Support the DNR When You File Taxes

(KNSI) – Tax filing season is underway, and there’s a way to help Minnesota Wildlife with your taxes.

Minnesota’s non-game wildlife checkoff allows individuals to make contributions on their income taxes to the state’s nongame wildlife fund. According to the Minnesota DNR, 1.5% of income tax filers and 1.1% of property tax filers made the contribution last year.

Lori Naumann, Information Officer with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, tells KNSI that the donation has a triple match.

“(The donation) is matched by the Critical Habitat License Plate Fund. So those beautiful license plates that you see on Minnesota cars that you can also purchase matches our fund. And then the third match goes into habitat and protecting other natural areas and Minnesota wildlife. And so when you donate $10, that becomes $30 for our program.”

Naumann says the non-game wildlife fund helps manage and grow wildlife populations across the state.

“Traditionally nongame wildlife means all of those things that are not hunted or fished. So all of those species in Minnesota do not get traditional funding. We don’t get any sort of general fund money or money from hunting and fishing licenses. So there was no money to provide help for things like bald eagles and trumpeter swans and bluebirds and all of those things. The common loon for instance. We provide help for those species that are in greatest conservation need.”

To learn more about the Minnesota DNR’s Nongame Wildlife Program, click here.

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