First published, June 9, 2023 – updated on May 30,2025.Agreement Narrative: Collaboration to maintain, restore and enhance forest conditions and wildlife habitat on the National Forests in North Carolina. Primary Funder: USDA Forest Service Location: Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina Overview: The Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society (RGS & AWS) and the National Forests in North Carolina (NFsNC) have mutual interest in efforts to improve habitat and forest health across the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests. RGS & AWS and NFsNC will exchange personnel, funding and other resources, in matters relating to sustainable forest management, forest health and ecosystem restoration, the...
appalachians
Little Flat Creek Stewardship Project (Kentucky)
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Agreement Narrative: Little Flat Creek Stewardship Project
Primary Funder: USDA Forest Service
Location: Daniel Boone National Forest, Peabody, Kentucky
Innovation: This is a stewardship agreement between RGS & AWS and the Daniel Boone National Forest. The purpose of this agreement is to promote forest health and improve wildlife habitat. Commercial timber harvests will create young and open forest conditions across 255 acres. Service work items include noncommercial habitat improvement treatments across 757 acres. RGS & AWS’s forest wildlife specialist in Kentucky will administer the project on-the-ground.
Impact: The project will accomplish the following outputs: 1.) 255 acres commercial timber harvests, 2.) 166 acres of…
Promoting Young Oak Forests Through Noncommercial Habitat Improvements in the Southern Appalachians
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Agreement Narrative: Promoting Young Oak Forests Through Noncommercial Habitat Improvements in the Southern Appalachians
Primary Funder: American Forests
Location: Daniel Boone National Forest (KY), George Washington & Jefferson National Forests (VA), Chattahoochee National Forest (GA) and Cherokee National Forest (TN).
Innovation: Our project will restore young oak forests by implementing a noncommercial habitat improvement treatment on the Nantahala Ranger District of the Nantahala National Forest. The habitat improvement treatment will thin smaller diameter trees in the forest’s midstory to promote a high density of oak seedlings and saplings. The treatment will be completed in advance of a commercial timber harvest. Once the oak…
Forest Stand Improvements on Public Lands in the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee and Kentucky
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Agreement Narrative: Forest stand improvements on public lands in the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee and Kentucky
Primary Funder: The Nature Conservancy
Location: Catoosa Wildlife Management Area (TN) and the London Ranger District of the Daniel Boone National Forest (KY)
Innovation: Our project will restore young oak and pine forests and increase forest habitat diversity in older forests on Catoosa Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Tennessee and the London Ranger District of the Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky. At Catoosa WMA, noncommercial habitat improvements will promote more structurally diverse old forests (i.e., late successional) as a complement to efforts to increase young and…
Central Appalachia Habitat in Virginia
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Agreement Narrative: Central Appalachia Habitat in VirginiaPrimary Funder: U.S. Endowment for Forestry and CommunitiesLocation: Western VirginiaInnovation: Our project will increase capacity for planning and implementing active forest management projects on state and private lands in western Virginia, with a focus on the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s (NFWF) Central Appalachia Habitat Stewardship Program’s Southwest Virginia and Blue Ridge focal geographies. RGS & AWS will hire a forest wildlife specialist as a partner position with Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (VDWR) to lead efforts on state lands and to coordinate with private landowners near dynamic forest restoration blocks (DFRBs) in western…
Dynamic Forest Restoration in Western Virginia
Agreement Narrative: Dynamic Forest Restoration in Western VirginiaPrimary Funder: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), Central Appalachia Habitat Stewardship ProgramLocation: Western VirginiaInnovation: Our project will increase capacity for planning and implementing active forest management projects on state and private lands in western Virginia, with a focus on the NFWF’s Central Appalachia Habitat Stewardship Program’s Southwest Virginia and Blue Ridge focal geographies. RGS & AWS will hire a forest wildlife specialist as a partner position with Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (VDWR) to lead efforts on state lands and to coordinate with private landowners in close proximity to dynamic forest restoration...


