Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP)

WHIP is a voluntary program for people who want to develop and improve wildlife habitat primarily on private lands. It provides both technical assistance and cost share payments to help establish and improve fish and wildlife habitat.

Participants who own or control land agree to prepare and implement a wildlife habitat development plan. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides technical and financial assistance for the establishment of wildlife habitat development practices. In addition, if the landowner agrees, cooperating State wildlife agencies and nonprofit or private organizations may provide expertise or additional funding to help complete a project.

Participants work with NRCS to prepare a wildlife habitat development plan in consultation with the local conservation district. The plan describes the participant's goals for improving wildlife habitat, includes a list of practices and a schedule for installing them, and details the steps necessary to maintain the habitat for the life of the agreement. This plan may or may not be part of a larger conservation plan that addresses other resource needs such as water quality and soil erosion.

NRCS and the participant enter into a cost-share agreement for wildlife habitat development. This agreement generally lasts from 5 to 10 years from the date the agreement is signed. Cost-share payments may be used to establish new practices or replace practices that fail for reasons beyond the participant's control.

All lands are eligible for WHIP, except for:

• Federal lands;
• Land currently enrolled in Waterbank.
• Conservation Reserve Program,
• Wetlands Reserve Program or other similar programs
• Lands where the expected impacts from on-site or off-site conditions make the success of habitat improvement unlikely

The Illinois WHIP Plan:

The Illinois State Technical Committee formed a subcommittee to develop the state WHIP goals and priorities. This committee had representation from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Farm Services Agency, sportsmen groups, farm groups and environmental groups.

The Illinois WHIP Goals:

• Provide technical and financial assistance to enhance habitat on eligible land for upland, wetland and other types of wildlife, threatened and endangered species, and fisheries.
• Provide program participants with technical assistance and educational materials regarding wildlife habitat needs.
• Foster a positive public attitude toward wildlife, wildlife habitat and land stewardship.

The Illinois WHIP Priorities:

• Promote the restoration of declining or important native wildlife habitats.
• Reduce the impacts of invasive species on wildlife habitats.
• Protect. restore, develop or enhance declining or important aquatic wildlife species.
• Reduce forest fragmentation in Illinois.

Illinois WHIP Partners:

• Illinois Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife Biologist
• US Fish and Wildlife Service
• Pheasants Forever
• Quail Unlimited
• National Wild Turkey Federation
• The Nature Conservancy