Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) - Pacific Basin Area

General Program Description

Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program Sign-ups Underway!

The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program is a voluntary program for people who want to develop and improve wildlife habitat primarily on private land. Through WHIP USDA's NRCS provides both technical assistance and up to 75 percent cost-share assistance to establish and improve fish and wildlife habitat. WHIP agreements between NRCS and the participant generally last from 5 to 10 years from the date the agreement is signed.

WHIP has proven to be a highly effective and widely accepted program across the country. By targeting wildlife habitat projects on all lands and aquatic areas, WHIP provides assistance to conservation  minded landowners who are unable to meet the specific eligibility requirements of other USDA conservation programs.

The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 reauthorized WHIP as a voluntary approach to improving wildlife habitat in our Nation. Program administration of WHIP is provided under the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Pacific Basin Area Resource Priorities

Based on input from the Local Working Groups (LWGs), WHIP in the Pacific Basin Area will concentrate on the following habitats:
• Native Forests/riparian areas adjacent or connected to existing high quality native forest reserve, wildlife refuges, or other preservation areas and increase their extent.
• Reestablishment of native forests where burning, invasive species and noxious weeds replaced the original habitat.
• Coastal beach strand habitats that support “rare”, threatened or endangered plants, fruit bats, and birds.
• Coastal habitats that support "rare" seabirds, monk seals, or turtles.
• Threatened/Endangered species habitat (vertebrates, invertebrates, plants).
• Streams with native organisms.
• Upland habitats that help protect and/or improve coral reef habitats.

Eligibility

A WHIP applicant must furnish acceptable evidence of control of the land for the duration of the cost-share agreement. Acceptable evidence of control of the land includes, but is not limited to, a land title, deed, lease, notarized statement signed by the owner, or power of attorney.
Eligible lands include privately owned lands, tribal lands, state, county, or local government owned lands with concurrence from the State Conservationist, and federal lands where the benefit is primarily on private lands, but must include some federal land to meet the Wildlife Habitat Development Plan (WHDP).

Cost Share Rates

WHIP will reimburse landowners/lessees up to 75% of the cost of the conservation practices planned. There are hold-down rates for practices. Typically, contracts are 5 to 10 years. At least one essential cost-share practice must be started the first year. There is no maximum funding cap.

Sign-up and Application Information

Interested individuals in the Pacific Basin Area may apply in person at any USDA Service Center in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands or Guam. Applicants may also request WHIP assistance by telephone, fax, e-mail or letter. Click on the link to USDA Service Centers to find the office nearest to you. The cutoff date for FY2005 is April 29, 2005.

Ranking of Applications

Ranking of eligible applications will be completed after the application sign-up period has been announced and the cutoff date is past. Scoring of approved applications will follow the established process and use the approved Pacific Basin Area WHIP ranking criteria posted on this webpage. Applications will be selected for plan development and contracting in ranked order according to the score as available funds allow. If insufficient funds are available to fund all eligible applications, applications will be held in a waiting list and may be ranked with any subsequently received applications during FY2005.

Conservation Practices

Essential conservation practices approved for cost share are included in the program for the restoration, creation, enhancement, or management of identified wildlife habitats. Among them are, tree and shrub establishment, wetland enhancement, use exclusion, sediment basin, riparian forest buffer, and streambank and shoreline protection. The list of approved practices for the Pacific Basin Area is posted on this web site in the Pacific Basin Area Conservation Practice Standards WHIP FY2005 Cost List.
Installation of conservation practices must meet NRCS technical standards. The approved WHIP program participant will receive technical assistance for the planning and application of the conservation practices.

Local Participation and Work Groups

NRCS supports the locally led conservation effort in the delivery of conservation programs. The USDA Local Work Group (LWG) serves as the starting point in the development and coordination of NRCS conservation assistance programs to provide an integral approach for addressing local natural resource concerns. The LWG ensures that the conservation needs assessment is developed using input from interested partners especially those with wildlife expertise. Using the assessment process, the LWG identifies wildlife habitat priorities, recommends a process for reviewing applications and making approvals, and helps establish the average cost for practices.

WHIP Pacific Basin Area Documents (Fiscal Year 2005)

 These documents requireAcrobat ReaderMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Word.

WHIP FY2005 Pacific Basin Application Process (76 KB)
WHIP FY2005 Application (13 KB)
Pacific Basin Area Conservation Practice Standards WHIP FY2005 Cost List (309 KB)
WHIP FY2005 Ranking Criteria Worksheet (53 KB)

WHIP Pacific Basin Area Links (Fiscal Year 2005)

• Archived Pacific Basin Area WHIP Documents
• FY2005 WHIP Program Documents and Information
• National WHIP Program Information
• Pacific Basin Area Field Office Technical Guide (eFOTG)
• Technical Service Provider Registry (TechReg)
  • Conservation Technical Assistance and Conservation Planning Assistance from Third Party Vendors (TSP)
  • Freedom of Information Act of 1996 and Privacy of 1974
  • Sample FOIA Request Letters
  • Technical Service Provider Assistance (7 CFR)
• WHIP Program Manual

Other Federal Agencies that can provide technical or financial assistance to program participants in support of WHIP.

• Farm Service Agency (FSA)
• US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)
• US Army Corps of Engineers (COE)
• USDA Forest Service (FS)

Pacific Basin Area WHIP Contact

Colleen A. Simpson
Conservation Technology Specialist
Phone: 671.735.2115
Email: colleen.simpson@pb.usda.gov

John (Bart) H. Lawrence
State Resource Conservationist
Phone: 671.472.7447
Email: john.lawrence@pb.usda.gov

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