Indiana Northern 

Bobwhite Quail SAFE

State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE)

Overview

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Indiana 

Department of Natural Resources—Division of Fish and 

Wildlife are partners in implementing a State Acres for 

Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) project to enroll agricultural 

land in 53 counties in the central and southern part of 

Indiana. The purpose of the Indiana Northern Bobwhite 

Quail SAFE is to provide quality grassland and shrubland 

habitat for Northern Bobwhite Quail as well as pollinators, 

and other grassland dependent birds of greatest 

conservation need in Indiana.

Background

SAFE is part of the USDA Conservation Reserve Program 

(CRP). CRP is a federally funded voluntary program that 

contracts with landowners and agricultural producers to 

establish and manage vegetative covers that control soil 

erosion, improve water quality, and provide wildlife habitat. 

SAFE is a unique type of CRP that offers organizations 

the opportunity to partner with the USDA to establish 

habitat for high-priority wildlife species on agricultural 

land. SAFE sponsors work with the USDA to identify the 

wildlife species, the vegetative cover that provides habitat 

for the target species, and the location in the state where 

the habitat is needed. A partnership is formed between the 

SAFE sponsor and the USDA, and federal funds are made 

available to allow for CRP enrollment on eligible land within 

the SAFE project location.

Target Wildlife Species

The goal of the Indiana Northern Bobwhite Quail SAFE 

project is to provide habitat for Northern Bobwhite Quail. 

Northern Bobwhite Quail are important to Indiana because 

not only for biological significance but are also very 

important for economical and social reasons.

Habitat

Landowners and agricultural producers participating in 

Indiana Northern Bobwhite Quail SAFE are required to 

develop a conservation plan with assistance from the 

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) or a 

technical service provider. The conservation plan will provide 

details on how to plant, establish, and manage habitat for 

Northern Bobwhite Quail. The habitat being established, 

includes short stature native grasslands adjacent to shrub 

coverts and thickets while also immediately adjacent to 

sparse vegetative cover called early successional habitat. 

After the habitat is established, it will need to be maintained 

and managed via prescribed burning, vegetative release 

(spraying), disking, or inter-seeding in accordance with an 

approved conservation plan. Proper habitat establishment, 

maintenance, and management will maximize benefits for 

Northern Bobwhite Quail.

MAY 2023 INDIANA

Photo by Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)
STATE ACRES FOR WILDLIFE ENHANCEMENT (SAFE) 2

Project Location

The Indiana Northern Bobwhite Quail SAFE project location 

can be found in 3 eco-regions: Bird Conservation Region 

(BCR) 22-Tallgrass Prairie, BCR 23-Prairie Hardwood 

Transition, and BCR 24-Central Hardwoods.

This Northern Bobwhite SAFE project exists exclusively 

within the boundaries of Indiana. The counties targeted 

in the proposal include: Posey, Vanderburgh, Warrick, 

Spencer, Perry, Crawford, Dubois, Pike, Gibson, Knox, 

Daviess, Martin, Orange, Lawrence, Greene, Sullivan, Vigo, 

Clay, Owen, Monroe, Morgan, Putnam, Parke, Vermillion, 

Fountain, Tippecanoe, Montgomery, Johnson, Shelby, Rush, 

Wayne, Randolph, Jay, Blackford, Henry, Fayette, Union, 

Franklin, Decatur, Bartholomew, Brown, Jackson, Jennings, 

Ripley, Dearborn, Ohio, Switzerland, Jefferson, Scott, Clark, 

Washington, Harrison, and Floyd.

Eligible CRP Practices

This SAFE project uses the following CRP practices:

 CP38E-4D, SAFE Permanent Wildlife Habitat (including 

early successional habitat component)

 CP38E-12, Wildlife Food Plot

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. fsa.usda.gov/in

Photo by Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) 

Haying and Grazing

The seeded area of any accepted offer in the proposal shall 

not be harvested or grazed by domestic livestock for the life 

of the CRP-1 contract.

Eligibility Requirements

Because SAFE is part of CRP, certain land and participant 

eligibility rules apply. To begin with, land must be in the 

project area and meet cropping history. CRP participant 

eligibility rules also apply to SAFE.

Payments and Incentives

In exchange for participation in CRP SAFE, the Farm 

Service Agency (FSA) provides participants with annual 

per acre rental payments, cost-share to assist with habitat 

establishment expenses, and in some cases additional 

monetary incentives.

For More Information

This fact sheet is provided for informational purposes only; 

other restrictions or requirements may apply. Consult your 

local FSA office for details. For more information, contact 

your local service center and USDA Farm Service Agency 

office: farmers.gov/service-locator.
STATE ACRES FOR WILDLIFE ENHANCEMENT (SAFE)

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. fsa.usda.gov/in

Indiana Northern Bobwhite Quail SAFE Project Map

MAY 2023