Attention, taxpayers. There's a

Nongame Wildlife Calls for Help Pine marten There's something new and wild lurking in of all places! your Minnesota tax forms. Watch for it! Attention, taxpayers. There's a new line on your income tax forms, something that means a lot to nearly 500 species of wildlife in Minnesota. These are special animals, ones we have pretty much taken for granted. We're talking about nongame wildlife, creatures that we don't hunt, trap, or fish bald eagle, loon, prairie chicken, sandhill crane, bluebird, pine marten, and a few hundred more. Unfortunately, changing land use, pollution, and illegal killing threaten many of these species and their habitat. The new Nongame Wildlife Fund will help preserve these species and prevent them from becoming endangered, even extinct. The pro- Carrol Henderson gram was given a major boost last year when the Minnesota legislature passed a nongame wildlife check-off bill. The bill flew through the legislative process with the catchname "Chickadee Check-Oft.' The new law allows taxpayers entitled to a state income tax or property tax refund to donate from 1 up to the full amount of their refund to the Nongame Wildlife Fund. The donation can then be deducted as a charitable contribution on the following year's return. This is not the same as the political-party tax check-off. Contributions to the Nongame Wildlife Fund will reduce the amount of a taxpayer's refund. Minnesota is the third U JANUARY-FEBRUARY 1981 11

Carrol Henderson is coordinator of DNR's Nongame Wildlife Program. state to adopt the tax check-oft to help non-game wildlife. Colorado and Oregon have similar programs. Kansas also adopted a tax check-oft in 1980. Last year, nearly 12 percent of Colorado taxpayers donated an average of $5 for a total of $647,200. Over eight percent of Oregon taxpavers averaged $3.67 each for a total'of $337,000. Applying these statistics to Minnesota's tax figures, over a halfmillion dollars may he raised this year for the state's nongame wildlife. In addition, Minnesota can receive up to $200,000 from the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act of 1980, a federal nongame wildlife program which provides $3 to states for every $1 raised from taxpayers. The signing of the federal bill climaxed a three-year effort in Congress to give nongame wildlife the attention it deserved. Former Minnesota Senator Wendell Anderson and the late Hubert Humphrey were among the original sponsors of the nongame bill. Beginning. Operated by the Department of Natural Resources, the nongame wildlife program began in 1977. It resulted from a growing interest among natural resource managers and private citizens to broaden traditional, game-oriented wildlife programs. Game animals in Minnesota include 112 species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. But nongame species number about 490, three of which are endangered. In the past, we often waited until a species became endangered before we took measures to save it not a wise conservation strategy. A strong nongame program will help prevent wildlife from becoming endangered. The new program allows a balanced effort to conserve both game and nongame wildlife in Minnesota. From 1977 to 1980, funds for the

nongame program came from the sale of hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses. Sportsmen never complained about that arrangement. They deserve credit for funding the program in its formative years. Projects. The nongame program has already completed several projects: Lead poisoning was discovered in bald eagles migrating through the Lac qui Parle Wildlife Refuge. The eagles ingested the lead from Canada geese crippled with lead shot. Steel is now required shot for goose hunting in the refuge. The nongame program has transferred six bald eagle nestlings from northern Minnesota to the JANUARY-FEBRUARY 1981 Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge in New York during the past two years. The plan: to help restore New York s bald eagle population which was eradicated by DDT poisoning. (Minnesota's bald eagle population is currently increasing and expanding its range.) Two bald eagles stocked in New York four years ago returned there in the spring of 1980 and raised two eaglets. Their arrival confirmed hopes for restoring our national bird in its former breeding range. Eagles, falcons, loons, hawks, owls, pelicans, swans, and cranes found sick, crippled, and orphaned have been transferred to the Raptor Rehabilitation Center at the University of Minnesota. 11

Common terns Hearding Island in Duluth harbor was acquired from the public domain (at no cost) and designated as a Wildlife Management Area primarily for nongame wildlife. Now, part of the island is being cleared to create the sandy beach habitat needed by rare piping plovers and common terns. Since 1977, over 90 prairie chickens have been released near the Chippewa Prairie to help restore this bird in part of its former range in western Minnesota. River otters are being livetrapped in northern Minnesota and reintroduced to the Minnesota River Valley in western Minnesota. They have been absent from that area for about 100 years. Negotiations are now underway to acquire two heron colonies holding nearly six hundred nests of great blue herons, great egrets, blackcrowned night herons, and doublecrested cormorants. Heron colonies "12 vulnerable to disturbance, face continuing threats from land development. Acquisitions of these two sites can help preserve these birds. Future projects include managing habitat for the loon, sandhill crane, great gray owl, bobwhite, elk, burrowing owl, peregrine falcon, and trumpeter swan. Minnesota has more nesting loons and bald eagles than any other state in the continental U.S. something we can be proud of. The rich diversity and abundance of our nongame wildlife is a direct indication of our state's environmental quality. We can't, however, assume it will always remain this way. By making an annual, taxdeductible donation to the Nongame Wildlife Fund, Minnesotans can help invest in the future of our state's wildlife heritage. Look for the FollowingLine on Your Minnesota Income Tax or Property Tax Form If you wish to have $1.00 or more of your tax refund go into the Minnesota Nongame Wildlife Fund, fill in the amount here. This will reduce your refund. $ For more information on the DNR's Nongame Wildlife Program, write: Department of Natural Resources, Nongame Supervisor, Section of Wildlife, Box 7, Centennial Building, St. Paul, MN 55155. THE MINNESOTA VOLUNTEER