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Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program

What is the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program?

Streambank Restoration, Germany Valley, Dane County WI
Streambank restoration project through WHIP in German Valley, Dane County, Wisconsin

Wisconsin WHIP Plan for 2008

WHIP State Exhibits, Policy, Manual

Wisconsin Staff Contacts for WHIP

Forms for Program Contracting

The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) is a voluntary program for people who want to develop or improve wildlife habitat on private lands. The WHIP Program offers technical and financial assistance to help establish and improve wildlife habitat.

How WHIP Works

Landowners agree to prepare and implement a wildlife habitat development plan. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides technical resources to applicants to help plan eligible practices which benefit wildlife habitat.  List of Eligible Practices and Payment Schedule for WHIP, 2008.

How to Apply - Signup Jan. 23 - Feb. 6, 2008

Landowners may apply by contacting the NRCS office in the county in which the land is located. Applications received by the deadline will be ranked with all other applications for possible funding in 2008. 
Read the news release

The Plan

Participants work with NRCS to prepare a wildlife habitat development plan. The plan describes the landowner’s goals for improving wildlife habitat, includes a list of practices and a schedule for installing them, and details the steps necessary to maintain the habitat for the life of the cost-share agreement.

WHIP Financial Assistance

WHIP financial assistance payments help successful applicants with the practice implementation costs. Federal or State wildlife agencies or private organizations may provide additional funding or expertise to help complete a project.  The agreement  lasts a minimum of 5 years from the date the contract is signed and may be as long as 10 years. Under the agreement, the landowner agrees to implement and maintain the contracted practices and allow NRCS access to monitor the effectiveness of the practices.

What’s Eligible?

Almost any type of land may be eligible.  To participate in WHIP, you must own or have control of the land under consideration.

What Land is Not Eligible?

Land currently enrolled in the Water Bank Program, Conservation Reserve Program, Wetlands Reserve Program, or similar state programs such as Managed Forest Law, Wisconsin Forest Landowner Grant Program, etc, is not eligible. Land is also ineligible if it is used for mitigation, if the site is owned by the Federal Government, or if USDA determines that onsite or offsite conditions would undermine or reduce the benefits of habitat development.

Wisconsin Priorities

WHIP proposals will be evaluated based on Wisconsin wildlife habitat priorities. Applications are scored on a number of factors, including type of habitat to be established, size, proximity to other wildlife areas, location within designated priority area if applicable, and cost.  Application and scoring worksheets are completed at the field office to prioritize projects.  There are three scoring worksheets that cover all project types.

WHIP Scoring worksheets:
                        Special Projects  (10K)         Terrestrial Projects  (10K)       Tribal Projects (10K)

The types of projects shown in the following table will be eligible: 

Type of Project   Eligible Practices
     
Terrestrial Projects Oak Savannas, Prairie/Grassland Prescribed burning, conservation cover, Wetland Wildlife Habitat managment, Upland Wildlife Habitat management,  Tree Planting, Brush Management, Firebreak, Pest Management.

Special Projects

Aquatic communities

Fish passage, streambank and shoreline protection, stream habitat improvement and management, wetland wildlife habitat management.
Tribal Projects Terrestrial or Aquatic Brush management, conservation cover, firebreak, fish passage, pest management, prescribed burning, tree planting, stream habitat improvement and management, streambank and shoreline protection, upland wildlife habitat management, wetland wildlife habitat management.

It is the intent during 2008 to use 80% of the WHIP funding on special projects, and 20% on terrestrial projects.  High quality applications in each pool will be selected for contracts in ranked order.  In the event insufficient high quality applications exist in one pool to use all of the funding, excess funds from that pool will be reallocated to one of the other pools with remaining high quality applications.  Tribal projects are ranked and funded separately.

Expected Results

In Wisconsin, WHIP is emphasizing re-establishment of declining species and habitats, including prairie chickens, meadowlarks, sharp-tailed grouse, Karner blue butterfly, smallmouth bass, blue-winged teal, and many other species of grassland birds, reptiles, insects and small mammals.

Some of the opportunities

  • Install in-stream structures to provide fish habitat
  • Restore prairie and oak savannahs
  • Brush management and control of invasive species

For More Information

For more information about WHIP contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service office for program information and announcements.