Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP)
Introduction
The Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) is a voluntary program for conservation-minded landowners who want to develop and improve wildlife habitat on agricultural land, nonindustrial private forest land, and Indian land.
Program Description
The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 reauthorized WHIP as a voluntary approach to improving wildlife habitat in our Nation. The Natural Resources Conservation Service administers WHIP to provide both technical assistance and up to 75 percent cost-share assistance to establish and improve fish and wildlife habitat. WHIP cost-share agreements between NRCS and the participant generally last from one year after the last conservation practice is implemented but not more than 10 years from the date the agreement is signed.
Working Land for Wildlife
Working Lands for Wildlife is a new partnership between NRCS and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to combat the decline of seven specific wildlife species whose decline can be reversed and will benefit other species with similar habitat needs.
WHIP Priorities for Fiscal Year 2012
In order to provide direction to the State and local levels for implementing WHIP to achieve its objective, NRCS has established the following national priorities:
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Promote the restoration of declining or important native fish and wildlife habitats
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Protect, restore, develop or enhance fish and wildlife habitat to benefit at-risk species
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Reduce the impacts of invasive species on fish and wildlife habitats; and
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Protect, restore, develop or enhance declining or important aquatic wildlife species' habitats
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Protect, restore, develop or enhance important migration and other movement corridors for wildlife
WHIP Documents and Sign-up Information
WHIP Contract and Funding Information by Fiscal Year
