Cost-Share Funds Available for Restoring or Enhancing Prairie Chicken Habitat

"Landowners interested in restoring and protecting essential plant and animal habitat for the lesser or greater prairie chicken should act now and apply for the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP)—Essential Habitat Areas (EHA)," said Harold L. Klaege, state conservationist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Salina.

"Applications for WHIP-EHA are accepted on a continuous basis. However, the ranking cutoff date for applying is February 17, 2006. The WHIP-EHA applications submitted will be evaluated for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 funding," explained Klaege.

Brush management will be the only cost-shared conservation practice available through the WHIP-EHA and will be cost-shared at 100 percent. Contracts will have a 15-year duration, and landowners will be required to maintain the areas under contract.

The Kansas NRCS, with advice from the Kansas Technical Committee, dedicated 15 percent of the state's annual WHIP funding allocation to increase the cost-share assistance in the EHA for the lesser and greater prairie chicken habitat.

"This year the eligible area remains the same as last year," said Klaege. "We funded contracts for over $92,077 in FY 2005." In FY 2005, 29 applications were received on 3,930 acres for over $105,664. With the funding available, 26 contracts were approved on 3,693 acres.

The following counties have land that qualifies for WHIP-EHA: Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Barber, Barton, Brown, Butler, Chase, Chautauqua, Cheyenne, Clark, Clay, Cloud, Coffey, Comanche, Cowley, Decatur, Dickinson, Edwards, Elk, Ellis, Ellsworth, Finney, Ford, Franklin, Geary, Gove, Graham, Grant, Gray, Greeley, Greenwood, Hamilton, Harvey, Haskell, Hodgeman, Jackson, Jefferson, Jewell, Kearny, Kiowa, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Logan, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, McPherson, Meade, Mitchell, Morris, Morton, Nemaha, Neosho, Ness, Norton, Osage, Osborne, Ottawa, Pawnee, Phillips, Pottawatomie, Pratt, Rawlins, Reno, Republic, Rice, Riley, Rooks, Rush, Russell, Saline, Scott, Seward, Shawnee, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, Thomas, Trego, Wabaunsee, Wallace, Washington, Wichita, Wilson, and Woodson.

The following file requires Acrobat Reader.

WHIP - Essential Habitat Areas Map (PDF; 133 KB)

Offers of land within the EHA or contiguous to land within the EHA will be considered eligible applications.

The WHIP is a voluntary program for landowners who want to develop and improve wildlife habitat primarily on private land.

For more information about the WHIP-EHA, go to your local U.S. Department of Agriculture Service Center and visit the local NRCS or county conservation district staff. More information is available about WHIP and other NRCS programs on the Kansas NRCS Programs web page.

Last Modified: 08/27/2008