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Eastern Great Lakes

Remembering Glen R. Blackwood: A True Conservation Champion

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With heavy hearts, we share the news that Glen Robert Blackwood, a beloved friend, colleague and devoted conservationist, passed away on Dec. 29, 2025, at age 62. Glen’s passing leaves a profound void in the hearts of all who knew him and in the broader conservation community he served so passionately. Glen joined the Ruffed Grouse Society & American Woodcock Society family in 2020 as a Regional Director and in 2021 transitioned to Director of Regional Development for Michigan, Illinois and Indiana, bringing with him not only decades of experience in the outdoors but an infectious enthusiasm for the natural world....

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Chapter Spotlight: H.C. Edwards Chapter

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When people think of RGS & AWS most thoughts go to young aspen forest and thickets in the Great Lakes or the stonewalls and forgotten orchards of the Northeast. Few will think of Western Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley, but that’s where RGS & AWS began. Founded in Monterey, Virginia in 1961, RGS & AWS has a long history in the Old Dominion State that continues to this day. The H.C. Edwards Chapter went through a variety of name changes early in their time as a chapter. Established originally in 1977 as the Virginia Chapter, they changed names to the Shenandoah...

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New Forest Wildlife Specialists Join RGS & AWS in Kentucky and Michigan

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RGS & AWS is strengthening its habitat mission with the addition of two new forest wildlife specialists: Cindy Cifuentes in Kentucky and Marc Hershfield in Michigan. Cifuentes, a lifelong Hoosier, holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and environmental studies from Butler University. Her early career in ecological research took her to Panama, where she studied the behavioral ecology of bats and frogs. That global perspective eventually led her back to Indiana, where she served as director of natural resources and research for the nation’s largest urban old-growth forest. [Read more…] about New Forest Wildlife Specialists Join RGS & AWS in Kentucky...

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Drumroll Please – The link between surveys and shells

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by Kris Millgate It’s the crunch of color-faded leaves flattening underfoot and the snag of elbow-patched sleeves passing branches. It’s also the feel of frost on face, gun in gloves and butterflies in belly. Add to those marvelous sensations, dogs on point and birds on wing. The scenario is outdoor perfection and it’s thrilling so the last thing you’re thinking about is the why behind what you’re experiencing. That’s understandable in the heat of the hunt, but afterward, after feathers weave through fingers, consider this: There’s actually years of strategy behind that fleeting moment. “We’re focused on forest health and it just...

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Exciting News: Doubling Our Impact in the Great Lakes

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Recently, we announced that hard work and mission-focused efforts by the RGS & AWS community are resulting in big wins for our forests and wildlife in the Great Lakes. Consequently, we’ve divided the Great Lakes Forest Conservation Region into eastern and western divisions – and added a senior-level forest conservation director to continue to build out our growth in three states critical to grouse and woodcock. Today we’re sharing an exciting update: We’re thrilled to welcome Zach Evans as our new forest conservation director for Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. Originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Evans brings a strong background in forestry and wildlife...

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RGS & AWS Welcomes New Forest Conservation Director for Michigan, Ohio, Indiana

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The Ruffed Grouse Society & American Woodcock Society (RGS & AWS) is pleased to welcome Zach Evans as its new forest conservation director for Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. Evans’ hiring marks a strategic investment in regional forest management, made possible through leveraged grants and cooperative agreements that support habitat conservation efforts. Evans, originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, brings a strong background in forestry and wildlife management to the role. He earned his bachelor’s degree in wildlife ecology and management and his master’s degree in forestry from Michigan Technological University. His professional experience includes utility forestry work in western Michigan and serving...

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