Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

Emergency Burn Ban In Effect 10/26/24 - An emergency burn ban is now in effect for all Connecticut State Parks, Forests, and Wildlife Management areas, prohibiting the use of all outdoor grills, firepits, and campfires, and the kindling and use of flame outdoors. DEEP and local agencies are working to contain several active fires across the state. Please avoid all affected State Parks and Forests, as well as the blue-blazed Mattabesett Trail. The Enduro Trail in Voluntown and portions of North Stonington within the Pachaug State Forest are closed at this time. Rocky Neck State Park is also closed until further notice due to a brush fire. Please note that today's forest fire danger report remains at a 'very high' or 'extreme' level. More information about the current fire danger, burn ban and recommended safety measures can be found here

Connecticut Waterfowl Conservation Day

Saturday, September 14, 2024, from 10:00 AM-3:00 PM
Greenwich Audubon Center, 613 Riversville Road, Greenwich
Logo for Connecticut Waterfowl Conservation Day

To help highlight the Federal Duck Stamp judging being held in Connecticut, this special event held the Saturday before will showcase our state’s waterfowl heritage and conservation efforts. The day will be full of fun family activities focused on everything waterfowl:

  • Talk to representatives from the DEEP Wildlife and Environmental Conservation Police Divisions, Greenwich Audubon, and various waterfowl conservation organizations, like the Connecticut Waterfowl Association, Ducks Unlimited, and Delta Waterfowl. (List of who will be there)
  • Learn about the federal Duck Stamp judging from the Bruce Museum and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
  • View a showcase of waterfowl wood carvers and decoy makers.
  • Learn about the Connecticut Junior Duck Stamp Contest and Connecticut’s Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp. Artwork from the most recent Connecticut contest will be on display, as well as artwork from the Migratory Bird Stamp from the past 30+ years.
  • A variety of activities for kids, such as building wood duck nest boxes, as well as giveaways.
  • Stay tuned for more activities and highlights.
Who Will Be There:
  • Greenwich Audubon Center
  • The Bruce Museum
  • CT DEEP Wildlife Division
  • CT DEEP Environmental Conservation Police Division - TIP Trailer
  • CT Waterfowl Association
    • Pete Revicki: Decoy Carving
  • Delta Waterfowl
    • Carl Weston; Duck Call Carver
  • Ducks Unlimited
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge

 

Federal Duck Stamp Judging to Be Held in Connecticut

Mergansers, pintails, mallards and eiders have all adorned the Federal Duck Stamp, one of the most successful conservation programs in United States history. Discover the artistry behind the popular waterfowl hunting stamp in “Conservation Through the Arts: Celebrating the Federal Duck Stamp,” on view September 5, 2024-February 9, 2025, at the Bruce Museum in Greenwich. The exhibition showcases a unique array of paintings and works on paper by renowned wildlife artists, including more than 70 works recently donated to the Museum.

The Bruce Museum will also welcome visitors to experience the 2024 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest LIVE at the Museum on September 19-20, 2024. At the two-day event, five expert judges will examine hundreds of entries to select the winning design for the 2025 Federal Duck Stamp. The five species eligible for the contest are Northern Shoveler, Brant, Greater Scaup, Spectacled Eider and Hooded Merganser.

Since its launch in 1934, the Federal Duck Stamp has raised more than $1.2 billion to preserve over 6.5 million acres of wetlands across the United States. All duck hunters must purchase the stamp, which supports the conservation and acquisition of wetlands where the birds thrive. The first stamp featured a brush and ink drawing of mallards by famous Pulitzer-Prize-winning editorial cartoonist and noted conservationist Jay N. “Ding” Darling. Darling was chief of the Bureau of Biological Survey, a precursor of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, from 1934-1936.

In the early years of the program, the annual stamp design was selected by a panel from a shortlist of invited wildlife artists. The first art contest was held in 1949. The contest, open to any U.S. artist aged 18 or older, remains the only art competition run by the U.S. government. Hundreds of artists vie each year for the prestige of seeing their art grace the new stamp.

Works on view in “Conservation Through the Arts” include original paintings, drawings and etchings representing the winning stamp designs, part of a recent donation to the Museum by collector Richie Prager. An avid outdoorsman, Prager got his first stamp at the age of 15. After years of developing a substantial collection, he began seeking out the original artworks behind the stamps. As a Greenwich resident, Prager felt strongly about making the Bruce the permanent home for his one-of-a-kind collection as a way to give back to his community.

Historic documents and objects from the Bruce Museum’s natural history collections will accompany the artwork on view. Highlights of the exhibition include an early print by Darling; two paintings by David Maass, one of history’s most famous wildlife artists; and contemporary paintings by Joseph, James and Robert Hautman, three brothers renowned for collectively winning 15 competitions.

Content last updated September 5, 2024.