Upland Management Agreements (UMA) are one of the many habitat enhancement practices available through the Nesting Bird Habitat Incentive Program (NBHIP). These UMAs are designed to work with private landowners and provide financial assistance to improve and maintain upland habitats on their properties. Through this program, landowners may enroll in 3- year agreements and receive an Annual Work Plan (AWP) that provides detailed descriptions of work that must be completed to improve upland/grassland habitat on their property. Once all work, detailed in the AWP, is completed, the landowners receive an incentive payment.
PROGRAM DETAILS AND REQUIREMENTS:
The Nesting Bird Habitat Incentive Program (NBHIP) was established in 2018 by the passing of Assembly Bill (AB) 2697 and was designed to address declines in local breeding waterfowl and ring-necked pheasant populations. Local breeding populations of these species have been in decline since the 1970’s.
The program was not funded until the passing of AB 614 in October 2021, which created an additional surcharge of $10 for the upland game bird hunting validation and state duck hunting validation. These additional funds provide roughly $2 million annually for the implementation of NBHIP by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (the Department). California Waterfowl was heavily involved in the development of the program and now helps lead the implementation of the private land incentives on behalf of the Department. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is also a key partner in the program, and leads the biological monitoring with support from CWA.
Incentive Rate and Funding:
- The incentive rate for this program is $30/acre and payments are made annually in arrears and there will be $100,000 available for the 2025 nesting season.
Program Area:
- Enrollment for this program is constrained to the Central Valley and the associated planning regions, as designated by the Central Valley Joint Venture.
Eligible Applications:
- Upland perennial grass habitats on private lands (5 acre minimum)
- Summer water is located within 1 mile of upland.
- If management of wetland units are under the control of the landowner, they must be fully flooded (minimum depth of 12-24 inches at outflow) from April 1 – August 1 (may be flooded longer than this if desired by the landowner).
- Allow access for nest monitoring on the property.
Ineligible Applications:
- Upland habitats that have no perennial grasses. No summer water within 1 mile of the uplands. Uplands enrolled in any annual incentive program (e.g., California Waterfowl Habitat (Presley) Program) that provides payment to conduct upland management actions.
Ranking and selection:
Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee that is made up of biologists from CWA and representatives from each of the following Department Programs: Waterfowl, Upland and Small Game, Wetland Conservation Program (including the Nesting Bird Habitat Incentive Program). After the solicitation closes, all applications will be evaluated and scored based on the following ranking categories:
- The proximate water sources within 1 mile and adjacent habitat types
- Type of summer water
- Size and continuity of uplands
- Applicant’s participation in other conservation programs.
- Proximity to perpetuality protected properties (e.g., conservation easements, National Wildlife Refuges, State Wildlife Areas).
WANT TO PARTICIPATE?
This program will be open for applications from February 3 - March 31, 2025.
If you have questions, please contact Jason Coslovich at (408)644-3525 or jcoslovich@calwaterfowl.org.
