Anyone participating in the WHIP programs?

Just starting to dig into the possible benefits. But before I spend a bunch of time, is it worth looking into?

Kooty:

I think you’ll find a handful of us on here that have undertaken the WHIP process. After going through it myself a few years ago for buckthorn control on my property, I must say, the program worked well for what I needed it to do. However, I can’t overstate the fact that the entire success/failure of the program for you will hinge on your relationship with the NRCS/SWCD point-person you deal with. I’ve seen it go both ways for folks.

Being that it will vary from county to county, state to state, it’s definitely worth it to see if the goals you have for your property are the same as the goals the local SWCD office has. They tend to dislike folks that try to find anyway they can to get a govt. payment for any of a laundry list of potential improvements to be done to the property. That said, if it were me, I’d assess what needs doing like timber stand improvement (TSI), non-native/invasive removal, tree planting, etc, and list specific needs you have, stating that you know WHIP might cover some or all of these needs.

Joel