Kentucky Northern Bobwhite Quail 

and Grassland Songbird SAFE

State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE)

Overview

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

Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources 

are partners in implementing a State Acres for Wildlife 

Enhancement (SAFE) project to enroll agricultural land 

in 39 Counties across Western and Central Kentucky. 

The purpose of the Kentucky Northern Bobwhite Quail 

and Grassland Songbird SAFE is to restore and maintain 

grassland habitats for the Northern Bobwhite Quail and 

other grassland 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 Kentucky Northern Bobwhite Quail and 

Grassland Songbird SAFE project is to provide habitat for 

the Northern Bobwhite Quail, Dickcissel, Grasshopper 

Sparrow, and Henslow’s Sparrow. Bobwhite Quail and 

other grassland wildlife species are important to Kentucky 

because the quail, and other songbirds that share similar 

habitats are threatened populations due to habitat loss and 

increased use of pesticides.

Habitat

Landowners and agricultural producers participating 

in Kentucky Northern Bobwhite Quail and Grassland 

Songbird 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 the Northern 

Bobwhite Quail, Dickcissel, Grasshopper Sparrow, and 

Henslow’s Sparrow. The habitat being established is 

diverse native grassland that will provide cover and 

food for wildlife and provides many other environmental 

benefits. After the habitat is established, it will need to 

be maintained and managed by controlling weeds, and 

either disking, burning, herbicide application, inter-seeding, 

haying, or grazing to maintain plant diversity. Proper 

habitat establishment, maintenance, and management will 

maximize benefits for the Northern Bobwhite Quail and 

other grassland wildlife species.

MAY 2023 KENTUCKY

Photo by The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
STATE ACRES FOR WILDLIFE ENHANCEMENT (SAFE) 2

Project Location

The Kentucky Northern Bobwhite Quail and Grassland 

Songbird SAFE project location is Allen, Ballard, Barren, 

Breckinridge, Butler, Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle, Christian, 

Crittenden, Daviess, Edmonson, Fulton, Grayson, Graves, 

Green, Hancock, Hardin, Hart, Henderson, Hickman, 

Hopkins, Larue, Livingston, Logan, Lyon, McCracken, 

McLean, Marshall, Meade, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Simpson, 

Taylor, Todd, Trigg, Union, Warren, and Webster Counties.

Eligible CRP Practices

This SAFE project uses the following CRP practices:

 CP38E-2, Establishment of Permanent Native Grasses

 CP38E-4D, Permanent Wildlife Habitat

 CP38E-12, Wildlife Foot Plot

 CP38E-25, Rare and Declining Habitat (Primarily Grass)

 CP38E-42, Pollinator Habitat

Haying and Grazing

Haying and grazing is allowed according to CRP emergency 

and non-emergency policies and as defined in an approved 

Conservation Plan.

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

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/ky

Kentucky Northern Bobwhite Quail and Grassland Songbird 

SAFE Project Map

MAY 2023