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Natural Resources Conservation Service
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WHIP: Northern Great Plains Focus Area Ranking Questions

  1. Will the project involve the restoration and management of native habitats on 100% of the contracted acreage?
  2. Will the project involve the restoration and management of native habitat on 75% to 99% of the contracted acreage?
  3. Will the project involve the restoration and management of native habitat on 50-74% of the contracted acreage?
  4. Will the project involve the restoration and management of native habitat on <50% of the contracted acreage?
  5. Will the project involve the restoration and management of Native Prairie Habitat on the contracted acreage in the Northern Great Plains WHIP Focus Area? ONLY ANSWER YES ONCE FOR QUESTIONS 5-10.
  6. Will the project involve the restoration and management of Native Prairie Habitat on the contracted acreage in the Northern Great Plains WHIP Focus Area? ONLY ANSWER YES ONCE FOR QUESTIONS 5-10.
  7. Will the project involve the restoration and management of Riparian/Instream/Woody Draw Habitat on the contracted acreage in the Northern Great Plains WHIP Focus Area? ONLY ANSWER YES ONCE FOR QUESTIONS 5-10.
  8. Will the project involve only the management of Riparian/Instream/Woody Draw Habitat on the contracted acreage in the Northern Great Plains WHIP Focus Area? ONLY ANSWER YES ONCE FOR QUESTIONS 5-10.
  9. Will the project involve the restoration and management of Wetland Habitat on the contracted acreage in the Northern Great Plains WHIP Focus Area? ONLY ANSWER YES ONCE FOR QUESTIONS 5-10.
  10. Will the project involve the restoration and management of Wetland Habitat on the contracted acreage in the Northern Great Plains WHIP Focus Area? ONLY ANSWER YES ONCE FOR QUESTIONS 5-10.
  11. Will the project involve only the management of Wetland Habitat on the contracted acreage in the Northern Great Plains WHIP Focus Area? ONLY ANSWER YES ONCE FOR QUESTIONS 5-10.
  12. Will the cost per acre for Native Prairie Restoration be less than $75/acre?
  13. Will the cost per acre for Native Prairie Restoration be between $75-$150/acre?
  14. Will the cost per acre for Native Prairie Restoration be between $150-$300/acre?
  15. Will the cost per acre for Native Prairie Restoration be greater than $300/acre?
  16. Will the cost per acre for Riparian/Fisheries/Wetland restoration be less than $350/acre?
  17. Will the cost per acre for Riparian/Fisheries/Wetland restoration be between $350-$750/acre?
  18. Will the cost per acre for Riparian/Fisheries/Wetland restoration be between $750-$1000/acre?
  19. Will the cost per acre for Riparian/Fisheries/Wetland restoration be greater than $1000/acre?
  20. Is the partners contribution to the WHIP project greater than 75% of the contract?
  21. Is the partners contribution to the WHIP project between 50-74% of the contract?
  22. Is the partners contribution to the WHIP project between 25-49% of the contract?
  23. Is the partners contribution to the WHIP project between 0-24% of the contract?
  24. Will the project address 3 or more of the following functions: fuel reduction in forested lands, water quality, water quantity, flood control, groundwater recharge, and/or soil erosion control?
  25. Will the project address 1-2 of the following functions: fuel reduction in forested lands, water quality, water quantity, flood control, groundwater recharge, and/or erosion control?
  26. Will the project address none of the following functions: fuel reduction in forested lands, water quality, water quantity, flood control, groundwater recharge, and/or erosion control?
  27. Is the percent of the operating unit under a complimentary program (WRP, EQIP, Partners for Fish and Wildlife, Upland Game bird Habitat Enhancement Program, etc.) greater than 75%?
  28. Is the percent of the operating unit under a complimentary program (WRP, EQIP, Partners for Fish and Wildlife, Upland Game bird Habitat Enhancement Program, etc.) between 25-75%?
  29. Is the percent of the operating unit under a complimentary program (WRP, EQIP, Partners for Fish and Wildlife, Upland Game bird Habitat Enhancement Program, etc.) less than 25%?
  30. Will the WHIP contract be located less than one mile from other priority habitat areas that will ecologically enhance the proposed project for fish and/or wildlife resources?
  31. Will the WHIP contract be isolated from other priority habitat areas?
  32. Will the WHIP contract be located in a designated geographic region or watershed that has 1) an active & coordinated locally led conservation effort, and 2) completed a conservation needs assessment?
  33. Education/Public Awareness: Wildlife habitat restoration involves youth group(s) through the Youth for Wildlife initiative in WHIP?

National Focus Issue Questions

  1. Will the treatment you intend to implement using WHIP result in the restoration of declining or important native wildlife habitats?
  2. Will the treatment you intend to implement using WHIP result in the protection, restoration, development or enhancement of wildlife habitat for at-risk species which can include candidate species and State listed threatened and endangered species?
  3. Will the treatment you intend to implement using WHIP result in the protection, restoration, development or enhancement of wildlife habitat for Federally listed threatened and endangered wildlife species?
  4. Will the treatment you intend to implement using WHIP result in the reduction of invasive species on wildlife habitats?
  5. Will the treatment you intend to implement using WHIP result in the protection, restoration, development or enhancement of declining or important aquatic wildlife species’ habitats?