WI Landowner Incentive Program (LIP)

The goal of the Landowner Incentive Program (LIP) is to help private landowners create and manage habitat for species that are rare or declining. The program provides management advice, assistance with management plans and cost-share funding to individuals and organizations on private lands — with a focus on the Driftless Area of Wisconsin.

The program may help landowners:
improve or create habitat for native plants and wildlife;
receive technical help to improve your property; or
help wildlife and plant species, especially rare species

The LIP is a cost-share program, and the DNR can reimburse a landowner for up to 75% of the cost for the on-the-ground practices that are involved in the management of the project.

Technical assistance is available to Wisconsin landowners free of charge and is not contingent on applying for or receiving an LIP cost-share grant.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include individuals or groups such as land trusts, watershed councils or conservation organizations. Landowners must be willing to enter into a 10-year agreement to maintain the intent of the LIP-finded project area.

Eligible projects must:
be on privately owned land in the Driftless Area and focus on providing connectivity to similar or complementary habitats;
promote restoration of rare, fire-dependent natural community types including prairie, oak savanna, barrens and oak woodland; and
focus on providing a benefit to the state's at-risk species, including Species of Greatest Conservation Need.

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