green Mountain Conservation Camps, where kids ages 12 to 16 learn about ecology and the outdoors
- The Nongame Wildlife Fund protects animals such as lynx, loons, bats, turtles, and bald eagles.
- The Watershed Grant Fund gives money to projects such as streambank plantings, a native plant nursery, and fish passage improvements.
- The loon was chosen by the public to replace the peregrine falcon through an online poll conducted by the Fish & Wildlife Department.
- Brook trout were chosen to represent the Watershed Grant Fund because they require clean water and intact habitat to thrive.
- The image for the brook trout plate was painted by former Fish & Wildlife commissioner Patrick Berry just before he stepped down as commissioner earlier in 2014. The deer and loon images were painted by Berlin, Vermont artist Linda Mirabile.
- Conservation license plates are purchased when drivers register their vehicle, either online or at the Montpelier, D.M.V.
- Conservation license plates are currently on 5,699 registered vehicles in Vermont.
John Hall, Outreach Division
Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department
1 National Life Drive, Davis 2
Montpelier VT 05620
