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Landowner Incentive Program
The Landowner Incentive Program is a federally funded grant program that helps private landowners to manage and restore habitat for at-risk species on their land. In Wisconsin, 40 projects in 16 counties are helping to manage or restore 1,500 acres of privately owned habitat.
Funding for the Landowner Incentive Program was completely cut by the Administration in their FY 08 budget request. Our federal representatives need to hear from Wisconsin citizens and organizations now so they know how important this program is to land conservation in our state. We strongly recommend that FY
2008 funding be restored to at least the FY 2006 level of $21.7 million.
How you can make a difference this week (updated October 11, 2007)
Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) has released an
amendment that he is considering offering as an addition to the to the Interior Appropriation Bill. This amendment would restore full funding
($21.7 million) for the Landowner Incentive Program.
* Contact Senators Kohl (202-224-5653) and Feingold (202-224-5323) and ask them to sign on
as co-sponsors to this proposed amendment. They can be referred to Dave Lazarus in Senator Durbin's
office at 202-224-8029.
* Encourage landowners to contact our Senators
to articulate their support. Encourage them to provide a copy of their
contact to Senator Durbin.
Our message is simple...we want full
funding to the Landowner Incentive Program restored and we will be supportive of efforts to
identify appropriate budget offsets to accommodate this effort.
Click here for a copy of Gathering Waters Conservancy's letter to our Senators »
Please email me to let me know when you contact our senators, so I can track this information (althea [at] gatheringwaters.org).
Some facts about the Landowner Incentive Program in Wisconsin
* Since 2006, 40 Restoration/Management projects have been
initiated in 16 Wisconsin counties.
* More than 1,500 acres of privately owned Prairie and Savanna
habitat is being actively restored and/or managed. This contribution is
highly significant when considered against Wisconsin's estimated
remaining of 8000 acres of prairie and 500 acres of oak savanna.
* The management required to maintain and restore these systems is
being conducted for ~$179.00/acre. This is in part a result of private
landowners doing a significant portion of the work themselves with
technical assistance from LIP biologists.
* Direct, on-the ground benefits to 138 at-risk species, including
5 Federally Listed species, 51 State Listed species, 69 State special
concern species, and 13 Species of Greatest Conservation Need.
* LIP is 100% voluntary. More than $600,000 in requests from Wisconsin landowners for
funding annually, and since LIP requires a 25 % minimum cost-share on
the part of the applicant, this represents a voluntary offer of at least
$200,000 towards conservation from the pockets of Wisconsin citizens.
* These projects range from 1.5 acres in size to 150 acres,
demonstrating that LIP is accessible to a wide range of landowners.
* LIP biologists provide technical assistance to private
landowners regardless of their funding status, including education,
networking with other programs, and personal consultations or site
visits.
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