Georgia’s Native Pine Savanna 

Habitat Restoration SAFE

State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE)

Overview

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

Department of Natural Resources Division are partners in 

implementing a State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) 

project to enroll agricultural land in Georgia. The purpose of 

the Georgia’s Native Pine Savanna Habitat Restoration is to 

target expiring acres enrolled in the Conservation Reserve 

Program’s CP3 Tree Planting or CP3A Hardwood Tree 

Planting to help establish and maintain pine savanna habitat 

for northern bobwhite and other grassland-forb-shrub 

species that are in decline.

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 Georgia’s Native Pine Savanna Habitat 

Restoration SAFE project is to provide habitat for Northern 

Bobwhite, Bachman’s Sparrow, Gopher Tortoise, and 

Pine Snake. These target wildlife species are important to 

Georgia because their populations are declining and are high 

priorities in Georgia’s State Wildlife Action Plan (https://

georgiawildlife.com/WildlifeActionPlan). These species 

are representative pine savanna habitat that is critical to 

populations of many other game and non-game species in 

the state.

Habitat

Landowners and agricultural producers participating in 

Georgia’s Native Pine Savanna Habitat Restoration 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, Bachman’s Sparrow, 

Gopher Tortoise, and Pine Snakes. The habitat being 

established is pine savanna habitat with diverse native 

understory vegetation. After the habitat is established, it will 

need to be maintained and managed by prescribed fire and 

occasional herbicide and thinning practices. Proper habitat 

establishment, maintenance, and management will maximize 

benefits for Northern Bobwhite, Bachman’s Sparrow, 

Gopher Tortoise, and Pine Snake.

APRIL 2023 GEORGIA
STATE ACRES FOR WILDLIFE ENHANCEMENT (SAFE) 2

Project Location

Georgia’s Native Pine Savanna Habitat Restoration SAFE 

project location is statewide. Eligible acres must be 

expiring CRP CP3 Tree Planting or CP3A Hardwood Tree 

Planting acres.

Eligible CRP Practices

This SAFE project uses the following CRP practices:

 CP38C-3 Tree Planting or CP38C-3A Hardwood Tree 

Planting to establish pine savanna. Eligible acres must 

be expiring CRP CP3 Tree Planting or CP3A Hardwood 

Tree Planting acres

Haying and Grazing

No grazing or haying will be allowed on contracted acres.

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.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. fsa.usda.gov/ga
STATE ACRES FOR WILDLIFE ENHANCEMENT (SAFE)

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

Georgia’s Native Pine Savanna Habitat Restoration 

SAFE Project Map

APRIL 2023