Fewer taxpayers choose Chickadee Check-off

Last year, more than 5,800 Iowa taxpayers helped boost wildlife conservation with donations to the Fish and Wildlife Fund on their state tax form.

While that may sound like a lot, over the last 20 years, the number of donors has declined by 50% and represents only about 0.4% of the total taxpayers in Iowa.

This year, the decline in donors signaled a slight decline in donations as well, which totaled a little under $147,000, a decrease of roughly $8,000 from the previous year.

The Fish and Wildlife Fund, commonly known as the Chickadee Check-off, is a mechanism the Iowa Legislature created in the 1980s for Iowans to donate to wildlife conservation on the Iowa state income tax form.

Before this time, non-game wildlife had no dedicated funding. Non-game wildlife are the 1,000-plus species such as songbirds, bald eagles, salamanders, turtles, monarchs and bees that make up the majority of wildlife in Iowa.

The Chickadee Check-off is one of the only funding sources for the Iowa DNR’s Wildlife Diversity program, which is responsible for these species.

Funding helps to improve wildlife habitat, restore native wildlife and provide opportunities for citizens to learn about Iowa’s natural resources. Recently the check-off has supported an investigation of the nesting success of bald eagles and the status of the endangered Poweshiek skipperling butterfly.

Donating is easy. Simply write the amount to donate next to Fish/Wildlife, on line 21 on Form 1040, and the sum is automatically deducted from the refund or added to the amount owed.

A $1 from every Iowa taxpayer would bring in $1.6 million for wildlife and nature conservation.

Donations can also be made to the Wildlife Diversity program on the web at online at https://programs.iowadnr.gov/donations.