"Conserve Wildlife" License Plates

“Today at the license plate office, I opted for the Conserve Wildlifelicense plates. $15 will go to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission every time I renew my tags. As you can see on the link, cumulatively it's generated a lot of money for the organization, which is cool.

I was just wondering how many different states have these or similiar plates, and if y'all have them?”

“I have a conserve wildlife resources plate in PA. and the state has several different plates for raising funds.”

“The politicians in Atlanta tried to raid the funds for something else a couple of years ago and they got nuked with about 20,000 phone calls when the news of what they were up to circulated around the state via email.

(can you say 'run-on sentence'? LOL)”

“Michigan has them,( they have a loon on them), but I didn't realize that a portion of my tag purchase, every year, went to the conservation organization. Maybe I'll get a new plate this year, mine's getting a bit shabby.”

“Alabama has several:

Save the Forest

Protectour Environment

and my favorite

”

“here's my favorite.. I don't know what happened to the above link..

Save the Cahaba”

“Maine has the loon plate, which supports wildlife conservation, I think to the tune of $20.00 every time you renew. Some years ago, Augusta toyed with the idea of $10 into the general fund and $10 to the forest service. This extra surcharge was in addition the the excise taxes that already went into the general fund. Perhaps Twigeater could straighten out my numbers, as she works in a guvment office that would be in the know.

I tell you, Augusta is such a "tax everything we can" entity that I never got the loon plates. If I sent an extra $20 for the forest service, I want to know that is where it is going to end up. Maine now has a rather nice looking chick-a-dee plate that I am happy to have without paying extra for.

I have become more and more disenchanted with government charities and the like. If the government is involved, I am convinced it is screwed up.

Example: A few years ago, Skinny Dip was selling gourmet Lolly Pops for a buck a piece for the girls softball in high school. The girls in turn, for selling so many would get a gift from the lolly pop supplier(Stuffed bear or something). Then the supplier would donate a portion of the proceeds to the softball commitee. Of course, what they weren't telling you, is that they are a business and the prime purpose of being in business is to make a profit. If a thousand lolly pops were sold, and the girls got prizes out of the profits, and the supplier made a "legal" profit, how much was left over for the softball at the high school??????

Nowadays, if I want to support an organization, I will send a check, for nothing in return except a tax deduction receipt, directly to the organization. I don't want them to use some of that money to send me a teddy bear. I want them to use all of that money to buy the land around Tumbledown mountain.

Promotion: Habitat for humanity. I like this outfit. Have you ever been to an old fashioned barn raising? All your effort and time will go directly to help out someone else, who is also there working their butt off. And the giant corporation gets none of your money. But you are helping a very grateful neighbor. My kind of charity!!”

“Sorry, got off topic.”

“off topic posting was decriminalised on this board.

I thought this thread was about keeping parties from getting out of hand. :}
protect wildlife, legalise drugs? Maybe CA might consider it for a plate....”

“Give Wildlife A Chance" is what's on my GA tag. Bob White quail, not loons, tho.”

“Illinois seems to have a Special license plate for everything.

State Parks
Sporting
Bass
Deer
Goose
Pheasant
Turkey
Organ donor
Prevent Violence

And many others. But my favoite is a license plate for


HEARING IMPARED!!!!!!

Hope I NEVER see THAT plate!”

“Florida's got over 60 designs. We come in 2nd, behind California, in numbers.”

“60!

What? do they have plates for all the movie stars? Sheesh!”

“Yeah Maine has a pile of specialty plates, the most ridiculous of all being the University plates. (imo)

Inland Fisheries & Wildlife gets a cut of the Maine's loon plate as does the Dept of Conservation and the Secretary of State's Office. I can find out what the exact deal is. The start up funds are from the general fund but must be paid back, then the profits go into dedicated revenue accounts, not GF. Dedicated funds are normally protected and used only for the purpose they are intended - but of course dedicated funds are being raided during this budget crisis as they were in the early 90's. In other words, the extra $$ you paid for your special plate could be used for something you are already being taxed heavily for, like welfare.

The loon plate was extremely popular when we had the stupid "dead lobster" plate. So IF&W et al, got used to spending those $$. Once a new gov't program is started or new position is established, they're almost impossible to eliminate. And now that our regular plate is a nice chickadee plate, the loon plate isn't bringing in the revenue it once was. So IF&W's bright idea to replace the "lost" loon revenue is to require a yearly sticker for each kayak and canoe.

I'd never have one. I also never buy Outdoor Heritage Fund lottery tickets, after working at the Dept of Conservation for a coupla years - what a waste of time and money! Basically, I wouldn't give the government idiots one extra cent I didn't absolutely have to.
Except Baxter Park, whose funds are protected by a trust. :)

But I'm cynical, I work in the State Budget Office. =D”

“Cynical? NAH.... LOL”

“You mean I ain't the only cynac?”

“LOL@Tilt. :)

some examples of what Maine's loon plate funds”

“"Laugh while you can, Monkeyboy!"

