Advance Legislation that Improves Public Access to Private Lands
Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP)
The USDA’s Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP) is the only federal program specifically designed to facilitate public access for hunters and anglers on private lands. VPA-HIP is not only widely recognized as one of the most effective public access tools in the United States; it also helps landowners improve habitat stewardship and incentivizes restoration practices that benefit fish and wildlife.
The USDA’s Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP) is the only federal program specifically designed to facilitate public access for hunters and anglers on private lands. VPA-HIP is not only widely recognized as one of the most effective public access tools in the United States; it also helps landowners improve habitat stewardship and incentivizes restoration practices that benefit fish and wildlife.
The upcoming Farm Bill is an opportunity to reaffirm – and even increase – our investment in VPA-HIP. The Voluntary Public Access Improvement Act, led by Sens. Steve Daines (R-MT), Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Roger Marshall (R-KS), would reauthorize the program and increase funding from $50 million to $150 million over the next five years.
VPA-HIP operates by extending competitive grants to state and tribal governments – grants that are used to incentivize private landowners to voluntarily allow public access. The Voluntary Public Access Improvement Act would triple the impact of this popular and widely utilized program. Since most sportsmen and women cite insufficient access as our biggest obstacle to getting afield, the impact of this increase would be incalculable.
Join BHA in supporting public access by contacting your member of Congress today!
Daines, Bennet, Marshall Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Outdoor Recreation Opportunities
Daines, Bennet, Marshall Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Outdoor Recreation Opportunities