25-04-2006, 04:51 PM
DNR asks nature lovers for help
Department urges bird-watchers, hikers to buy hunting licenses to boost budget
State bird-watchers have been issued an odd request from the state Department of Natural Resources: Buy a hunting license.
The DNR is issuing the same message to everyone in South Carolina who enjoys the outdoors. By buying a hunting or fishing license, even people who are not hunters or anglers can help the state earn more federal money for wildlife conservation.
Because the agency has been almost entirely cut off from state tax dollars for its wildlife management areas, it relies almost exclusively on federal funding to maintain those areas. And because federal funding is based on state sport license sales, the DNR is pushing to sell more licenses to people who traditionally wouldn't buy them.
"During the last 15 to 20 years, we've seen a resurgence of people who view wildlife rather than hunt it," said Dean Harrigal, a Green Pond-based wildlife biologist for the DNR. "We're talking about birders, bicyclers, hikers and those who just enjoy the outdoors, all coming to our parks."
Visitors to the state's wildlife management areas, like the Webb Center Wildlife Management Area in Hampton County and the Donnelley and Bear Island Wildlife Management Areas in Colleton County, are allowed into the parks at no charge.
It's the state's hunters, the DNR says, who are picking up the bill.
The state receives federal aid for its wildlife management areas based on the amount of land and the number of state hunting licenses issued. For each $12 hunting license the state sells, it gets about $7 in additional federal aid for DNR's budget to maintain the land.
"It's basically the 401(k) for our natural resources," Harrigal said.
The aid is passed down from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from a federal excise tax on guns and ammunition.
Though the formula has been in place since 1937, the DNR has lost much of its funding for these areas from the state and is facing increasing pressure from higher maintenance costs.
"The most important thing is that we handle all of the public-lands program, without one cent of state tax dollars," said Tim Ivey, the department's chief of wildlife. "So essentially, hunters are paying for everything: land management, surveys, wildlife monitoring and disease monitoring that everyone in the state benefits from."
The federal money also goes toward buying land for preservation. The Webb and Bear Island wildlife management areas -- popular destinations for Hilton Head birders, bicyclers and hikers -- were purchased in part with federal dollars, Harrigal said.
"People that visit these areas want to help, but they don't know how to help," Harrigal said. "If you're a bird-watcher, a bicyclist or a nature lover and you and want to come and enjoy our areas, please help kick in. It's entirely voluntary, but it could be a big help."
PETER FROST, The Island Packet
Mvh
Kim
Jeg er ikke fejlfri,men det er så tæt på at det skræmmer mig.
Department urges bird-watchers, hikers to buy hunting licenses to boost budget
State bird-watchers have been issued an odd request from the state Department of Natural Resources: Buy a hunting license.
The DNR is issuing the same message to everyone in South Carolina who enjoys the outdoors. By buying a hunting or fishing license, even people who are not hunters or anglers can help the state earn more federal money for wildlife conservation.
Because the agency has been almost entirely cut off from state tax dollars for its wildlife management areas, it relies almost exclusively on federal funding to maintain those areas. And because federal funding is based on state sport license sales, the DNR is pushing to sell more licenses to people who traditionally wouldn't buy them.
"During the last 15 to 20 years, we've seen a resurgence of people who view wildlife rather than hunt it," said Dean Harrigal, a Green Pond-based wildlife biologist for the DNR. "We're talking about birders, bicyclers, hikers and those who just enjoy the outdoors, all coming to our parks."
Visitors to the state's wildlife management areas, like the Webb Center Wildlife Management Area in Hampton County and the Donnelley and Bear Island Wildlife Management Areas in Colleton County, are allowed into the parks at no charge.
It's the state's hunters, the DNR says, who are picking up the bill.
The state receives federal aid for its wildlife management areas based on the amount of land and the number of state hunting licenses issued. For each $12 hunting license the state sells, it gets about $7 in additional federal aid for DNR's budget to maintain the land.
"It's basically the 401(k) for our natural resources," Harrigal said.
The aid is passed down from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from a federal excise tax on guns and ammunition.
Though the formula has been in place since 1937, the DNR has lost much of its funding for these areas from the state and is facing increasing pressure from higher maintenance costs.
"The most important thing is that we handle all of the public-lands program, without one cent of state tax dollars," said Tim Ivey, the department's chief of wildlife. "So essentially, hunters are paying for everything: land management, surveys, wildlife monitoring and disease monitoring that everyone in the state benefits from."
The federal money also goes toward buying land for preservation. The Webb and Bear Island wildlife management areas -- popular destinations for Hilton Head birders, bicyclers and hikers -- were purchased in part with federal dollars, Harrigal said.
"People that visit these areas want to help, but they don't know how to help," Harrigal said. "If you're a bird-watcher, a bicyclist or a nature lover and you and want to come and enjoy our areas, please help kick in. It's entirely voluntary, but it could be a big help."
PETER FROST, The Island Packet
Mvh
Kim
Jeg er ikke fejlfri,men det er så tæt på at det skræmmer mig.