South Carolina Northern 

Bobwhite and Other Land 

Birds Habitat SAFE

State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE)

Overview

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

Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) 

are partners in implementing a State Acres for Wildlife 

Enhancement (SAFE) project to enroll agricultural land in 

thirty one Counties covering all the Pee Dee Region, some 

counties along the Coast, Low Country, and Mid-lands 

areas of South Carolina. The purpose of the South Carolina 

Northern Bobwhite and Other Land Birds Habitat SAFE 

is designed to incentivize the restoration of habitat for 

bobwhite quail and associated grassland birds on cropland.

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 South Carolina Northern Bobwhite and 

Other Land Birds Habitat SAFE project is to provide 

habitat for Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus), 

Bachman’s Sparrow (Aimophila aestivalis), Eastern 

Meadowlark (Sturnella magna), Field Sparrow (Spizella 

pusilla), and Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor). The 

Northern Bobwhite, Bachman’s Sparrow, Eastern 

Meadowlark, Field Sparrow, and Prairie Warbler are 

important to South Carolina because all of these 

species have experienced long-term population declines 

documented by the North American Breeding Bird Survey. 

They are also listed as “Highest” or “High” Conservation 

Priority in the South Carolina State Wildlife Action Plan. 

Additionally, restoration of the Northern Bobwhite is 

prioritized by the National Bobwhite and Grasslands 

Initiative (NBGI), the 25 state “unified strategy for the 

restoration of wild quail,” and the underlying South 

Carolina Bobwhite Initiative.

Habitat

Landowners and agricultural producers participating in 

South Carolina Northern Bobwhite and Other Land Birds 

Habitat 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 

(Colinus virginianus), Bachman’s Sparrow (Aimophila aestivalis), 

Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna), Field Sparrow 

(Spizella pusilla), and Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor). 

The habitat being established is early successional native 

grassland/shrub-scrub that is required for all life stages of 

the target species. After the habitat is established, it will 

need to be maintained and managed by Prescribed Burning, 

Interseeding/Overseeding, Tree Thinning/Pruning, and/

or Strip Spray Herbicide. Management activities must be 

completed outside the primary nesting season, which is 

April 1 to September 1. Proper habitat establishment, 

maintenance, and management will maximize benefits 

for Northern Bobwhite, Bachman’s Sparrow, Eastern 

Meadowlark, Field Sparrow, and Prairie Warbler.

JULY 2023 SOUTH CAROLINA

Photo by South Carolina Bobwhite Initiative — South Carolina Department 

of Natural Resources (SCDNR)
STATE ACRES FOR WILDLIFE ENHANCEMENT (SAFE) 2

Project Location

The South Carolina Northern Bobwhite and Other Land 

Birds Habitat SAFE project location is Abbeville, Aiken, 

Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun, Chesterfield, 

Clarendon, Colleton, Darlington, Dillon, Dorchester, 

Edgefield, Florence, Greenwood, Georgetown, Hampton, 

Horry, Kershaw, Laurens, Lee, Lexington, Marion, Marlboro, 

McCormick, Newberry, Orangeburg, Saluda, Sumter, Union, 

and Williamsburg counties.

Eligible CRP Practices

This SAFE project uses the following CRP practices:

 CP38A — Buffers

 CP38C — Trees

 CP38D — Longleaf Pine

 CP38E — Grass

Haying and Grazing

Haying and Grazing are not permitted on any of the CRP 

SAFE Practices in South Carolina.

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

Photo by South Carolina Quail Forever, Inc.

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/sc

South Carolina Northern Bobwhite and Other Land Birds 

Habitat SAFE Project Map

JULY 2023