Endangered Resources

Landowner Incentive Program

How to Apply

LIP Priority Areas

Landowner Incentive Program
Program History and Authorization

In 2003, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources received funding from the US Fish and Wildlife Service to develop the foundation of the Landowner Incentive Program, or LIP. LIP held its first Request for Proposals in spring of 2006.

Program Development

Since September 2004, LIP has relied upon a Guidance Team of agency and non-governmental organizations familiar with the resources of the state and existing cost-share programs for private lands to develop the program. The Guidance Team includes individuals from the following organizations:

This Guidance Team identified gaps in existing funding for rare species and developed priorities for LIP to address these gaps. The priorities are based on data from the Wisconsin Natural Heritage Inventory Database and Working List which includes federally listed and state endangered and threatened species, state special concern species, and species that are critically imperiled or vulnerable. The list of state Endangered and Threatened list is updated as necessary by taxa expert input and legislative process.

The Guidance Team used information from the Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan (WWAP) that was then under development. The WAP is a statewide effort to identify the animal species (including invertebrates) that are in greatest need of conservation. The Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) list includes all of the animal species currently listed as threatened or endangered at the state or and federal level, as well as "at risk" species due to threats to their life history needs or habitats, species with stable numbers in Wisconsin, but declining in other states or nationally, or species of unknown status. The resulting plan presents priority conservation actions to protect these species and their habitats and will play an important role in guiding LIP.

Based on these species, the Guidance Team also identified two program elements that a) are not addressed or not adequately addressed by existing cost-share programs and b) have high biodiversity values on private lands that would benefit from LIP. Both of these areas provide significant opportunities to improve rare species habitat on private lands due to the nature of the resource and the work of conservation organizations. Local and national conservation organizations are active in both program elements and their outreach and education with private landowners will be a valuable asset to promoting LIP and ensuring its success. The two program elements are:

  1. Prairie and Savanna Habitat, and
  2. Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Ecological Landscape
Wisconsin’s LIP worked with University of Wisconsin Extension (UWEX) to develop a website, brochure, and an outreach strategy including workshops to promote the program in these two areas. UWEX staff also assisted with program development and facilitated meetings with the Guidance Team. The outreach materials and strategy developed are intended to reach a broad audience and particularly landowners not enrolled in existing programs.

Administrative Rule

In order for the Wisconsin DNR to administer the program and begin providing financial assistance to landowners, the program had to develop and promulgate an administrative rule. The administrative rule process began in January 2005 with discussions with the Guidance Team and DNR legal staff to revise an existing administrative rule to include the Landowner Incentive Program. The process also involved presentations to the DNR’s Natural Resources Board, public notice to receive comments on the proposed changes, a public hearing and a legislative hearing with the State Assembly’s Committee on Natural Resources. The administrative rule (exit DNR) for the program became effective in March 2006.

Program Timeline

Since 2006, Wisconsin’s LIP has held four competitive grant cycles. The 2009-2010 grant cycle timeline for the Driftless Area is listed below:

Summer 2009 – October 31, 2009: LIP is Accepting Pre-proposals for Projects in the Driftless Area

Early November 2009: Applicants with competitive projects will be invited to submit a Full Proposal for funding

Noon, January 15, 2010: Deadline for proposals is 12:00 p.m. Proposals are reviewed by the LIP Guidance Team

February 2010: All applicants are notified of the selection results

April 1, 2010: Start date for 2010-selected LIP projects. View descriptions of projects selected in past rounds

Last Revised: November 13, 2009