Wildlife Habitat Planning Program
Federal assistance programs that help private landowners improve the wildlife habitat on their properties are important for the long-term conservation of our wildlife heritage. This is especially true in the State of Maine, where 95 percent of the land base is privately owned.
Photo © Don Perkins · www.ourbarns.com
New England’s farms, woodlands, and waters are special places steeped in culture, tradition, and natural heritage. These lands—and the natural resources on them—form the backbone of our local economies.
Unlike other parts of the country, however, most of the land in the Northeast is privately owned. The open spaces, farmlands, forests, and flourishing wildlife populations on these private lands contribute to our quality of life. These valuable resources are available to us thanks to the many property owners who are thoughtful stewards of their lands. Hunters, anglers, other outdoor enthusiasts, and the general public enjoy the benefits of our beautiful landscapes, while private landowners bear the burden of managing forest and farm resources for our future.
What value do you place on…
a healthy deer population, the announcement of spring in a warbler’s song, the rich taste of maple syrup, or the bounty of brook trout in a clean, cold stream?
|
Several migratory songbirds, like this Chestnut-sided Warbler, breed in the Northeast, but the thick shrubby habitats they require for nesting are in significant decline.
Photo © Creative Commons William H. Majoros |
 |
 |
Good land stewardship directly benefits wildlife, our local communities, and our regional economy. For example, sugar maples are an important crop tree for many landowners. Stands of sugar maple (“sugar bushes”) provide valuable timber benefits, as well as a yearly crop of maple syrup for those who participate in our maple sugaring tradition throughout Maine. These stands also provide valuable wildlife habitat.
Photo © Don Perkins · www.ourbarns.com |
How can landowners receive financial assistance to conserve important wildlife habitats on their properties?
We can help you protect and enhance these resources for future generations. If you are a landowner, or the steward of a land trust, you may be eligible for a government program that provides financial assistance to develop a plan that conserves, enhances, and/or restores fish and wildlife habitat on your property.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), a branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, provides part or all of the payment for the development of a Fish and Wildlife Habitat Plan. This type of plan is considered a Conservation Activity Plan (CAP) and is funded through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). EQIP is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to eligible landowners who are willing to address priority environmental issues by implementing conservation practices. Eligible landowners can apply at any time (see FAQs for more information).
 |
Maintaining large tracts of open fields and grasslands is important to the long-term viability of many wildlife species. This is especially true for grassland birds, which have experienced drastic continental population declines during the last three decades. Hay farmers may volunteer to mow their fields later in the season (haying activities can kill birds and their young if these activities take place during the nesting season). Under an NRCS contract, the farmer is paid per acre for this “conservation practice.”
Photo © Don Perkins · www.ourbarns.com |
How BRI helps landowners in the process of habitat planning.
BRI’s new Wildlife Habitat Planning Program provides an important service to landowners who have an NRCS contract to develop a Fish and Wildlife Habitat Plan for their property. Program director, Deborah Perkins, is a technical service provider certified to develop these plans. She works in collaboration with other BRI staff to help landowners develop a high-quality plan that:
- Addresses the client’s specific resource concerns
- Advances regional conservation priorities (as identified by resource agencies)
- Maximizes the unique potential of the property’s habitat features
Services offered by BRI’s Wildlife Habitat Planning Program:
- Fish and Wildlife Habitat Plans for landowners enrolled in NRCS programs
- Fish and Wildlife Plans for any landowner, at a reasonable contract rate
- Wildlife surveys and habitat assessments
- Workshops on “Understanding Forest Biodiversity”
Frequently Asked Questions
BRI’s Fish and Wildlife Plan for the Packard-Littlefield Farm, pictured here, focused on improving grassland bird habitat just outside the city of Lewiston, Maine. The privately-owned 400+ acre farm has been in the family since 1853 and is permanently conserved by the Androscoggin Land Trust due to the generosity and vision of the landowners and funding from the Land for Maine's Future program and the Farmland Protection Program. Photo © Androscoggin Land Trust
As working farms disappear and farmlands revert back to forest, essential wildlife habitats—grasslands, fields, shrub thickets, and young forests—are becoming increasingly uncommon in the Northeast. A large percentage of New England’s wildlife species rely on these habitats. The American woodcock, pictured here, has declined steadily (about one percent per year) since the 1960s.
Photo © Creative Commons
Program Director
Deborah Perkins, M.S.
Wildlife Biologist, Certified Technical Service Provider (NRCS)
deborah.perkins@briloon.org
Collaborating BRI directors:
- Catherine Flegel, Ph.D.
Risk and Compliance Advisor
Certified Wildlife Biologist (The Wildlife Society)
catherine.flegel@briloon.org - Andrew Gilbert, M.S.
Data Management and GIS Director
andrew.gilbert@briloon.org
Collaborating BRI staff:
- Ian Johnson, GIS Specialist
ian.johnson@briloon.org - Robby Lambert, Migratory Bird Program Coordinator
robby.lambert@briloon.org