Iowa Gaining Ground 

SAFE

State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE)

Overview

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

Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Bureau are 

partners in implementing a State Acres for Wildlife 

Enhancement (SAFE) project to enroll agricultural land 

in counties across the state within 3-miles of existing 

protected wildlife areas. The purpose of the Iowa Gaining 

Ground SAFE is to restore a diversity of native grassland 

habitat types in landscapes where it will be the most 

beneficial for 5 high priority species of grassland songbirds.

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 Iowa Gaining Ground SAFE project is to 

provide habitat for Bobolink, Brown Thrasher, Grasshopper 

Sparrow, Loggerhead Shrike, and Western Meadowlark. 

These grassland birds are important to Iowa because all 5 

species are in long term decline and CRP provides valuable 

habitat to recover these species. The Iowa Wildlife Action 

Plan lists all 5 birds as species of greatest conservation 

need, whose populations can benefit from additional native 

grassland habitats.

Habitat

Landowners and agricultural producers participating in 

Iowa Gaining Ground 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 Bobolink, 

Brown Thrasher, Grasshopper Sparrow, Loggerhead Shrike, 

and Western Meadowlark. Offers must be a minimum of 

10 acres if not immediately adjacent to an existing wildlife 

habitat complex. All offers will provide at least 2 of the 

following native grass habitat types: tall grass/low forbs, tall 

grass/high forbs, short grass/low forbs or short grass/high 

forbs. Providing all 4 habitat types is encouraged on larger 

offers to benefit other species like native pollinators and 

Monarchs. Winter cover, food plots and shrub planting are 

allowed, but not required. After the habitat is established, 

it will need to be maintained and managed by prescribed 

burning, grazing, interseeding, spraying, or disking on the 

habitat acres. Proper habitat establishment, maintenance, 

and management will maximize benefits for Bobolink, Brown 

Thrasher, Grasshopper Sparrow, Loggerhead Shrike, and 

Western Meadowlark.

MARCH 2023 IOWA

Photo by Carl Kurtz.
STATE ACRES FOR WILDLIFE ENHANCEMENT (SAFE) 2

Project Location

The Iowa Gaining Ground SAFE project location is all or 

portions of Adair, Adams, Allamakee, Appanoose, Audubon, 

Benton, Black Hawk, Boone, Bremer , Buchanan, Buena 

Vista, Butler, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Cedar, Cerro Gordo, 

Cherokee, Chickasaw, Clarke, Clay, Clayton, Clinton, 

Crawford, Dallas, Davis, Decatur, Delaware, Des Moines, 

Dickinson, Dubuque , Emmet, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin , 

Fremont, Greene, Grundy, Guthrie, Hamilton, Hancock, 

Hardin, Harrison, Henry, Howard, Humboldt, Ida, Iowa, 

Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Keokuk, Kossuth, 

Lee, Linn, Louisa, Lucas, Lyon, Madison, Mahaska, Marion, 

Marshall, Mills, Mitchell, Monona, Monroe, Montgomery, 

Muscatine, O’Brien, Osceola , Page, Palo Alto, Plymouth, 

Pocahontas, Polk, Pottawattamie, Poweshiek, Ringgold, 

Sac, Scott, Shelby, Sioux, Story, Tama, Taylor, Union, Van 

Buren, Wapello, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, 

Winnebago, Winneshiek, Woodbury, Worth, and Wright 

counties within 3 miles of existing protected habitats.

Eligible CRP Practices

This SAFE project uses the following CRP practices:

 CP38E-CP4D Permanent Wildlife Habitat

 CP38E-CP12 Wildlife Food Plot

Haying and Grazing

Emergency haying and grazing is not authorized. NonEmergency haying and grazing is authorized according to 

CRP non-emergency policies and as defined in an approved 

conservation plan.

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 or nearest DNR office: 

iowadnr.gov/crp.

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

Iowa Gaining Ground SAFE site, diverse native grassland habitat. Photo by Iowa Department of Nautral Resources.
STATE ACRES FOR WILDLIFE ENHANCEMENT (SAFE)

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

Iowa Gaining Ground SAFE Project Map

MARCH 2023