Tax time: Write in for Oregon wildlife

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife asks Oregonians to donate to the Nongame Wildlife Fund by writing Charitable Code # 19 in the charitable checkoff donation section of their 2012 Oregon State tax returns. Funds are used to support the 88 percent of the state’s wildlife that are not hunted or fished.

Since its inception in 1979, donations to the Nongame Wildlife Fund have helped recover American peregrine falcon and bald eagle populations. Funds have been used to develop conservation programs for sensitive species including western pond turtles, Willamette Valley grassland birds, yellow-legged frogs, Townsend’s big-eared bats and white-headed woodpeckers.

It is easy to donate: When filling out 2012 Oregon State tax Form 40, write Charity Code # 19 in the designated Charitable Checkoff donations box and the amount you wish to donate. (A full list of charities is included in the Form 40 instruction booklet.)

“Donations to the Nongame Fund allow us to implement habitat restoration and conservation projects that benefit all species,” said Andrea Hanson. “Many Oregonians are not aware that we manage all wildlife, including songbirds, frogs, fish, lizards, bats, owls and foxes.”

It is a donation that makes good economic and environmental sense—healthy wildlife populations live in healthy habitats. By voluntarily conserving species and habitats, biologists can address at-risk wildlife by using a non-regulatory approach to conservation and helping species before they become endangered or threatened and more costly to protect.

Contributions have the potential to be matched 3-to-1 by federal grants and funds, increasing your donation.

All habitat work is done within the blueprint of the Oregon Conservation Strategy. For more information, visit the ODFW website.

About ODFW

The mission of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is to protect and enhance Oregon’s fish and wildlife and their habitats for use and enjoyment by present and future generations.