Michigan Pheasant and 

Monarch Recovery SAFE

State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE)

Overview

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

Department of Natural Resources are partners in 

implementing a State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement 

(SAFE) project to enroll agricultural land in 41 in the 

southern Lower Peninsula and 5 in the Upper Peninsula 

counties. The purpose of the Michigan Pheasant and 

Monarch Recovery SAFE is to [help abate the decline of 

monarch butterflies, grassland birds, 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 Michigan Pheasant and Monarch Recovery 

SAFE project is to provide habitat for monarch butterfly, 

ring-necked pheasant, Henslow’s and grasshopper 

sparrows, sharp-tailed grouse, and mallard ducks. 

Monarch butterfly, ring-necked pheasant, Henslow’s and 

grasshopper sparrows, sharp-tailed grouse, mallard ducks 

and other grassland birds are important to Michigan 

because they have suffered significant population declines 

and have significant social and economic value to Michigan.

Habitat

Landowners and agricultural producers participating in 

Michigan Pheasant and Monarch Recovery 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 monarch butterfly, ring-necked pheasant, 

Henslow’s and grasshopper sparrows, sharp-tailed grouse, 

and mallard ducks. The habitat being established is diverse 

grasslands and wetland habitat that will provide nesting, 

brood rearing, winter cover, and milkweed for monarch 

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

be maintained and managed by prescribed burn, managed 

haying, managed grazing, light disking, interseeding 

wildflowers, and grass specific herbicide. Proper habitat 

establishment, maintenance, and management will maximize 

benefits for monarch butterfly, ring-necked pheasant, 

Henslow’s and grasshopper sparrows, sharp-tailed grouse, 

mallard ducks, and other grassland bird species.

JUNE 2023 MICHIGAN

Photo by Dan Kennedy, Michigan Department of Natural Resources
STATE ACRES FOR WILDLIFE ENHANCEMENT (SAFE) 2

Project Location

The Michigan Pheasant and Monarch Recovery SAFE project 

location is in the following 46 counties: Allegan, Arenac, 

Barry, Bay, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Chippewa, Clare, 

Clinton, Delta, Dickinson, Eaton, Genesee, Gladwin, Gratiot, 

Hillsdale, Huron, Ingham, Ionia, Isabella, Jackson, Kalamazoo, 

Kent, Lapeer, Lenawee, Livingston, Mackinac, Mecosta, 

Menominee, Midland, Monroe, Montcalm, Muskegon, 

Newaygo, Oceana, Ottawa, Saginaw, Sanilac, Shiawassee, St. 

Clair, St. Joseph, Tuscola, Van Buren, and Washtenaw.

Eligible CRP Practices

This SAFE project uses the following CRP practices:

 CP38A Buffers-21 Filter Strips, CP22 Riparian Buffers, 

and CP33 Habitat Buffers for Upland Birds, and CP43 

Prairie Strips

 CP38B Wetlands-23 Floodplain and CP23A NonFloodplain

 CP38E Grass-2 Establishment of Permanent Native 

Grasses, CP4D Permanent Wildlife Habitat, CP12 

Wildlife Food Plots, Rare and Declining Habitat, and 

CP42 Pollinator Habitat

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

Photo by Mike Parker, Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Haying and Grazing

Haying and grazing is allowed according to CRP emergency 

and non-emergency policies and as defined in an approved 

conservation plan.

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/mi

Michigan Pheasant and Monarch Recovery SAFE Project Map

JUNE 2023