FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS

One of the easiest things interested individuals may do is join a conservation organization such as Ducks Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy, the National Audubon Society, or the Sierra Club. Each of these organizations, and many national, state, and local organizations like them, have programs which enhance or acquire and set aside wetlands, sponsor various educational/outreach efforts, and lobby lawmakers for pro-wetland and other conservation oriented legislation. Persons may wish to further the efforts of these conservation groups by making contributions greater than the regular membership fees.

Concerned citizens may also contribute financially to public or private conservation trust funds. These funds are used to finance several different public and private wetland protection programs such as those discussed earlier. Contributions to some of these funds may be made directly on state tax forms. A few public trusts to which one may wish to contribute are the Natural Areas Acquisition Fund, the Illinois Wildlife Preservation Fund, and the Habitat Endowment Act.

An individual may also make indirect financial contributions to wetland conservation efforts. This may be accomplished by purchasing the Department of the Interior's Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, popularly called the "Federal Duck Stamp", and the state of Illinois' Habitat Stamp. He or she may also choose from a variety of sporting goods from which a portion of the proceeds fund wetland preservation efforts.

[Introduction | Voluntary Incentive Programs | Advocacy Introduction  |Financial Contributions |Public Outreach | Stewardship | Public Policy   | Enforcing Compliance | Conclusion ]

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