US Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) consulted with Ben Larson of RGS & AWS on ways to improve wildlife habitat along Tionesta Creek. Larson suggested they regenerate patches of alder along Tionesta Creek to improve habitat for woodcock, grouse and other wildlife. He also suggested they create a hunter access/wildlife viewing trail through the area. Joe VanOrd of the USACE contacted our chapter for assistance with cutting the alder patches and creating the trail. After a meeting between USACE staff and chapter members, we decide to set up 2 workdays in March and April of 2023.
We had a good turnout for both workdays, with members from several different RGS Chapters, two members from the Northern Ohio AWS chapter, and several other individuals. We didn’t finish the project after the two workdays, so we planned for another workday in early 2024. We decided to hold the final workday on February 24th.
We had the biggest turnout, with 30 people showing up. We had members from various RGS chapters, members from Pheasants Forever and National Wild Turkey Federation. We had volunteers from Boy Scout Troop 82, members from Keystone Conservation Action and other individual volunteers. We were able to finish the alder patchwork cutting and we were able to roughly cut in the trail. The USACE staff were planning to improve the trail at a later date. I recently heard from Joe VanOrd, and he mentioned that he saw a number of woodcock at the site.
