Georgia Wildlife Resources Division
2070 U.S. Hwy. 278, SE, Social Circle, GA 30025
Twelve elementary school children were announced today as statewide winners in the Give Wildlife a Chance Poster Contest. More than 1,700 kindergarten through fifth-grade students from 14 public schools, private schools and home-school groups participated in the 22nd annual conservation art competition, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and The State Botanical Garden of Georgia.
Statewide winners in the four grade divisions included:
First through second grade
Participants entered at the local school-level with drawings depicting their observations of Georgia’s native plants and animals. The theme for the 2012 contest was “The art of conservation – discovering Georgia’s natural heritage through art.” Drawings were judged based on aspects such as theme, originality, and the quality and impact of the artwork. Top school-level entries proceeded to the state contest at The State Botanical Garden of Georgia in Athens.
The 12 winners’ artwork will be featured in the 2012-2013 Give Wildlife a Chance Poster Contest school-year calendar and posted on the DNR Wildlife Resources Division’s Flickr site, www.flickr.com/photos/wildliferesourcesdivision.
Winning entries will also be displayed on weekends starting today, April 20, through May 7 at the DNR’s Go Fish Education Center in Perry. The Go Fish Education Center takes visitors on an educational journey through Georgia’s watersheds to learn about the diverse aquatic wildlife, natural habitats and the impacts of water pollution. Visitors will see live fish exhibits, explore underwater habitats from mountain streams to black water swamps, test their fishing skills with interactive fishing and boating simulators, and view aquatic wildlife, including live alligators! Visit www.gofisheducationcenter.com for directions, fees and operating hours.
The poster contest is sponsored by the DNR Wildlife Resources Division, The State Botanical Garden of Georgia and The Environmental Resources Network Inc., or TERN, friends group of the Wildlife Resources Division’s Nongame Conservation Section. For more information, visit www.georgiawildlife.com or www.uga.edu/botgarden, or call the Nongame Conservation Section office in Forsyth, (478) 994-1438.
Georgians can support important conservation, recreation and education efforts like the Give Wildlife a Chance Poster Contest as well as other conservation programs for Georgia’s nongame wildlife by purchasing a nongame wildlife license plate and donating to the Give Wildlife Chance state income tax checkoff. The checkoff – line 26 on Form 500 and line 10 on Form 500EZ – and the eagle and hummingbird license plates are primary sources of funding for the Nongame Conservation Section.
The agency receives no state appropriations for its mission to conserve nongame wildlife, native plants and natural habitats. Details at www.georgiawildlife.com/conservation.