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Healthy Forests, Abundant Wildlife, Conservation Ethic

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COVID-19 Impacts on Timber Markets and Forest Wildlife

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How COVID-19 Could Affect Grouse Habitat

It’s safe to say that 2020 has been a bit of a whirlwind and things haven’t gone as planned. With all the stay-at-home orders, shutdowns, and disruptions, you’re likely looking forward to the fall hunting season more than ever and getting back into the grouse woods to unwind a bit. Unfortunately, coronavirus and COVID-19 still have some potentially nasty consequences in store for timber markets and subsequently ruffed grouse, in the form of habitat impacts. Here’s how the two are surprisingly connected, and some potential ways that the Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society (RGS & AWS) could help.

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Forest Management is Not Deforestation

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Debunking the Myths of Deforestation

When an average person today sees images of a recent timber harvest, it’s quite possible they may have a negative reaction to it. Fueled by stories of “greedy timber companies” destroying vast swaths of rain-forests, many people start to associate any tree cutting with ruining the environment. But there are some very big differences between deforestation and scientifically-based forest management. Given the decline of young forest stands in North America and the effect that it is having on many wildlife species, we hope to clear up some of those misconceptions below.

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Public Input Opportunity | Minnesota’s Forest Management Guidelines

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Act now to help shape the future of Minnesota’s Forests

Link to Survey

The Minnesota Forest Resources Council’s (MFRC) Site-Level Committee on Minnesota’s Forest Management Guidelines (FMGs) is seeking public input on the development of comprehensive forest management guidelines.  The guidelines are a core mandate of the Minnesota’s Sustainable Forest Resources Act.

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Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society Applaud Senators Stabenow, Braun for New Bipartisan Bill to Help Family Forests

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The Rural Forests Markets Act will create revenue for family forests and sustain healthy forests and wildlife habitat

WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry, and Natural Resources, introduced the bipartisan Rural Forests Markets Act to help small-scale, family foresters access new economic opportunities through climate solutions like carbon markets. 

“Big or small, our forests are an important part of the solution to the climate crisis,” said Ranking Member Stabenow. “For too long, environmental market opportunities have been out of reach for many family foresters due to high upfront costs. Our bipartisan bill is a win-win for forest owners and the environment.” 

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Appalachian Ruffed Grouse: Ecology and Management

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A synopsis and review of the book Appalachian Ruffed Grouse: Ecology and Management

The Appalachian ruffed grouse population is like a classic, small-market major league baseball team battling the Yankees or Red Sox; the odds are against them because of a disparity of resources. Unlike their kin of the North Woods, Appalachian grouse lack aspen trees for food and cover, which Gordon Gullion, a leading expert on grouse during his lifetime, considered their prime habitat. Nevertheless, ruffed grouse are adaptable birds that have thrived in Appalachia for thousands of years. 

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2019 Annual Report | President’s Message

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The Ruffed Grouse Society holds a distinct reputation among conservation groups, and with that, a unique responsibility. I’m reminded of our duty every time an issue affecting forest wildlife comes up, and someone asks, “… what does RGS & AWS think?” We’re front-of-mind when it comes to forest wildlife among our agency, business and NGO partners.

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Influence Forest Management and Conservation Policy in Pennsylvania

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Our staff at Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society (RGS & AWS) would like to inform hunters and conservationists of multiple upcoming opportunities to influence forest and wildlife conservation and management within the state of Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and the Governor’s Advisory Council for Hunting, Fishing and Conservation have reached out to RGS & AWS to engage our members in these opportunities. We encourage you to provide input pertaining to the new Bureau of Forestry Strategic Plan, and consider whether you or other allies for conservation may be in a position to fill upcoming board vacancies. You can find additional details and opportunities to respond below.

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Friendship, Access, Opportunity: A Call to Action for the Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Plan Revision

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Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Plan Revision

Act now to impact the Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Plan Revision

The above photo showcases one of my favorite memories from this past hunting season and I’m so grateful to Durrell Smith, host of The Gun Dog Notebook Podcast, for capturing it. Durrell, Tyler Ross (featured along with his son, Brennon), and I gathered for a day of ruffed grouse hunting in western North Carolina. Wil Sensing tagged along with his two cameras in tow to film the southeast segment of Public Grouse. That morning Brennon knew his dad was headed out to follow a few bird dogs and refused to stay home. His smile in the photo is the result of a breakfast of the few oreo cookies I slipped him, an homage to the diet coke and powdered donuts of my childhood. Treats reserved only for hunting Saturdays.

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Dear Hunter Podcast features RGS & AWS CEO Ben Jones – RGS

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RGS & AWS President and CEO Ben Jones, joins the Dear Hunter Podcast to discuss the future of ruffed grouse.

About the episode:
“In this episode of the Dear Hunter Podcast, we’re joined by the President and CEO of the Ruffed Grouse Society, Dr. Ben Jones. We discuss the fragile future of the Ruffed Grouse, and what steps we can take to conserve the species and help improve its habitat. Ben also shares with us details about the Ruffed Grouse Society’s new Model of Working Forests, and how he envisions this new, big picture approach to conservation and habitat management will impact sustainable forest use, conservation, and habitat management.”

LISTEN | Ep. 18: The Fragile Future of the Ruffed Grouse with Dr. Ben Jones

Young Forest Initiative Creating Habitat for Grouse and Woodcock in New York – RGS

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Forest Management at Mongaup Valley WMA | Photo by: Gregory Cerne

Young Forest Initiative in New York Creates Habitat for Ruffed Grouse and Woodcock

Mongaup Valley Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is nestled against a part of the Delaware River that slithers between New York and Pennsylvania. In 2016, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) completed a project to create new wildlife habitat at Mongaup Valley as part of its Young Forest Initiative (YFI), an ongoing effort launched in 2015 to increase habitat within 93 WMAs for species dependent on early successional forests and whose populations are in steep decline.

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