WILDLIFE HABITAT INCENTIVES PROGRAM (WHIP)

United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service WILDLIFE HABITAT INCENTIVES PROGRAM (WHIP)

WHIP Key Points • Improves and protects wildlife habitat on private and Tribal lands • Provides technical and financial assistance under 5-year to 15-year agreements

WHIP Key Points • Wildlife habitat resource needs identified in the state WHIP plan. • Developed by State Conservationist with Kansas State Technical Committees’ advice.

WHIP Key Points • Kansas WHIP plan • Targeted Species • Lesser/Greater Prairie Chicken • Bobwhite Quail • Ring-Necked Pheasant

WHIP Key Points • Application ranking factors consider environmental benefits and cost effectiveness • A person may participate in WHIP if he or she owns or leases land or can provide proof of control of the land for the agreement period

WHIP Key Points • KDWP provides WHIP technical support • Announce WHIP • Service applications • Develop plans and contracts • Apply practices and systems

WHIP Key Points • Essential plant and animal habitat agreements • Target species: greater and lesser prairie chickens • Target treatment: brush control and grazing lands management • Fifteen year agreements • 100 percent cost-share on brush control and grazing lands management

WHIP Key Points EQIP, WRP and WHIP have open sign-ups, and applications are accepted continuously

WHIP Key Points • National Accomplishments Through 2002 • Contracts: 12,500 • Acres: 1.9 million • Kansas Accomplishments Through 2003 • Contracts: 435 • Acres: 70,912

WILDLIFE HABITAT INCENTIVES PROGRAM (WHIP)