Wyoming Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP)  

General Program Description

The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) provides assistance to people who want to develop and improve wildlife habitat primarily on private land.   WHIP was reauthorized in the 2002 Farm Bill as a voluntary approach to improving wildlife habitat in our Nation.  The program is administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).  Producers can apply for cost sharing for many types of conservation practices. All sign-ups are conducted at USDA Service Centers in Wyoming. 

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Wyoming State WHIP Plan (PDF, 18 KB)
Wyoming 2008 Ranking Worksheet (PDF, 10 KB)
Wyoming Game & Fish Dept. "Species of Risk" (PDF, 69 KB)
Wyoming Game & Fish Dept. "Terrestrial Habitat Priority Areas" (PDF, 203 KB)
Wyoming Game & Fish Dept. "Aquatic Habitat Priority Areas" (PDF, 325 KB)

State WHIP Plan and Priorities:

The purpose of WHIP is to develop wildlife habitat, with an emphasis on habitats of national and state significance and/or habitats experiencing decline or reduced populations.

Program priorities are based on recommendations from the Wyoming State Technical Committee. The State Technical Committee is made up of representatives from various producer groups, conservation organizations, agribusinesses, and federal, state, and tribal government agencies.  The following priorities are identified for Wyoming:

1. Riparian and Wetland Areas
Projects that will benefit rare and declining species or species of concern, including but not limited to:  cold water fisheries, sage grouse, turkey, neotropical birds, bald eagle, waterfowl, deer, elk, moose, and amphibians. Practices will focus on: fencing with livestock management and off-site water developments, stream restoration, removal of barriers to fish movement, herbaceous or woody plantings, creation or enhancement of shallow water areas for wetland dependent wildlife.

2. Upland Projects (grassland and shrub-steppe)
Projects that will benefit rare and declining species or species of concern, including but not limited to: Sage grouse, Cassin’s sparrow lark bunting, sage sparrow. Other target species benefiting are antelope, mule deer and elk. Practices to be applied may include: shrub thickets, grass or legume seedings, water facilities such as guzzlers, brush management, aspen stand regeneration, fencing and livestock management, water developments, and prescribed burnings.

Wyoming WHIP Ranking Worksheet:
The ranking criteria focus on the project objectives, practices to be applied, existing condition or need for improvement, and the species benefited.

Contracts:  can be written for 5-10 years.  Private landowners are eligible to apply for WHIP. 

Wyoming WHIP Payment Rates:

This document requires Microsoft Excel.

Wyoming Payment Rates (XLS)

For More Information:

To Apply:
Application signup is an ongoing process. Please contact NRCS at your local USDA Service Center.

State Contacts:
Jay Mar,  Assistant State Conservationist for Programs.

Cheryl Grapes, Resource Conservationist, Farm Bill Program Specialist, (307) 233-6762.

Additional program information and fact sheets are available on the  National WHIP Home Page 

Last Modified: 08/13/2008