Vote for the next Conservation License Plate!

[Scott M]

RIM Conservation License Plates

From DNR News:

Minnesota nature lovers will soon have additional ways to support critical habitat in the state by selecting one of four new-design license plates.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety will choose four plates from among eight different image options with a goal of having them available for purchase later in the year.

The options are a showy ladyslipper, a northern Minnesota fishing scene, a majestic white-tailed buck, a pheasant in flight, a black-capped chickadee, a walleye, a pair of loons, and a woodduck. They complement the two currently available Critical Habitat plates, one featuring deer and the other a loon.

“We are giving motorists more ways to show their conservation colors and individual identity,” said Mark Holsten, DNR commissioner.

The DNR will consider citizen and selected stakeholder input as it selects the four finalists. License plate images and a citizen feedback form are available through March 23. DNR Commissioner Holsten and Department of Public Safety Commissioner Michael Campion will consider the comments in their decision-making.

The critical habitat license plate program was created in 1995 to provide additional opportunity for Minnesotans to contribute to conservation. Motorists who purchase a critical habitat plate make a minimum annual contribution of $30 to the Reinvest In Minnesota (RIM) Program. Every dollar generated through the sale of the license plate is matched with private donations of cash or land. The plates have generated more than $25 million toward the purchase of 7,700 acres of critical habitat and have helped fund nongame research and surveys, habitat enhancement and educational programs.

The popular loon plate was released in 2002. The original deer plate was issued in 1996.

More than 100,000 motorists have habitat plates on their vehicles but plate sales have leveled off in recent years.

“It has been a long time since we issued a new plate,” said Holsten. “So, to rev-up the RIM program, we approached the Department of Public Safety with the possibility of issuing multiple plates at once. They gave us the green light, and we’re rolling.”

The eight license plate options were designed by DNR staff using photographs and wildlife stamp art. They take advantage of new Minnesota-based flat license plate printing technology that allows photographs be used as license plate art. The license plate image options were selected for their general appeal to hunters, anglers and nature lovers.

The critical habitat license plate program is a cooperative effort of the DNR, the Department of Public Safety, which administers license plate sales, and the Department of Corrections, whose prison industry produces the plates at its Rush City facility.

Information about how plate sales fund conservation efforts, frequently asked questions are available online.

[DTro]

Thanks Scott

My first choice was Fishing Boat

[Ralph Wiggum]

Thanks! Yes, I like the boat one, too.

[croixflats]

Thanks . The pink one Actually was my fourth pick

Boat was my first choice also

[Black_Bay]

I chose the boat, the deer, the chickadee, and the walleye.

They all looked nice. Why don't they offer them all? There are so many Minnesota plates available now a few more won't confuse anyone.

[nofishfisherman]

None of them really scream "critical habitat" to me. They are all just iconic MN scenes.

Don't get me wrong I really like the look of the boat and walleye options and will vote for them but neither really inspire the thought of protecting critical habitat which is the purpose of the plate.

[croixflats]

Yah! where is the green lake or the house built on the property line of a WMA.

I'm only kidding of course. Those were the imagaes I thought of off the top of my head while I wondered what a good representation would be.

[nofishfisherman]

I thought trout stream or wetland.

[bucketmouth64]

I picked the fishing boat, loon, lady slipper, walleye. These define what MN. is all about. The boat is the states past time, the other three represent the state.

[WaveWacker]

No Pink license plate for this boy!! My last choice. I'm sure the better half would LOVE it however.

[PierBridge]

Lets all agree the choices are much improved from the last debacle.

[PierBridge]

F,G,H,A for me.

[DTro]

Oh cmon you didn't like the Wallbass?

[Scott Stein]

Deer,Boat,Wood Duck,Loon

[Brian H]

Anybody know how much money is generated each year and where it has gone?

[PierBridge]

As far as I know the monies go to the Department of Natural Resources to buy and manage important natural habitats which are preserved as public lands and are open to compatible public use, like hunting and hiking.

I'm pretty sure the CH fee's do not go into the General fund and are actually used for the intended purposes.

[Sandmannd]

The wallbass was hidious.

I went with boat, eye and wood duck. We already have a loon and deer.

[shizzy]

I do hope that add one that is fishing/boating related. I just got the deer plates for my truck, but would have picked something more in tune with my interests. the loon doesnt really show anything as far as Im concerned and I dont hunt, but I thought the deer was more in tune with the whole conservation deal.

[maros91]

I went D, A, F, H

[Azrael]

1. Boat

2. Walleye

3. Loons

4. wood duck

[hanson]

1- Boat

2- Deer

3- Wood Duck

4- Walleye

Anyone notice the "O" in Minnesota on the Boat & Walleye plates is a red & white bobber. Nice touch!

[landscaper]

Pheasant

boat

Walleye

Deer

i think there Great!

[jwmiller33]

1- boat

2-walleye

[jwmiller33]

i think we need to change it up from the usual/what we have already had in the past

[IceHawk]

Pheasant,Boat,deer,walleye