"Dr. Emilio Lizardo" / "Lord John Whorfin"
John Lithgow
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimensionm (1984)

Nooooo, MB... not by a LONG shot, LOL



BTB, Twigs, I just ran across some pretty nifty supporting documentation about the Iraqi nuclear program, the IAEA, 'fibbing,' etc. <G> It's here in PDF format (just 8 pages). Serendipity is a mother for sure, LOL


Okay.... Back to the loons and the plates! Our bobwhite plates have been somewhat colorised this year, but they STILL won't let me customize the letters on one, <grrrrrrrrrrrr>”

“Yeah that is a complaint of many folks in IL.”

“Colorized license plates or Buckeroo Banzai?”

“What does "Conserve Wildlife" mean?
To conserve something, you have to use it sparingly. Does that mean that the license plate promotes hunting and killing in moderation?”

“Mainiacs with loon plates? What next?

I have a Maine bumper sticker that reads:
"Bumpah Stickah for the cah."”

“Dang, the link didn't work.

Cut and paste: http://wildlifefoundationofflorida.com/projects.htm”

“It just seems odd that the Defenders of Wildlife and the Florida chapter of the Serria Club would be promoting such a license plate.”

“I don't see what's so odd about it. And about hunting, I dabble a bit in that myself, so if the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission contributes to that in some capacity, it's fine with me.”

“Nothing I love more than seeing a “conservation” plate on an Escalade.

What ever makes ya feel better.”

“BS - unless I read incorrectly...the link that Artex posted is for a Foundation, that apparently recieves some of it's funding from license plate fees.”

“Yeah, I was wondering where BS got that from..”

“"I don't see what's so odd about it. And about hunting, I dabble a bit in that myself, so if the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission contributes to that in some capacity, it's fine with me."
Artex
11:04:19 AM
03/24/03

They have hawg resslin license plates in Fla?”

“Dig a little deeper boys. Under the history of the tag, the credit is given to the Florida Fish and Wildlife department, the Defenders of Wildlife and the Florida chapter of the Serria Club.”

“Hey twigeater, BS called you a boy! :-)

BS, I think you might be wrong. It looks the Sierra Club and the Defenders of Wildlife helped to bring the plate into existance. But under the Where The Revenue Goes portion of the website explains that $15 funds go to the Wildlife Foundation of Florida.

Click here for an explanation of what they do.”

“In PA. they claim the money for the plate goes to help non-game species.”

“What I meant by my post was just that you shouldn't confuse the list of "completed projects" with projects that were funded by the license plate. It looks like some projects had some funding with plate money, but the foundation doesn't actually exist because of the plate money - they just received some of the funds.
BUT - I didn't really look that closely at it either. In Maine, DOC uses some of their funds to build huge shower houses at the state parks and boat ramps. I don't know what IF&W does with their funds. DOC also gives a free state park day use pass to each plate holder.

Yeah, people often think I'm a guy on the web. Must be my manly posts. ;)
Which once they find out I'm female prolly gets interpreted to be "big mouth b!tch pushy broad" LOL”

““What does "Conserve Wildlife" mean? That means promoting hunting and killing. The word of conserve wildlife sounds very nice. Indeed, the real business behind the nice word, all the states use the money they collect buying these license plates to hunting, trapping & killing. That is why the consumers should believe governments and organizations 100%. I have checked out some of links your folk mentioned. I know their web sites are very convincing of how caring they are conserve wildlife, but it’s a trick to people believing. How of innocent consumers will purchase the license plates if the government names it “Promote Hunting and Killing the Wildlife?”

I have been buying wild life postal stamps since the message says, “all the money you spent it will go to conserve wildlife.” Without know the real fact behind the lying message, I bought them. Now, I will not buy any of them. It disguising knowing I support hunting and killing wildlife since I am the compassionate person who devotes to bird’s life. The following article was a report from a newsperson named Steve Ember.

ANIMALS Alert - Don't Buy "Conserve Wildlife" License Plates 3:45 PM
The following objective article exposes more treachery by the Division of
Fish and (Killing) Wildlife.

Please note that original purpose of these specialty license plates was to
fund the Endangered and Nongame Species Program component of the Division of
Fish and (Killing) Wildlife. Very little of the proceeds have been spent on
Threatened and Endangered Species such as Bald Eagles. Instead, the primary
focus is to increase the quantity of animals within various non-hunted
species so that they can be hunted again. Turkeys, Bobcats and other species
are victimized not saved.

Usually, when you hear "Conserve Wildlife", the actual meaning is "Slaughter
Wildlife". Conservation groups are usually hunting advocacy groups. A short
list of such groups follows:

National Audubon Society
Defenders of Wildlife (does a lot of good work for selected species)
Izaak Walton League
National Wildlife Federation (does some good education for selected species)
Nature Conservancy (does a lot of good work for selected plant species)
National Rifle Association
Safari Club
Sierra Club (does some good work for selected species)
Wilderness Society (does some good work for selected species)
World Wildlife Fund (does some good work for selected species)

Steve E.

