RGS

Healthy Forests, Abundant Wildlife, Conservation Ethic

You are here: Home / Archives for Southern Appalachian

Southern Appalachian

Action Alert: Daniel Boone National Forest Ruffed Grouse Habitat Enhancement

by

Increasing management and habitat improvement on the Daniel Boone National Forest is a key goal of RGS & AWS’ Southern Appalachian Region. To that end, RGS just submitted comments on a proposed project on the DBNF, called the Ruffed Grouse Habitat Enhancement Project. Please take a few minutes and submit comments, too. We’ve added a template below with key habitat data you can use or copy into your own message. It always helps to personalize your comments and make it clear why management and habitat matters to you personally.  Please submit your comments on the Ruffed Grouse Habitat Enhancement project on the Daniel...

Read More

Ruffed Grouse Society Hires Regional Engagement Coordinators and Forest Conservation Coordinators

by

Ruffed Grouse Society Hires Emily Sliski as Mid-Atlantic Regional Engagement Coordinator Emily Sliski Emily is a Pennsylvania native who grew up in a family with strong hunting and outdoor traditions and values. She holds a degree in Outdoor Recreation, and her past jobs have included guiding adventure recreation activities, hosting outdoor community outreach events and, most recently, directing a year-round camp and retreat center. Emily’s personal upland passion and a desire to be part of the conservation world are what led her to apply for the position with RGS & AWS. “I feel a sense of urgency and responsibility to ensure that ruffed...

Read More

RGS & AWS Signs Stewardship Agreement on the Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina

by

The Ruffed Grouse Society & American Woodcock Society (RGS & AWS) recently signed the Sugar Creek Stewardship Agreement on the Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina. The project, previously shelved as a “no-bid” timber sale, will improve forest health and habitat through active forest management on 409 acres across a 1,912-acre project area. The project will include 192 acres of commercial timber harvests to create young and open forest conditions, 11 acres of roadside daylighting, 148 acres of post-harvest site preparation to establish natural regeneration, 10 acres of wildlife opening management, 48 acres of nonnative invasive plant control and installation of...

Read More

Take Action: Support White Pine Removal Project on the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests

by

RGS & AWS Members, The White Pine Removal Project will help meet the habitat needs for ruffed grouse and a broad suite of forest wildlife by increasing forest age class diversity in the project area and removing uncharacteristic white pine to restore mast-producing tree species (e.g., oak) that are more favorable to grouse and other wildlife. However, the project currently falls short of achieving early successional habitat (ESH) objectives from the Forest Plan within the project area. RGS & AWS supports the project and offers the following suggestions to ensure the project meets its goal of improving forest resilience, increasing species and...

Read More

Message to Members Re: Nantahala & Pisgah National Forest Plan

by

The Nantahala & Pisgah National Forest’s (the Forests) Forest Plan was finalized on February 17, 2023. RGS & AWS has been deeply engaged throughout the Forest Plan revision process advocating for the habitat needs of ruffed grouse, forest wildlife, and forest health. This includes comments we submitted to the draft Forest Plan on June 29, 2020, and objections we submitted to the revised Forest Plan on March 22, 2022. Combined, the Nantahala & Pisgah National Forests total about 1.04 million acres in western North Carolina and contain a large proportion of mid- to high-elevation sites within their boundaries, representing one of...

Read More

Tennessee Grouse Hunters, Speak Up Now About the Pond Mountain Project on the Cherokee National Forest!

by

Act now and urge the U.S. Forest Service to increase their efforts to create needed habitat for ruffed grouse and American woodcock on the Cherokee National Forest! The Ruffed Grouse Society & American Woodcock Society strongly encourage the USFS to increase the amount of early successional forest being proposed. Your voice is needed – please click the link below to submit your comment before February 18, 2023. The Pond Mountain Project includes multiple management prescriptions from the Cherokee National Forest’s Forest Plan within the boundaries of the project area. Specifically, prescription 8.C that has an objective to achieve 4% to 8% early...

Read More

Join Or Renew Now