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RGS & AWS Northeast Forest Conservation Update: Part 2

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How the Northeast’s public and private landownership patterns influence RGS & AWS conservation approach.

By Todd Waldron, Northeast Forest Conservation Director

In the most recent RGS & AWS conservation update from the Northeast Region, we looked at the Northeast Upland Gamebird Technical Committee 2017 findings in terms of how diminishing forest habitat diversity is impacting grouse, woodcock and many other forest wildlife populations. One consideration for how RGS & AWS and our partners will need to approach this challenge is to consider land ownership patterns across the Northeast.

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RGS & AWS Northeast Forest Conservation Update: Part 1

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A primer for those curious about ecological issues impacting the Northeastern Region of the U.S.

By Todd Waldron, Northeast Forest Conservation Director

Photo by Todd Waldron

February 22, 2021 – If you and your dog have been covering countless miles through New England’s autumn woods and have only been flushing a fraction of the birds that you used to see – there is a reason for it.

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Timber Management in the George Washington and Thomas Jefferson National Forest

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The need for increased commercial timber harvest is at an all-time high. The Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society (RGS & AWS) were encouraged to see a recent highlight addressing this critical issue for providing diverse, healthy forest habitat for abundant wildlife.

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Project Upland Podcast features RGS/AWS Staff – RGS

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The Project Upland Podcast recently featured Ben Jones, Brent Rudolph and RGS/AWS member, Forrest Gibeault.

On a recent episode of the Project Upland Podcast the guest list was decidedly RGS/AWS-centric. Featured guests included RGS/AWS President and CEO, Ben Jones, Director of Conservation Policy, Brent Rudolph and RGS/AWS Member Forrest Gibeault of Steigerwaldt Land Services, Inc.

Topics of conversation included healthy forest make-up and distribution along with the driving forces and dynamics of timber markets and wildlife habitat creation.

LISTEN | on ProjectUpland.com

Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society Hire Glen Blackwood as Director of Regional Development in Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana – RGS

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Glen Blackwood hired as regional director of development in Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana.

The Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society (RGS | AWS) are proud to announce the hiring of Glen Blackwood as the newly appointed director of regional development in Michigan. In his role, Blackwood will direct business development and fundraising programs in Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana along with promoting recruitment events, educational activities, and habitat days.

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Ruffed Grouse Society | American Woodcock Society Working to Improve Aspen Management in the Huron-Manistee National Forests

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aspen-management
  • Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society (RGS|AWS) staff are engaged in review of an exciting proposal to reinvigorate aspen management on the Huron-Manistee National Forests 
  • Comments may be submitted on the proposal by Feb 5, 2020
  • RGS|AWS public comments are included for members and supporters that may wish to provide substantive input of their own
  • We encourage comments to request consideration for additional, responsible forest treatments

The Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society (RGS|AWS) have been engaged in discussions with United States Forest Service (USFS) staff regarding the need to address the decline in aspen harvest within the Huron-Manistee National Forests (HMNF) in Michigan. We are pleased that USFS is now accepting public comments on their Zone Aspen Project Scoping Document that outlines considerable improvements to HMNF aspen management. RGS|AWS supports the responsible management of our nation’s vast forest system and the HMNF Zone Aspen Project seeks to fulfill objectives that are true to the core principles at RGS|AWS. 

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Following RGS/AWS Comments, Fish and Wildlife Service to Open Woodcock Hunting on Erie National Wildlife Refuge – RGS

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On Tuesday, September 10, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced a final rule to open or expand hunting opportunities on a number of National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) as of the 2019-2020 hunting season.

During the public comment period as part of this regulatory review, the Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society (RGS/AWS) submitted Federal Register comments on August 12 asking for Erie NWR to be opened up for hunting American woodcock. Providing this opportunity for woodcock hunting was among the changes made by the Service, though only up to 40% of the area within NWRs may be made available for migratory bird hunting.

[Read more…] about Following RGS/AWS Comments, Fish and Wildlife Service to Open Woodcock Hunting on Erie National Wildlife Refuge – RGS

Woodcock | A Gateway to the Uplands

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Photo Credit | Michael Furtman

Highlighting the cooperative and welcoming nature of a truly amazing little bird.

We were wrapping up the afternoon, myself and hunting partner, also Mike, winding our way through likely cover on our rough course back to the truck. We each had a handful of chances at birds, my partner had brought one to hand. I was new to this, well, not new to woodcock, but new to southern, migratory woodcock. 

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Why Fire is So Important for Wildlife and Habitat

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Fire habitat management
Photo Credit | Jon Steigerwaldt

Looking Back on Fire History to See the Future

What’s the first thing most people think about when they hear the word fire? It often has a bad reputation as a purely destructive, terrible force that ruins the environment and drives out all wildlife. You see it represented that way in popular culture (e.g., Bambi) or even on the news. It’s true – wildfires can be very dangerous and often threaten lives and property. But even when it comes to prescribed fire, many people are still cautious. So how can we turn that negative perception around? I chatted once again with Jon Steigerwaldt, Ruffed Grouse Society Regional Biologist for Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, and Iowa. It turns out Jon’s Master’s thesis was on fire history, ecology, and implementation. So who better to talk to about this topic? 

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Ben Jones Featured on the Hunting Dog Podcast

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RGS President and CEO was featured on the Hunting Dog Podcast. A description and link to the episode are included below:

“Ben Jones is the president and CEO of the Ruffed Grouse Society. We talk about the decline of my favorite game bird. It’s not to late to get to save the resource that we all hold dear to our heart. Its really about all species. We need to devote our time and wallets to what is the most important to us.

Listen to the episode: The Hunting Dog Podcast with Ben Jones.

*this podcast was originally published on 10/26/2018