Applications now Being Accepted for Kentucky’s Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program
Frankfort, Ky. – Frankfort, Ky. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting applications for the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP). Landowners may apply for WHIP at any time. However, applications received by Nov. 15 will be evaluated and considered for the 2012 program year. Applications received after that date will be held until the next evaluation period.
WHIP provides land users an opportunity to improve wildlife habitat. The program provides financial incentives for installing eligible practices on land they own or control. The land user 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 are some of the eligible practices for the program. Other eligible practices include implementing forest stand improvements and creating shallow water areas. Excluding livestock from sensitive streams and woodlands is also an important focus under Kentucky’s 2012 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. For more information about the program, visit your local NRCS office or call the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Information Center at 1-800-858-1549 and ask for the name and telephone number of the private lands biologist serving your area.
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, an agency of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, is responsible for the conservation of fish and wildlife resources and for boating projects in the state. A commissioner appointed by the Fish and Wildlife Commission heads the department. The commission, which is responsible for department policy, is a nine member bipartisan body appointed by the governor from a list of candidates voted upon by sportsmen's organizations in each of nine districts.
