ODFW announced winners of its 2015 Habitat Conservation, Upland Game Bird, and Waterfowl Stamp art contests. Winners were chosen at an event at Duck Pond Cellars in Dundee. Habitat Conservation Stamp Winner – Don Meinders of North Carolina with his painting of Tufted Puffins. Upland Game Bird Stamp Winner – Shari Erickson of Beavercreek, Oregon with her painting of Gray Partridge. Waterfowl Stamp Winner – Timothy Turenne of Minnesota with his painting of Northern Pintail. People’s Choice Award Winner – Debra Otterstein of Cove, Oregon for her painting of the Northern Goshawk. Turenne and Erickson will each receive a prize award of $3,000. Meinders will receive a prize award of $1,000. The paintings will be used to produce 2015 collector stamps and other promotional items to benefit Oregon’s species and habitats. As part of the ODFW Art Show, visitors were encouraged to vote for their favorite artwork out of the 73 entries on display as part of the People’s Choice Award contest. Otterstein’s Northern Goshawk received the highest number of votes, with Rob Stine’s Ringtail and Mickey Schilling’s Coastal Cutthroat Trout coming in second and third place. November 22 marked the second year the art contest was held at Duck Pond Cellars. The winery partners with ODFW’s Conservation Program by crafting unique blends of Pinot Noir that feature winning artwork from the Habitat Conservation Stamp contest and donating $5 from the sale of each bottle to the Conservation Program. “We greatly appreciate the partnership with Duck Pond Cellars and their support of the ODFW Conservation Program,” said Andrea Hanson, Oregon Conservation Strategy Coordinator. “We had a great turn-out at the event this year with many wonderful art entries to enjoy.” Conservation Cuvee – Lot 1, released last year, features the Western Meadowlark artwork of the winning 2012 Habitat Conservation Stamp contest by Sara Stack. This year’s Conservation Cuvee – Lot 2 features the 2014 Habitat Conservation Stamp winning artwork of Western Painted Turtles by Timothy Turenne. The wine can be purchased at Duck Pond Cellars, through its website, and at select restaurants and wine shops. This year’s art contest was judged by Greg Wolley, ODFW Commissioner; Bill Monroe, The Oregonian; Dan Edge, Oregon State University; Bruce Taylor, Oregon Habitat Joint Venture; and Leslie Bliss-Ketchum, The Wildlife Society. Habitat Conservation Stamp – The stamp and art prints feature wildlife identified in the Oregon Conservation Strategy as species in need of help, such as Pygmy Rabbits, Northern Red-legged Frog, Gray Whale and many others. Revenue helps restore habitats essential to declining or at-risk species. Collector stamps and art prints are available on the ODFW website. Migratory Waterfowl Stamp – The 2015 waterfowl stamp competition is the first open art competition for this stamp since 1994. From 1995-2013, internationally renowned wildlife artist Robert Steiner was contracted to produce artwork for the waterfowl stamp. Artwork featured on previous stamps included geese, ducks and waterfowl hunting dogs. Artists this year were allowed to feature any ducks and/or geese native to Oregon in their natural habitat. Upland Game Bird Stamp – Oregon’s upland game bird stamp art contest first began in 1990 and each year features one of 10 upland game bird species found in Oregon. This year, artists were asked to feature Hungarian (gray) partridge. The sale of waterfowl and upland game bird stamps funds game bird research, surveys, hunt programs, habitat improvement and conservation projects. Hunters who have purchased a waterfowl validation can request a complementary stamp using the form found in the Game Bird Hunting Regulations. Stamps may also be purchased by mail order.
