March 6, 2009

We hear about saving the turtles, salamanders, and mussels. And, we hear more frequently about how deer need space and habitat to roam safely, and how fishing is a sport that gives children quality time with family.

There’s now a tangible way to directly help protect Alabama's wild, scenic state land and waterways for viewing and some sporting. A new program called the Wildlife Heritage License lets you help save the state's wild areas.
You can sign up online at the official state website for Conservation and Natural Resources, www.alabamainteractive.org/dcnr/license/index.cgi for either $10 a year or $200 a lifetime.

The funds help our existing state and wildlife programs to continue, such bald eagle monitoring and surveying, and support for regional and migratory birds through Partners-in-Flight and Birding Joint Ventures. In addition, the funds help operate and care for 768,000 acres within the Alabama Wildlife Management Area System where the state’s animals live, from the salamanders and mussels to waterfowl and foxes.

And, for people who participate in outdoor sporting, the license also pays to hunt small game except waterfowl in Alabama’s 35 Wildlife Management Areas, Waterfowl Refuges and Community Hunting Areas. It also allows sportspeople to fish at the 20 state-owned public fishing lakes (daily permit required) or to fish with a hook and line from the bank in public waters in all 67 counties (freshwater only). In addition, it lets sportspeople use Alabama's 10 Public Shooting Ranges.

Downloads

• Wildlife Heritage License (PDF)