The International Crane Foundation will receive a $25 donation for each new plate that is registered. We will also get another $25 every year you renew your Cranes of Wisconsin license plate in the future.
All revenue raised will directly support our work with Sandhill and Whooping Cranes in Wisconsin. Be sure to mark your calendar to order your beautiful new license plate!
This project was made possible by the generosity of the Patti and Jack McKeithan Northwoods Fund.
The International Crane Foundation is excited to announce the Cranes of Wisconsin license plates are now available to order from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. The license plate, designed by Wisconsin artist Jay Jocham, features the two species of cranes native to North America and Wisconsin: the Sandhill Crane and the Endangered Whooping Crane.
“We are very pleased that Whooping and Sandhill Cranes will now grace roadways all around the state and country,” said Dr. Rich Beilfuss, President and CEO of the International Crane Foundation. “Not only does this new, beautiful license plate directly support our important work financially, but its high visibility will also ensure more people have the opportunity to learn about these beautiful birds and the habitats upon which they rely.”
For each plate and subsequent annual registration, the International Crane Foundation will receive a tax-deductible donation of $25. Funds from the license plate are earmarked to support two of the Foundation’s key projects in Wisconsin: the continued efforts to reintroduce the Endangered Whooping Crane and the resolution of crop damage caused by Sandhill Cranes.
The International Crane Foundation has worked in Wisconsin’s agricultural communities for three decades to resolve the issue of crop damage by cranes. The Foundation was instrumental in field-testing to prove the effectiveness of Avipel seed treatment, a non-toxic deterrent that prevents cranes from consuming freshly-planted corn seed. Though the treatment has been available to farmers since 2006, the cost remains a significant hurdle to its widespread use.
“The issue of crop damage by cranes is one of great importance here in Wisconsin,” Beilfuss added. “Our Wisconsin team is working hard to ensure that farmers get the help they need through in-the-field farmer outreach and policy advocacy. This Cranes of Wisconsin license plate will further that mission.”
The Foundation, which has its global headquarters in Baraboo, Wisconsin, works worldwide to conserve cranes and the ecosystems, watersheds, and flyways on which they depend. The organization provides knowledge, leadership, and inspiration to engage people in resolving threats to cranes and their diverse landscapes.
This project was made possible by the generosity of the Patti and Jack McKeithan Northwoods Fund.