Support Threatened And Endangered Species Recovery With The Endangered Resources Tax Checkoff

MADISON, Wis. – Show your love for nature by donating to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR)'s Endangered Resources Fund. All donations made through your Wisconsin income tax form are matched and go directly to conserve rare plants, animals and State Natural Areas.

“When you support the Endangered Resources Fund, it supports our team’s on-the-ground conservation efforts and helps us collaborate with volunteers and partners to prevent species loss across our state,” said Drew Feldkirchner, director of the DNR’s Bureau of Natural Heritage Conservation. “Every donation, no matter how small, helps us do the work needed to keep rare wildlife in Wisconsin.”

In Wisconsin, more than 400 wildlife species and 300 plant species are endangered, threatened or declining. A few examples of the species that have benefited from donations to the Endangered Resources Fund include:

• Eastern prairie fringed orchid: Wisconsin has 48 species of native orchids, and the beautiful eastern prairie fringed orchid is one of the rarest. Tax form donations help staff train volunteers to check on this rare plant's populations and help DNR crews manage state natural areas to protect the habitat these plants need.
• Bald eagle: Over the last 50 years, bald eagles made an amazing comeback in our state. A combination of the national ban on the pesticide DDT, added state and federal protections, river cleanups under the Clean Water Act, DNR nest monitoring and protection and donations to the Endangered Resources Fund made it possible.
• Rusty patched bumble bee: The first bee to be declared a federal endangered species, the population of rusty patched bumble bees in the United States has dropped by almost 90%. Wisconsin is home to the largest number of known populations. Volunteers and DNR biologists, with support from donations, are aiding the protection of this special native pollinator.
• Little brown bat: These voracious eaters of mosquitoes and agricultural pests are an essential part of Wisconsin ecosystems but have been decimated by white-nose syndrome, a deadly disease of hibernating bats. Donations help DNR bat biologists assist partners in conducting the first vaccine trials in the wild to help bats fight white-nose syndrome, monitor populations and conduct other research to guide recovery actions.

Donations also help the DNR control invasive species and conduct other activities to maintain hundreds of state natural areas, protecting unique landscapes and natural features. These special places also provide refuge to 75% of Wisconsin's endangered and threatened wildlife species and 90% of our endangered and threatened plant species.

How To Donate

To donate, look for the "Donations" line on your Wisconsin income tax form. "Endangered resources" is listed in Schedule 3, Part 1a for resident and part-year/nonresident forms.

You can also look for the donations section in your tax program or let your tax preparer know you want to donate to the Endangered Resources Fund. Donations to the Endangered Resources Fund are tax-deductible and matched dollar for dollar.

Learn More About Wisconsin Endangered Resources

The Endangered Resources Fund supports much of the work of the DNR’s Bureau of Natural Heritage Conservation, helping to support species recovery and Wisconsin state natural area management. Sign up for email updates on the Natural Heritage Conservation Field Notes webpage.