Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program

Voluntary Public Assess and Habitat Incentive Program is a competitive grants program that helps state and tribal governments increase public access to private lands for wildlife-dependent recreation, such as hunting, fishing, nature watching or hiking. 

Only states and tribal governments are eligible to apply for VPA-HIP grants. Private forest, farm or ranch lands are eligible for assistance under these state grants. Allowable grant amounts are reduced by 25% if the opening dates for migratory bird hunting are not consistent for residents and non-residents. This requirement does not apply to tribal governments.

This incentive program will help states and tribal governments with improving public access to private lands for wildlife-dependent recreation, such as hunting, fishing, nature watching or hiking. Given climate change, plant and animal species shifts are expected, thus requiring an expansion of where tribes, and other groups, can access wildlife for hunting, fishing and other recreation; therefore these incentives improve access to private lands which will potentially be needed given the changes in species distribution give future climate.