Saturday, November 8, 2014

Vermont Conservation Plate Unveiling w/Gov. Shumlin on Monday


 
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
[phone]      802-828-1000      [fax]      802-828-1250
[email]    john.hall@state.vt.us
[website]    www.vtfishandwildlife.com
 
Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department
1 National Life Drive, Davis 2
Montpelier VT 05620