Where Conservation Connects Wildlife with Communities

When Sarah Collings took over her family's land in southeastern Indiana in 2008, she inherited more than a piece of property, she inherited a bit of a challenge.

"It was traditionally cropped, but it's a very difficult piece of land to farm." Collings explained, "Drainage was a real issue. There would be standing water all year through my back field. I knew it wasn't going to work well to continue farming.'"

That's when a conversation with Shannon Winks, an Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) District Wildlife Biologist, sparked a new vision for the land. Winks suggested exploring conservation programs like the Grasslands for Gamebirds and Songbirds (GGS) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) to bring back wildlife habitat. Collings had previously enrolled some acres in the Farm Service Agency's Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) using the CP42 pollinator practice and she was pleased with the results, so she committed to enrolling the remainder of her land in the GGS program to bring additional wildlife to her property.

"I thought the pollinators and grasses we brought in through CRP were just really cool to have out here," Collings said. "Once we started looking at the other programs, it was like, okay, we're going to do more than pollinators and really look at this from a wildlife standpoint."

The Grasslands for Gamebirds & Songbirds RCPP was a perfect fit for her conservation goals. Led by IDNR's Division of Fish and Wildlife, funded through USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and supported by many other conservation partners including the Sam Shine Foundation, Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever, US Fish and Wildlife Service and Applegate's Seedhouse, GGS was created in direct response to the steep, long-term declines Indiana is seeing in grassland bird species. Northern bobwhite quail, ring-necked pheasant, eastern meadowlark, Henslow's sparrow and other grassland-dependent birds have suffered dramatic population losses over the past 50 years due primarily to habitat degradation. Modern pressures from farming and development have exacerbated this issue. Without proper cover, nesting areas and year-round food sources, these birds struggle to survive.

"GGS is the division's umbrella program for grasslands. All the grassland work that we do is funded largely through RCPP which now includes 40 counties throughout Indiana," said Nate Yazel, IDNR Southeast Grasslands Biologist. "It's our financial incentive program to help landowners put grassland habitat on their properties."

Through GGS, IDNR biologists work with landowners like Collings to design habitat plans tailored to the land's soils, topography and existing vegetation. The plans create essential nesting sites, brood-rearing areas and protective cover from predators. Restored grasslands also support pollinators, beneficial insects and other wildlife, creating richer and more resilient ecosystems.

On her property, Collings' habitat plan included a pollinator planting in the native grass area, shrub plantings to provide cover and winter food and early successional habitat management to keep the ground open for raising young and foraging. In the back of the property, a 13-acre oak tree planting is now taking root. By providing year-round habitat and food sources, these fields are now set up to help sustain game birds like quail and wild turkey as well as dozens of songbird species that migrate through or nest in Indiana.

Collings is already seeing wildlife return. Today, her property is alive with hawks, wild turkeys and even quail wandering right into her backyard.

"I think we did a good job," she said. "We've got a lot of birds out here. They have come back particularly since all the grasses were put in and started growing."

But Collings didn't stop at simply creating habitat, she also decided to share it. Through IDNR's Indiana Public Access Land (IPLA) program, she opened the property to controlled public hunting. Funded primarily through NRCS' Voluntary Public Access - Habitat Incentives Program (VPA-HIP) program and administered by the IDNR's Division of Fish and Wildlife, IPLA has become a valuable tool for expanding recreational access without the need to purchase additional public land.

At the heart of the program, IPLA provides hunting access on private lands by incentivizing landowners like Collings to permit recreational access to their property. Throughout the year, IDNR offers reserve draws on these parcels of land for different hunting opportunities for game such as deer, turkey, waterfowl, small game and game birds.

Josh Griffin, IDNR Farm Bill Coordinator, calls Collings "the prototypical, perfect landowner for IPLA," noting that while she doesn't hunt herself, she sees the value in providing opportunities for others. "I've now got a nice population of turkeys and quail on the property so it's great habitat for someone who hunts," explained Collings.

For Collings, the transformation is about more than just her land, it's about creating something lasting for both wildlife and people. "Some people want a beach house. I like having a house in the woods," she said. "Now I've got the side benefit of having a lot of critters running around, and I'm always looking at new flowers popping up. But I did this because I see this as a benefit from a community standpoint, too. Certainly, there's the hunting aspect, but I've also got bees, bugs and birds that are great for pollination for the surrounding area."

Through GGS and IPLA, Collings' property is now a model for how Indiana landowners can help restore declining bird habitat. With every season, Collings' property hums with life, a testament to what can happen when landowners, conservation agencies and partner organizations work together.

For anyone looking to add wildlife habitat to their land, Collings' advice to others is simple: "Sit down and talk with your conservation staff. Let them know what you have in mind and ask about your options. I didn't have a clue about all the programs available until I started those conversations. I couldn't have done this without the IDNR and NRCS staff. I really couldn't have."