Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP)

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.

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 (NRCS) 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.

WHIP Priorities for Fiscal Year 2011

FY 2011 WHIP will be delivered and administered similar to the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP).  Applications received for WHIP will be ranked on a State wide basis. The application will be placed into one of the following Colorado Wildlife Habitats; Forestry, Rangeland, Croplands and Riparian. Individuals will sign-up and be entered and ranked through ProTracts. Landscape scale projects with partnerships and multiple participants will receive additional points in the ranking process.

Authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill, WHIP is a voluntary program for conservation-minded landowners who want to develop and improve fish and wildlife habitat on agricultural land, nonindustrial private forest land, and Indian land. WHIP applications must address traditional natural resource issues such as water quantity, water quality, grazing lands, forest health, soil management, emerging natural resource issues, and climate change.

Applications are accepted continuously and are ranked by the State Conservationist, based upon criteria developed with input from the state technical committee.
 

These documents require Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Word.

Colorado Wildlife Habitat Incentive Plan (2011-2016)

2011 Eligible Conservation Practices

2011 WHIP General Payment Schedule
2011WHIP Historically Underserved Payment Schedule

2011 WHIP Cropland Ranking Tool
2011 WHIP Forestland Ranking Tool
2011 WHIP Rangeland Ranking Tool
2011 WHIP Riparian Ranking Tool
2011 WHIP Screening Tool

State Program Contacts:

Jodi Hastings
NRCS Colorado EQIP Coordinator
Denver Federal Center
Building 56, Room 2604
PO Box 25426
Denver, CO 80225-0426
Phone: 720.544.2821

Dawn Jackson
NRCS Colorado Assistant State Conservationist
Denver Federal Center
Building 56, Room 2604
PO Box 25426
Denver, CO 80225-0426
Phone: 720.544.2805
 

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