Opportunities for habitat management within the Lake Champlain Basin

[HuntingNY]

One of the strategies in our draft deer management plan calls for promoting landowner awareness and participation in state and federal land conservation programs that benefit deer and deer habitat.  Here is an immediate opportunity.

The Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced special funding through the America's Great Outdoors initiative for the Lake Champlain Basin. Eligible landowners within the basin will be able to enroll in the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) to manage grassland and shrubland habitat. While targeted for grassland and shrubland birds, the program will also benefit other wildlife such as woodcock, deer, turkeys, and cottontails. NRCS has reduced the minimum land required for this initiative to five acres, allowing smaller landowners to participate. To apply or find out more about the program, please call or visit the Plattsburgh, Malone, or Greenwich NRCS Service Centers at the locations listed below.  You can also read more about WHIP at www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/whip.  The deadline for enrollment for this initiative is August 10, 2011.  Additional funding may be available after this initial program offering. 

Plattsburgh: 6064 State Route 22

Plattsburgh, NY 12901-9601

(518) 561-4616

Malone: 151 Finney Blvd

Malone, NY 12953-1067

(518) 483-2850

Greenwich:

2530 State Route 40

Greenwich, NY 12834-9627

(518) 692-9940

For information about other programs and opportunities for habitat work on private lands throughout the state, contact DEC at (518) 402-8907 or e-mail f&[email protected]

Jeremy Hurst

Big Game Biologist