Indiana Ring-necked 

Pheasant 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 16 counties in the northeastern and northwestern 

parts of Indiana. The purpose of the Indiana Ringnecked Pheasant SAFE is to provide quality grassland 

and shrubland habitat for Ring-necked Pheasants 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 Ring-necked Pheasant SAFE project 

is to provide habitat for Ring-necked Pheasants. Ringnecked Pheasants 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 Ring-necked Pheasant 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 Ringnecked Pheasants. The habitat being established shall 

consist of tall stature grasslands, ideally adjacent to 1) shrub 

coverts and thickets as well as 2) agricultural or waste grain 

areas. 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 Ring-necked Pheasants.

MAY 2023 INDIANA

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

Project Location

The Indiana Ring-necked Pheasant SAFE project location 

can be found in 2 eco-regions; Bird Conservation Region 

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

Transition. In as much, the entirety of the Ring-necked 

Pheasant focal region for this agreement exists within 

BCR 22-Tallgrass Prairie, and BCR 23-Prairie Hardwood 

Transition. 

This Indiana Ring-necked Pheasant SAFE project exists 

exclusively within the boundaries of Indiana. The counties 

targeted in the proposal include: Newton, Benton, Warren, 

Jasper, Pulaski, White, Elkhart, LaGrange, Steuben, Noble, 

DeKalb, Kosciusko, Whitley, Allen, Huntington, and Wabash.

Eligible CRP Practices

This SAFE project uses the following CRP practices:

 CP38E-2, CP38E-2 Establishment of Permanent Native 

Grass

 CP38E-12, Wildlife Food Plot

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.

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 Ring-necked Pheasant SAFE Project Map

MAY 2023