Indiana Bat and Northern 

Long-eared Bat 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 51 counties in the northern, central, and 

southwestern parts of Indiana. The purpose of the Indiana 

Bat and Northern Long-eared Bat SAFE is to provide 

quality forestland habitat for the Indiana Bat and Northern 

Long-eared Bat as well as increasing forest connectivity 

to reduce habitat fragmentation for these bats and other 

forest dependent wildlife species.

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 Bat and Northern Long-eared 

Bat SAFE project is to provide habitat for the Indiana 

Bat (Myotis Sodalis) and Northern Long-eared Bat (M. 

septentrionalis) are important to Indiana not only for 

biological significance but are also particularly important 

for economic and social reasons.

Habitat

Landowners and agricultural producers participating 

in Indiana Bat and Northern Long-eared Bat 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 Indiana Bat and Northern Long-eared 

Bat. The habitat being established is ideal for foraging and 

roosting locations frequently selected by Indiana Bats and 

Northern Long-eared Bats. This includes establishment of 

deciduous forestlands with native tree species including 

oaks, hickories and other preferred roosting location 

species of the target bat species. After the habitat is 

established, it will need to be maintained and managed by 

vegetative release (spraying) or inter-seeding legumes in 

accordance with an approved conservation plan. Proper 

habitat establishment, maintenance, and management will 

maximize benefits for The Indiana Bat and Northern Longeared Bat.

MAY 2023 INDIANA

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

Project Location

The Indiana Bat and Northern Long-eared Bat 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 Indiana Bat/Northern Long-eared Bat SAFE project 

exists exclusively within the boundaries of Indiana. 

The counties targeted in the proposal include: Posey, 

Vanderburgh, Gibson, Knox, Johnson, Shelby, Rush, Decatur, 

Bartholomew, Lake, Porter, LaPorte, St. Joseph, Marshall, 

Starke, Elkhart, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Steuben, Noble, 

DeKalb, Whitley, Allen, Warren, Fountain, Montgomery, 

Tippecanoe, Hendricks, Marion, Hancock, Henry, Wayne, 

Randolph, Delaware, Madison, Hamilton, Boone, Clinton, 

Carroll, Cass, Fulton, Miami, Wabash, Huntington, Wells, 

Adams, Jay, Blackford, Grant, Howard, and Tipton.

Eligible CRP Practices

This SAFE project uses the following CRP practices:

 CP38C-3A, Hardwood Tree Planting

Haying and Grazing

The seeded/established area of any accepted offer in this 

proposal shall not be harvested or grazed by domestic 

livestock for the life of CRP-1.

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

Photo by Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)

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 Bat and Northern Long-eared Bat SAFE Project Map

MAY 2023