USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting applications for the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) signup. Landowners may apply for WHIP at any time however; applications received by April 15, 2009, will be evaluated and considered for the 2009 program year. Applications received after that date will be held until the next evaluation period.

WHIP provides landusers an opportunity to improve wildlife habitat. The program provides financial incentives for installing eligible practices on land they own or control. The landuser must devote at least 10 acres to eligible wildlife practices.

In Kentucky, the primary focus of WHIP is to improve early successional and forestland habitats for declining species and other wildlife. Restoring remnant prairies, planting native grasses, shrubs, and trees, implementing wildlife beneficial forest stand improvements, and creating shallow water areas are some of the eligible practices for the program. Excluding livestock from sensitive streams and woodlands is also important focus under Kentucky’s 2009 WHIP. Since WHIP focuses on improvement to wildlife cover, food plots are not eligible under the program.

WHIP applications are evaluated and ranked to determine which applications provide the most beneficial habitats.

To apply for WHIP, please contact:

Craig Givens, District Conservationist, USDA Service Center at 270-726-2618, ext. 2 or Eric Copas, biologist with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources at 270-825-2414.