Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program Forestry Initiative

 Sign up for this program is offered on a continuous basis. Landowners who are interested in this special initiative can apply at their local county USDA Service Center.

The Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) is a voluntary program for people who want to develop and improve wildlife habitat primarily on private land. Through WHIP, USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service provides both technical assistance and financial assistance to establish and improve fish and wildlife habitat. WHIP agreements between NRCS and the participant last one year after the final practice is planned and generally not more than five years.

WHIP Forestry Initiative Information

The goal of the New England / New York Forestry Initiative is to expand stewardship opportunities within WHIP for private forest lands (lands with existing tree cover or that is suitable for growing trees) through forest land planning. Conservation practices that improve wildlife habitat, forest health and productivity, and water quality are offered through this initiative. These practices include but are not limited to Forest Stand Improvement, Upland Wildlife Habitat Management, Forest Trails and Landings, Early Successional Habitat Management, Brush Management, Herbaceous Weed Control, etc. Applicants with forestland or in fields with 25% or more woody cover (aerial canopy cover) of tree species and who wish to install practices that will protect or enhance fish and wildlife habitat should apply to this initiative.

This initiative also offers practices that can assist participants in address soil erosion on forest roads and within the forest itself. Applicant who do not need or want to address fish and wildlife concerns, but only wish to address soil erosion concerns within their forest need to apply for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Forestry Pool.

 Forest Management Plans are only offered for cost share through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) as a Conservation Activity Plan (CAP).

2012 WHIP Information

WHIP Required Documents

    - Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to visit their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) and register as a program applicant, if they have not already done so, to complete the necessary paperwork to determine eligibility.

PLEASE NOTE: Practices started or completed before NRCS signs the contract are not eligible for payments, in accordance with program regulation and the Conservation Program Contract (CPC) appendix. Starting a practice or engaging the services of a technical service provider (TSP) before the contract is approved by NRCS renders an applicant ineligible for payment unless a waiver has been granted by the State Conservationist. Requests for a waiver to this provision must be made in writing. Waivers may be considered in special cases for meritorious reasons for applications that meet all eligibility requirements, provided that the practice was not started when the waiver application is made.

Heather Wetzstein    
Phone: 802-951-6796 ext. 223
Email: heather.wetzstein@vt.usda.gov