Request for Proposals
The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department (NHFG) is soliciting proposals for the awarding of $475,000 in Landowner Incentive Program grants to conserve species and habitats at risk through the acquisition of conservation easementson private lands. Applications are due by the close of business October 1, 2007. Click to jump to application guidelines.
Introduction
The New Hampshire Landowner Incentive Program (LIP) is a federally funded program to protect and restore habitats on private lands to benefit plant and animal species determined to be at-risk and in need of conservation. LIP funds are provided to state fish and wildlife agencies through a national competitive grant program administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (CLICK HERE for info). Eligible lands should have documented occurrences of species-at-risk and are not government-owned. Species at risk include any wildlife or plant identified by the State as in need of conservation. These include Federal and State listed plants and animals, wildlife and habitats at risk as identified in the New Hampshire Wildlife Action Plan (CLICK HERE) and exemplary natural communities and natural community systems tracked by the New Hampshire Natural Heritage Bureau (CLICK HERE).
Policy and guidelines for the N.H. Landowner Incentive Program have been developed by the LIP Advisory Committee. This committee provides programmatic guidance and oversight to New Hampshire’s LIP program. Advisory Committee members include representatives from NHFG and NHB as well as UNH Cooperative Extension, New Hampshire Audubon, Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, and The Nature Conservancy.
The Wildlife Action Plan was developed by NHFG in conjunction with a variety of conservation partners and public input to identify the wildlife species and habitats in greatest need of conservation. A core team of biologists working with all available information identified 123 species and 27 habitats as priorities for conservation action (CLICK HERE to download Chapter 2 of the NH Wildlife Action Plan - Wildlife & Habitats
including Threatened & Endangered*
- PDF, 142 KB). Using the latest mapping technologies and the lists of species and habitats in greatest need of conservation, maps were developed to identify the location of habitat types statewide. An analysis of habitat condition resulted in maps showing the highest ranking habitats by ecological condition. Further analysis identified clusters of high condition habitat, areas where there are documented rare species and landscape integrity and diversity. These are identified as conservation focus areas.
The Natural Heritage Bureau (NHB) of the Division of Forest and Lands surveys, tracks, and facilitates the protection of New Hampshire's rare plants and exemplary natural communities (types of forests, wetlands, grasslands, etc.). NHB is fundamentally a service to New Hampshire landowners and land managers. They are not a regulatory agency; instead, work with landowners and land managers to help them protect the State's natural heritage while meeting their land-use needs. Landowners can request a letter documenting any NHB records on their property by filling out a 1-page Landowner Request Form (CLICK HERE) and providing a map of the property boundaries. There is no fee for this service, and turnaround is typically 5 – 10 working days. Results will be e-mailed if an e-mail address is provided.
Project applications will be accepted from anywhere in the State. However, the LIP ranking criteria provides additional points for projects identified as Conservation Focus Areas - or as Highest Ranked Wildlife Habitat by Ecological Condition in NH or the biological region. For more detailed maps contact your local Regional Planning Commission or go to the UNH GRANIT Data Mapper (CLICK HERE). Wildlife Action Plan maps should be available on this site by August 31, 2007.
Ranking Criteria
Application for LIP funding of conservation easements will be evaluated using a two-tiered ranking criteria developed by the LIP Advisory Committee (CLICK HERE to download ranking criteria* - PDF, 245 KB). The first tier assesses the ecological significance of a project based on nine questions and a maximum 100 points. The second tier will assess the current status of the project. All application should address the issues raised in the criteria.
Eligibility
Applications for conservation easement grants will be accepted from agencies, municipalities, and non-governmental organizations that have demonstrated capacity to successfully complete land protection projects and monitor conservation easements. Note that governmental organizations and municipalities can hold conservation easements acquired through LIP, even though they cannot be the owner of land conserved through LIP.
Funding Limits
LIP funds awarded to a project, generally, will not exceed 50% of the total project value that includes the cost of the conservation easement and any authorized pre-acquisition costs. In an effort to stretch limited program dollars, LIP funding per project will be capped at $100,000. NHFG may waive this cap on a case specific basis due to project significance and availability of grant funds.
