Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP)
WHIP is a voluntary cost-share program for people who
want to improve terrestrial and aquatic habitat for fish and wildlife on
private lands. The program provides technical and financial assistance for
implementing conservation plans to improve wildlife habitat.
Land Eligibility
All lands are eligible except:
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Federal land, converted wetland, mitigation sites |
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Land currently enrolled in the Water Bank Program,
Conservation Reserve Program, Wetlands Reserve Program |
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Land where the Natural Resources Conservation Service
(NRCS) determines that impacts from off-site conditions make the
success unlikely |
Participant Eligibility
Participants who own or have control of land are
eligible for WHIP. This includes:
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Private landowners |
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Non-government organizations |
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Wildlife clubs, scout troops |
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Group agreements |
Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP)
EQIP was established in the 1996 Farm Bill to provide a
voluntary conservation program to assist farmers and ranchers who are
faced with serious threats to soil, water, and related natural resource
concerns. EQIP provides technical, financial, and educational assistance
to landowners. Eligible practices include waste storage structures,
pasture water supply and fencing practices, erosion control practices and
others.
Eligibility
Eligible land includes cropland, rangeland, pasture,
forestland, and other farm or ranch lands. EQIP program participants are
encouraged to participate in the Livestock
Environmental Assurance Program (LEAP) when receiving funding for
Livestock Waste and Nutrient Management Practices. LEAP certification
increases chances of funding.
Wetland Reserve Program (WRP)
The Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) program aims to
restore wetlands and permanently protect streams in the county. 75-100%
cost share is provided to restore areas that were once wetlands in
agricultural areas. Permanent stream protection is achieved through
conservation easements. The USDA can reimburse landowners up to
$2,000/acre for conservation easements along streams. The easement
requires the landowner to make a commitment to leave the stream natural
for this payment. Over 2000 acres are currently enrolled in this program
in northeast Ohio.
On-Farm Fertilizer and Pesticide
Containment Cost-Share Program
The On-Farm Fertilizer and
Pesticide Containment Cost-Share Program assists farmers within the Lake
Erie Watershed in constructing new secondary containment facilities for
their bulk storage of fertilizers and pesticides. The Ohio
Department of Natural Resources (ODA) will contribute up to $2,500 to
eligible farmers. Money will be awarded for diking materials and
construction, but not for the purchase of bulk storage tanks.
Technical support will also be provided.
Eligibility
Eligible counties in the Lake Erie
Watershed include the following: Allen, Ashtabula, Auglaize,
Crawford, Cuyahoga, Defiance, Erie, Fulton, Geauga, Hancock, Hardin,
Henry, Huron, Lake, Lorain, Lucas, Medina, Mercer, Ottawa, Paulding,
Portage, Putnam, Sandusky, Seneca, Summit, Trumbull, Van Wert, Williams,
Wood, Wyandot, and parts of Ashland, Marion, Richland, Shelby, and Stark.
** Money from this program is not
eligible to farmers who have already received cost-share money for similar
projects (i.e. EQIP)
Contact Al Bonnis at the USDA/NRCS at 888-217-3947 for more information on these, and
many other, programs.
Click
here to visit the Natural Resources Conservation Service website
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