Money Available to Improve, Develop Wildlife Habitat

Contact: Renee Bodine (602) 280-8778
or George Couch (602) 280-8806   

PHOENIX, March 15, 2007 - Nearly $300,000 is available to Arizona private and tribal landowners who want to develop or improve wildlife habitat on their land. Proposals are being accepted until April 13 for the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP). The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) administers the program.

The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) is a voluntary program authorized by the 2002 Farm Bill. Through WHIP, NRCS provides technical assistance and 75 percent of the cost for projects that establish and improve fish and wildlife habitat. Projects that directly benefit federally listed threatened or endangered species are eligible to receive 90 percent of the project cost.

Projects involving large landscapes, with multiple partners and multiple landowners, are the focus for this year’s WHIP program in Arizona. Emphasis is being placed on projects focusing on the following areas:

• Grassland restoration;
• Riparian restoration;
• Wetland restoration;
• Bat habitat protection; and
• Threatened or endangered species.

Applications are available online through Grants.gov at www.grants.gov/search/search.do?oppId=13000&mode=VIEW.
Contact Steve Smarik, NRCS Environmental Specialist, at 602-280-8785 for more information.

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