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Southern Appalachian Regional Page

Southern Appalachians:
RGS & AWS Highlights

Do you want to see grouse and woodcock prosper in this region?

It starts with membership! Your support gives you a front row seat to our conservation efforts. Keep reading to see what’s progressing in this region and feel free to contact your local staff!

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There is a great need for more active forest management in the region. The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ Eastern Grouse Working Group report from December 2020 identified that ruffed grouse have declined 71% since 1989 in the Southern Appalachians. At the same time, National Forests in the Southern Appalachians contain only 1.3% young forests (trees aged 0-20 years). The situation is clear, active habitat management is not happening at the pace and scale that is needed to sustain grouse and other wildlife populations. To highlight the dire situation on our National Forests, we recently wrote a blog post in collaboration with Backcountry Hunters and Anglers.

To address the need for habitat diversity, RGS & AWS has broken new ground in delivering our New Model of Working Forests and building our new conservation program here in the Southern Appalachians. Our Year 1 accomplishments include $1.3 million awarded in grants and agreements, funding secured to impact 6,700 acres, the completion of 500 acres of habitat management at the North Cumberland WMA in TN, four Stewardship Agreements with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) on the Cherokee NF, George Washington and Jefferson NFs, and the Daniel Boone National Forests, and hiring a NC Private Lands Wildlife Forester. We are currently in the process of hiring a KY All-Lands Wildlife Forester and a VA Public Lands Wildlife Forester.

Currently Hiring – Forest Wildlife Specialist- Forester Georgia- Public Lands

Regional Impact:

Regional Summaries

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Ruffed Grouse Population Declines in the Eastern United States

Screen Shot 2021-07-13 at 1.45.39 PM

Southern Appalachian Program Development and Accomplishments

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Southern Appalachian Conservation Business Plan

Regional Staff:

Nick_Biemiller

Nick Biemiller

Forest Conservation Director
nickb@ruffedgrousesociety.org
C: (412) 719-0625

Nick_Biemiller

Nick Biemiller

Forest Conservation Director
nickb@ruffedgrousesociety.org
C: (412) 719-0625

grant-e-rd

Grant Erhard

Regional Engagement Coordinator grante@ruffedgrousesociety.org C: (412) 627-4312

rgs-charles-faires

Charles Faires

Private Lands Wildlife Forester: North Carolina charlesf@ruffedgrousesociety.org C: (412) 443-0905

rgs-charles-faires

Charles Faires

Private Lands Wildlife Forester: North Carolina
charlesf@ruffedgrousesociety.org
C: (412) 443-0905

Charlie-Mize-headshot2-rnd

Charlie Mize

Public Lands Wildlife Forester: Southwest Virginia charliem@ruffedgrousesociety.org C: (412) 694-5969

Charlie-Mize-headshot2-rnd

Charlie Mize

Public Lands Wildlife Forester: Southwest Virginia
charliem@ruffedgrousesociety.org
C: (412) 694-5969

benr-rgsprofile-rd2

Ben Rhodes

Forest Wildlife Specialist: Kentucky benr@ruffedgrousesociety.org C: (859) 487-0177

zax-chandler

Zac Chandler

Forest Wildlife Specialist: Tennessee zacc@ruffedgrousesociety.org C: (865) 469-9038

Regional Summaries

Screen Shot 2021-07-13 at 1.45.39 PM

Ruffed Grouse Population Declines in the Eastern United States

Screen Shot 2021-07-13 at 1.45.39 PM

Southern Appalachian Program Development and Accomplishments

Screen Shot 2021-07-13 at 1.45.39 PM

Southern Appalachian Conservation Business Plan

Policy Statements

Pond Mountain Project

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Regional News

Message to Members Re: Nantahala & Pisgah National Forest Plan

Nick Biemiller February 23, 2023

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

Ruffed Grouse Society January 31, 2023

Enhance Your Woodlands: Financial and Technical Resources for Woodland Owners in Tennessee and Kentucky

Ruffed Grouse Society December 15, 2022
VIEW REGIONAL ARCHIVES

Upcoming Events:

[tribe_events tag=”southern-appalachian” view=”photo” events_per_page=”3″ tribe-bar=”false”]

  • Appalachian Highlands Chapter Annual Banquet

    Jonesborough,Tennessee
    April 22, 2023 06:00pm

Appalachian Highlands Chapter Annual Banquet

6:00 pm
EXPLORE ALL EVENTS

This Region in the Media

Media

Old forest not the best for ‘bellwether’ birds

February 13, 2023 No Comments
Covers Magazine

Woodcock as a Southern Bird

December 30, 2021 No Comments

Get Involved!

GA

GEORGIA

Stan Howe

Atlanta, GA

stan@howeconstruction.com

KY

KENTUCKY RIVER

Grant Erhard

Richmond, KY

KYRiverRGS@gmail.com

LA

THE BECASSE

Grant Erhard

Baton Rouge, LA

grante@ruffedgrousesociety.org

NC

NORTH CAROLINA EASTERN

Gary Storm

Morrisville, NC

encrgs@gmail.com

NC

SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN CHP-NC

Don Mallicoat

Asheville, NC

don@wingsnclays.com

NC

Triangle Chapter

Mason Phipps

Raleigh, NC

Bmjphipps@gmail.com

SC

SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS

Grant Erhard

Greenville, SC

grante@ruffedgrousesociety.org

TN

APPALACHIAN HIGHLANDS (VA/TN)

Parker Street

Jonesborough, TN

grousebrook@gmail.com

VA

H. C. EDWARDS

Brad Rhodenizer

Staunton, VA

jbrbr@ntelos.net

VA

JAMES RIVER

Darrel Feasel

Richmond, VA

Darrel.feasel@yahoo.com

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