Interested in conserving Vermont’s wildlife? Consider making a donation to the Nongame Wildlife Fund on line 29 of the state income tax form this tax season. The fund helps to conserve some of Vermont’s most threatened wildlife species such as bald eagles, lynx, and bats.
Donations are leveraged by a match from a federal grant, meaning that a $50 donation generates up to $150 to wildlife conservation in Vermont. Donations have helped recovery efforts for Vermont’s bat species that were recently hit with a devastating fungal disease known as white-nose syndrome. Past donations to the Nongame Wildlife Fund have helped recover peregrine falcons, osprey, and loons in Vermont. These donations also help conserve declining pollinators such as butterflies, beetles and bees, which are critically important to agriculture and ecology.
Biologist Steve Parren manages nongame wildlife projects for the Vermont Fish & Wildlife department. He works on the recovery of Vermont’s rare turtle species, including the state endangered spiny softshell turtle. Parren monitors and protects the turtles’ nests, and each winter he raises dozens of baby turtles in his own living room before releasing them back into Lake Champlain in the spring.
“The Nongame Wildlife Fund has been responsible for some of the great conservation success stories in Vermont,” said Parren. “Thanks to the generous donations of thousands of Vermonters, we are working to restore many of the iconic species of our Green Mountain State.”
“It’s clear that Vermonters care deeply about wildlife,” said John Buck, a state wildlife biologist who works to recover the state’s endangered bird species. “These donations demonstrate that the people of our state share a strong commitment to conservation.”
Photo by Tom Rogers
Osprey are now much more common in Vermont thanks to recovery efforts supported by the Nongame Wildlife Fund.
