Agreement Narrative: Collaboration to Maintain, Restore, and Enhance Forest Conditions and Wildlife Habitat on the National Forests in Georgia
Primary Funder: USDA Forest Service
Location: Chattahoochee National Forest, Gainesville, Georgia
Innovation: This is a modification to our existing challenge cost-share supplemental project agreement with the Chattahoochee National Forest. The Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society (RGS & AWS) and the Chattahoochee National Forest will collaborate on efforts to implement active forest management treatments in the Fightingtown Creek Project on the Conasauga Ranger District of the Chattahoochee National Forest. We will collaborate on issues relating to sustainable forest management, forest health and ecosystem restoration, the role of working forests in climate change adaptation and mitigation, ruffed grouse and American woodcock management and conservation of associated habitat characteristics, and conservation education.
Impact: The Fightingtown Creek commercial timber harvest was designed to benefit ruffed grouse by implementing active forest management to create young forest habitat on approximately 165-acres. There are additional planned actions which would benefit habitat for grouse in and around the commercial timber harvest including: 1) seeding roads with clover and other preferred plants to provide quality foraging and brood-rearing habitat, 2) noncommercially harvesting and felling trees on roadsides and an additional timber stand to create additional young forest habitat and ‘daylight’ planted road surfaces, and 3) placing gates in several locations to restrict vehicular traffic and encourage walk-in hunting.
Partners and Chapter Contributions: We will collaborate closely with the Chattahoochee National Forest and George Department of Natural Resource on implementation. Contracts will be awarded to local and regional logging contractors and service work contractors.
Deliverables:
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Completed the application of lime and fertilizer to temporary roads after timber sale, as well as seeding native plants (Completed December 2022): 2-miles of road completed to create brood rearing cover for grouse near the timber sale.
