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Conservation Policy

Updates from RGS & AWS in the NE Region

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Todd Waldron and Nate Kennedy highlight the great work happening in the Northeast Region Nate Kennedy, Regional Engagement Coordinator (left) and Todd Waldron, Forest Conservation Director – NE (right) Chapter Engagement & Events: We’re engaging chapters and members across the Northeast, and it’s inspiring to see that folks have had a productive hunting season, happy holidays, and are back in action for another year of conservation greatness! Chapters are setting dates and planning events — we’ve got Birds & Brews, game dinners, and banquets in the works (keeping COVID safety in mind!). In addition, some chapters are getting creative in the new year....

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RGS & AWS submits written comments to Massachusetts’ Joint Legislative Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture (ENRA)

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Did you know that over 60 % of Massachusetts’ total area is forested, making it the 13th most forested state in the US by percentage? Grouse and woodcock once thrived across the Commonwealth, but they’re now listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need here and RGS AWS and our partners are working to reverse this trend.

Our written comments can be viewed HERE.

[Read more…] about RGS & AWS submits written comments to Massachusetts’ Joint Legislative Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture (ENRA)

RGS & AWS Voice: Spring 2020 Covers Magazine (Vol 32, Issue 1)

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by Brent A. Rudolph, Ph.D. – RGS & AWS Chief Conservation and Legislative Officer Printed in Covers Spring 2020 FROM PRINCIPLES TO POLICY TO PRACTICE: STEWARDSHIP OF OUR NATIONAL FORESTS Increasing the Scope and Scale of Critical Forest Treatments On August 16, 2018, the USDA Forest Service published a report, Toward Shared Stewardship across Landscapes: An Outcome-Based Investment Strategy, and announced the implementation of a new strategy for improving forest conditions by increasing “the scope and scale of critical forest treatments.” In reality, the tools and strategies composing Shared Stewardship represented the realization of opportunities supported through an investment of considerable time and effort...

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America’s hunters and anglers lead by example in the fight for conservation

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Global Connections of the Hunt Fish 30×30 Campaign By Brent A. Rudolph, Ph.D. | RGS & AWS Chief Conservation & Legislative Officer Photo by Brent Rudolph/RGS & AWS Please consider signing the petition supporting the Hunting and Fishing Community Statement In a report to the National Climate Task Force released yesterday (“Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful”), the Secretaries of the Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, and the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality laid out the plan for our nation’s involvement in the Thirty-by-Thirty Initiative (Thirty-by-Thirty). The initiative is a global effort to establish a goal of placing 30 percent of the planet’s lands...

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Wisconsin members: Your voice is needed!

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ruffed grouse

The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program in Wisconsin needs to be renewed and fully funded Ruffed Grouse by Timothy C. Flanigan Wisconsin’s Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program provides valuable funding to conserve wildlife habitat and natural areas, expand opportunities for outdoor recreation, and protect water quality and fisheries. Over the past three decades, the Knowles-Nelson program has invested more than $825 million in nearly 7,000 projects across the state. Though diverse forms of outdoor recreation are supported by these projects that involve purchasing lands or easements and sustaining infrastructure, a program review  found 94% of lands purchased with Knowles-Nelson grants since 2007 are open to hunting....

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Defining the needs of our most beloved species

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We need to take bold action for Species of Greatest Conservation Need By: Todd Waldron, Northeast Forest Conservation Director Ruffed grouse by Timothy C. Flanigan (For RGS & AWS use) Have you ever heard the term “Species of Greatest Conservation Need” or “SGCN” and wondered what that means? Or maybe you’ve wondered how it applies to the future of grouse and woodcock populations. How does it drive the RGS & AWS conservation mission? You’ve likely seen our monthly updates in The Bellwether newsletter or regularly on social media: Ruffed grouse populations are declining across much of North America. The decline is due to...

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