*********************

Conserve N.J. wildlife, or so some motorists think
Bergen Record
Friday, August 20, 2004
By JOHN CICHOWSKI

Hey, nature lover, what better way to express your affection for God's wild
creatures than to slap an official yellowish badge of honor on the family
jalopy? For $50 and a $10 annual renewal, you can buy a special New Jersey
license plate that says "Conserve Wildlife" and bears a picture of a bald
eagle.

For another $50, you can even personalize your plate with five characters.
(BAMBI? TEDDY?) The money goes to the state Division of Fish and Game for
wildlife preservation.

What could be a better combination? A contribution to your favorite cause.
An ad promoting wildlife conservation. And all of it on your own car.
How perfect. How Jersey.

And how absolutely wrong, say some naturalists.

"Those plates fund hunting programs," said Angi Metler, president of the New
Jersey Animal Rights Alliance, as she directed me to a Fish and Game Web
site. It said 80 percent of the plate fee supports state preservation and
restoration of endangered wildlife and development of wildlife viewing
programs.

"Where do you think the other 20 percent goes?" Metler asked. "It's for
wildlife management - and that's code for hunts!"

So, $80 of a BAMBI or TEDDY plate protects Bambi and Teddy and the other $20
supplies the bullets to kill them? In the shrill aftermath of New Jersey's
first bear hunt in three decades, can that really be true?

"It's a disgrace!" roared Stuart Chaifetz, an activist who stages hunger
strikes to oppose hunts. "Motorists should demand their money back!"

That would be some refund - $2.2 million since 1996. The Motor Vehicle
Commission says Conserve Wildlife is one of the most popular "cause" plates.
But nobody is asking for refunds. No need, said Fish and Game spokeswoman
Karen Hershey.

"The plates don't support wildlife management or hunting," Hershey insisted.
"That money comes from hunting and fishing licenses and excise taxes from
manufacturers of hunting and angling equipment and firearms."

Where does the other 20 percent of a BAMBI or TEDDY plate go?
"Administration," she said.

But isn't some of the preservation and restoration money used for Fish and
Game salaries?

"Possibly a very tiny amount."

And might these salaries contribute to wildlife management?
"That's hard to say."

Hunt opponents, most of them vegetarians, aren't swallowing any of this.
"When budgets get crunched, money is moved around," said bear hunt opponent
Lynda Smith. "Sometimes it's used to buy property for endangered species,
then one day Fish and Game is permitting hunting on that property."

So, how much of our BAMBI or TEDDY plate eventually goes to management,
which is code for hunting?

A dollar? A quarter?

Short of a full-scale audit, it's hard to say, which is code for, "This is
more an issue of principle than substance."

In the aftermath of a hunt that claimed more than 300 Teddys last December,
zealous animal lovers have taken much of the fun out of the carefree way
motorists once proclaimed their love for wildlife. Maybe it's time to
restrict vanity plates only to those clever, lighthearted souls who are more
interested in making us chuckle than think.”

“I was well aware of that when I got my Conserve Wildlife plates. However, I see the point.. I don't think many people who are anti-hunting do.”

“The conserve part mainly relates to maintaining somewhere for the wildlife to live.

Land that is not turned into condos.
Public parks that are left wild and not turned into golf courses.

In NJ they only started hunting in the Wachung reservation when starving deer started to ringbark all the native trees.”

“Yet another new troll.”

“This thread reminds me. ONLY 2 MORE WEEKS UNTIL DEER SEASON STARTS!”

“Most hunters are every bit as conservation minded as most backpackers. I'm sure there are exceptions. I grew up in a hunting family and lived in the rural south where hunting is part of daily life. Every hunter I've known well enough to discuss things with follows the "eat what you kill" principle. They passionatly believe wild spaces should be protected from development and they truly enjoy being in the wild watching the sun rise and geese fly just as much as backpackers do. Sure they are out there to hunt, but they talk about beautiful mountainsides just as much as we do.”

“I think in Pennsylvania the money goes toward conserving species that are not hunted, but which are threatened or endangered.

Revenue from hunting licenses has brought deer back to the point of overrunning the state. Bear populations are also on the rise, as are wild turkeys.

If hunting is so detrimental to animals, why are we being overrun by deer?”

“I always thought that regulated hunting was part of animal habitat preservation. Just like the suburban sprawl (that NJ is ever-so-well-known-for) would destroy their habitats, too many animals are also not good for us, nor themselves. And if you don't believe that, come visit the outer suburbs of New Jersey, where the geese and deer (among other creatures, like bears) live like they own the place because we can't hunt them (for obvious reasons)...”

“That being said, I still think the NJ Conserve Wildlife program is a worthy one, and besides the 2 plates for it looks pretty cool, especially the one with the eagle...
last edited: 10/08/04 6:25:32 PM”