Indiana Henslow’s 

Sparrow 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 central, southern, and 

northwestern parts of Indiana. The purpose of the Indiana 

Henslow’s Sparrow SAFE is to provide quality grassland 

habitat for Henslow’s Sparrows 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 Henslow’s Sparrow SAFE project is to 

provide habitat for Henslow’s Sparrows. Henslow’s Sparrows 

are important to Indiana not only for biological significance 

since they are a state endangered species but are also 

particularly important for economic and social reasons.

Habitat

Landowners and agricultural producers participating in 

Indiana Henslow’s Sparrow 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 Henslow’s 

Sparrows. The habitat being established shall consist 

of thick, established grasslands with dense litter layers 

(preferably in large expanses) with short remnant woody 

or stem-like perching locations (typically generated from 

old forbs or shrubs). 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 Henslow’s Sparrows.

MAY 2023 INDIANA

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

Project Location

The Indiana Henslow’s Sparrow 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. They can be found in all 

3 eco-regions, but are sparsely populated statewide, being 

an endangered species in the state. In as much, the focal 

regions for this agreement target all 3 eco-regions-BCR 22 

(Tallgrass Prairie), BCR 23 (Prairie Hardwood Transition) and 

BCR 24 (Central Hardwoods).

This Indiana Henslow’s Sparrow SAFE project exists 

exclusively within the boundaries of Indiana. The counties 

targeted in the proposal include: Posey, Vanderburgh, 

Warrick, Spencer, Perry, Crawford, Dubois, Pike, Gibson, 

Knox, Daviess, Martin, Orange, Lawrence, Greene, Sullivan, 

Vigo, Clay, Owen, Monroe, Morgan, Putnam, Parke, 

Vermillion, Johnson, Shelby, Rush, Fayette, Union, Franklin, 

Decatur, Bartholomew, Brown, Jackson, Jennings, Ripley, 

Dearborn, Ohio, Switzerland, Jefferson, Scott, Clark, 

Washington, Harrison, Floyd, Lake, Porter, LaPorte, St. 

Joseph, Starke, and Marshall.

Eligible CRP Practices

This SAFE project uses the following CRP practices:

 CP38E-2, Establishment of Permanent Native Grass

 CP38E-12, Wildlife Food Plot

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

Photo by Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)

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.

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 Henslow’s Sparrow SAFE Project Map

MAY 2023