NOTICE OF NEXT PUBLIC MEETING:

The Wildlife Management Public Education Advisory Council will meet on Friday, February 5, 2010, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, in the Colorado Division of Wildlife Bighorn Room, located at 6060 Broadway, Denver, CO 80216. The meeting room is located just behind the reception doors of the main building. If you need special accommodations, please call:
Heather Louder
(303) 291-7317.

The Council is charged with developing a plan for a media-based public education program to educate the public about wildlife management and wildlife-related recreation opportunities, especially hunting and fishing.

Although the WMPEAC budget is managed by the DOW, the council acts independently. The DOW does not control how that budget is structured or spent.

THE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
PUBLIC EDUCATION ADVISORY COUNCIL

Wildlife is a valuable resource for all the residents of Colorado and the visitors to the Centennial state. Therefore, at the request of sportsmen, the Colorado Legislature approved the establishment of the Wildlife Management Public Education Fund (WMEF) and Wildlife Management Public Education Advisory Council (PEAC) in 1998.

By statute, the WMEF and PEAC mission continues to be:

To educate the general public about the benefits of wildlife, wildlife management and wildlife-related recreation opportunities in Colorado, specifically hunting and fishing, by designing, implementing and managing a comprehensive media-based public education campaign.

2008 – 2009 PUBLIC MEDIA CAMPAIGN SUMMARY

The 2008 – 2009 Media Campaign began airing in December and continues through June, 2009. Statewide television ads, Denver billboards and National Public Radio (NPR) sponsorship tags comprise this year’s campaign. The messages strongly introduce the connection between hunting and fishing license buyers, the Division of Wildlife (DOW), and the valuable role sportsmen play as the primary financial support for wildlife management in Colorado.

FUNDING AND ADMINISTRATION

The program is funded entirely by a 75 cent surcharge on each hunting and fishing license sold, not tax dollars.

The campaign is administered by a nine member advisory council with diverse interests from around the state. Four council members are nominated by hunting and fishing associations in Colorado. The livestock and agriculture interests in Colorado nominate another member. One member represents Counties and another Municipalities. The DOW has a representative and the ninth member is selected for expertise in media and marketing. All members are unpaid volunteers appointed by the Director of the Division of Wildlife and eligible to serve two, four-year terms.

HISTORY

The entire program was conceived and developed by a coalition of hunters, anglers and conservationists working together with livestock and agriculture organizations and the DOW almost twenty years ago.

Since the first council was created in 1998, members have worked to develop the educational campaign. A professional marketing firm was retained through the state’s bid process in 2006 to work directly with the council to help create the educational programming and conduct the media purchasing.

The council’s initial research indicated that the public had very little understanding and knowledge about wildlife management, and hunting and fishing in the state. Most of the public, including some hunters and anglers, did not even know that wildlife management is funded primarily by the sale of licenses. Annual research is also conducted to measure the effectiveness of the campaign messages.