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| Photo by George Andrejko |
The Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS) today opened a new application period under the
Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP), which harnesses
the power of partnerships to create win-win opportunities for private
landowners, science-based fish and wildlife conservation and the public.
The 2014 Farm Bill
reauthorized the VPA-HIP with $40 million in total funding for state and tribal
government programs to encourage owners and operators of privately held land to
voluntarily make that land available for wildlife habitat improvements and
public access for hunting, fishing and other wildlife-dependent
recreation.
The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies commends the leadership
of Senators Debbie Stabenow (MI) and Thad Cochran (MS) and Congressmen Frank
Lucas (OK) and Collin Peterson (MA) for supporting funding this program.
By helping to
increase access and opportunities for hunting and fishing, the VPA-HIP in turn
also helps to generate financial resources for state agencies to manage fish
and wildlife and their habitats in the public interest.
Hunters and anglers are the
nation’s foremost funders of state-based conservation as a result of their
purchases of licenses and specially taxed gear. America’s sportsmen and women
also deliver a more than $200 billion economic impact to the U.S. economy,
especially in many rural and local communities.
NRCS is accepting
applications for this round of the VPA-HIP through April 24, 2015 and the agency anticipates that up to $20 million will be available for
this important competitive block grant program. If all $20 million available in
this round is allocated, it will be the
last VPA-HIP funding opportunity under this Farm Bill—which expires
September 30, 2018—unless Congress appropriates additional funds.
The full announcement from
NRCS is available at
