Wisconsin Southwest 

Grassland Conservation SAFE

State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE)

Overview

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

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources are partners 

in implementing a State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement 

(SAFE) project to enroll agricultural land in parts of Iowa, 

Dane, Lafayette, and Green counties. The purpose of 

the Wisconsin Southwest Grassland Conservation SAFE 

is to restore and maintain grassland and prairie habitat 

for fourteen bird species of greatest conservation need 

(SGCN) in Wisconsin.

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 Wisconsin Southwest Grassland 

Conservation SAFE project is to provide habitat for Upland 

Sandpiper, Bobolink, Henslow’s Sparrow, Eastern and 

Western Meadowlark, Dickcissel, and Grasshopper Sparrow. 

These obligate grassland birds are important to Wisconsin 

because all target species listed are documented as Species 

of Greatest Conservation Need within the Wisconsin 

Wildlife Action Plan and they occur in the Wisconsin 

Southwest Grassland Conservation SAFE in high relative 

abundance compared to the rest of the state.

AUGUST 2023 WISCONSIN

Habitat

Landowners and agricultural producers participating in 

Wisconsin Southwest Grassland Conservation 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 target grassland bird species. The habitat 

being established is diverse, native prairie and surrogate, 

introduced cool season grassland habitat. After the habitat 

is established, it will need to be maintained and managed by 

prescribed burning, mowing, or interseeding into cool season 

grass dominated areas to enhance forb diversity. Proper 

habitat establishment, maintenance, and management will 

maximize benefits for the grassland birds.
STATE ACRES FOR WILDLIFE ENHANCEMENT (SAFE) 2

Project Location

The Wisconsin Southwest Grassland Conservation SAFE 

project is located within portions of Dane, Green, Iowa, and 

Lafayette counties.

Eligible CRP Practices

This SAFE project uses the following CRP practices:

 CP38E-1, SAFE Establishment of Permanent 

Introduced Grasses and Legumes

 CP38E-2, SAFE Establishment of Permanent Native 

Grass

 CP38E-25, SAFE Rare and Declining Habitat — 

Tallgrass Prairie

 CP38E-25, SAFE Rare and Declining Habitat — Oak 

Savanna Prairie

Haying and Grazing

Haying and Grazing activities are not allowed on Wisconsin 

Southwest Grassland Conservation SAFE.

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

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/wi

Wisconsin Southwest Grassland Conservation SAFE 

Project Map

AUGUST 2023