Match
The applicant will be responsible for providing and documenting the non federal match equal to or greater than the value of the awarded LIP grant. This match can be comprised of donated value, cash, or other eligible uses (see below).
Eligible Use of Funds
Many of the costs incurred in a conservation easement project are eligible for reimbursement by the Landowner Incentive Program. Funds may be used to cover the following costs:
Purchase of conservation easements on private lands
Boundary surveys
Title work
Baseline documentation
Environmental assessments
Management Endowment
Development of Conservation Management Plans
Conservation Easement Requirements
The conservation easement language must include among its purposes the conservation of species at risk and habitats in need of conservation and require a stewardship plan that outlines actions necessary to restore, conserve, and sustain these species and habitats. NHFG may require they or another qualified entity be granted an executor interest in the easement. CLICK HERE for examples of model easement language* - PDF, 46 KB
Notice of Federal Grant Agreement
Successful applicants for LIP funding must comply with the federal requirements of the Landowner Incentive Program and record a Notice of Federal Grant Agreement along with the easement. CLICK HERE for a sample of the Notice of Federal Grant Agreement* - PDF, 323 KB
Willing Sellers Only
All applications must include a signed Option Agreement, Purchase and Sale Agreement, or a letter from the land owner indicating their willingness to participate in the program.
Appraisal Standards
Easement appraisals must be completed in accordance with the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions (CLICK HERE) and the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP), and also must meet the requirements of the Uniform Relocation and Real Property Acquisition Policy Act (Public Law 91-646). The final report will consist of a complete appraisal and a self contained appraisal report.
Easement Purchase Price Determined by Appraised Value
The NH Landowner Incentive Program will not consider proposals requesting a purchase price greater than the appraised value of the easement.
Public Access
LIP easement language must provide for public access for low impact outdoor recreation activities, unless such activity is determined to pose a risk to the species for which LIP funding is provided. Such determination will be made by NHFG with input from the LIP Advisory Committee.
Mail application and additional materials listed below to:
Administrative Assistant, Wildlife Division
NH Fish and Game
11 Hazen Drive
Concord, NH 03301
Include with your application:
A list of documented at risk species and habitats. To receive the maximum points available for this criterion, species documentation must be from the Natural Heritage Database or on a NHB database submittal form and determined to be eligible for inclusion in the NHB database. Lesser points will be given for other types of species documentation that is determined to be valid by NHFG or NHB personnel;
U.S. Topographic based map indicating detailed location information on proposed project;
Wildlife Action Plan Conservation Areas Focus map or Highest Ranking Habitat by Ecological Condition map of the area in which the proposed project is located;
Maps and/or aerial photos which show the outline of the property, location of priority habitats within the property, the property’s landscape context and proximity to other conserved lands;
Describe the current ecological condition of the parcel (see question 6 of the ranking criteria).
Following review and ranking, NHFG will announce preliminary awards by mid-November 2007. At that time NHFG will request the additional information needed to satisfy Federal Aid grant requirements prior to final awards being made. This additional information will include a narrative description of the project that outlines project need, objectives, results and benefits to species at risk, approach and a detailed project budget. Also required will be an appraisal of easement value completed to federal standards, itemization of included pre-acquisition costs, final draft of the conservation easement, the easement baseline documentation and the stewardship plan.
Review, Ranking, and Nominations
At the close of the Proposal Period, applications submitted to the Landowner Incentive Program will be reviewed for completeness by program staff. All proposals will be reviewed and ranked using the established criteria by NHFG, NHB and UNH Cooperative Extension with input by members of the LIP Steering Committee. All applications should address questions and issues identified in the ranking criteria. NHFG will make final decisions on preliminary grant and allocate funding. All applicants will be contacted and notified of the status of their proposal after final decisions have been made.
For more information, contact:
Rich Cook
NH LIP Coordinator
r_cook@conknet.com
*To view this or any PDF document, you must
have the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software on your computer.
To download the latest version of Acrobat Reader, click
here to go to the Adobe web site.
