Landowners May Sign Up for Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program

COLUMBIA, MO, April 8, 2004 – The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service reminds Missouri landowners that they can apply for technical and financial assistance to improve wildlife habitat on their farms and ranches.

The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) offers cost-sharing to enhance habitat on eligible land for upland and wetland wildlife, threatened and endangered species, and other types of wildlife identified as rare or declining species. Many types of land, including grassland, woodland, wetlands, stream and riparian areas, agricultural land and non-agricultural land may be eligible for WHIP funds.

Through WHIP, NRCS provides technical expertise and up to 75 percent of the funding needed for practices that enhance wildlife habitat, primarily on private land. Landowners agree to implement a habitat enhancement plan for five to 10 years, and to begin at least one essential practice within the first 12 months of the agreement.

Missouri landowners may submit WHIP applications at any time during the year. However, only applications received by April 30 will be considered for the next round of funding. Applications received after April 30 will be considered when additional funding becomes available. Applications for projects that would provide the greatest benefit to wildlife will be considered for funding first.

For more information about the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, contact the local NRCS office in the USDA Service Center serving your county, or visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/whip/whip.html.

National WHIP information