Glen R. Blackwood
September brought members together with successful fundraising banquets in Cadillac, Grand Rapids, and West Branch. On top of these volunteer-driven fundraising events, we had the successful completion of the Roger Moore chapter’s habitat projects in the Pigeon River Country. Trees were planted, habitat was created by mowing trails, and wildlife openings were created. All of this was done utilizing Michigan Drummer Fund and Michigan DNR Wildlife Habitat Grant dollars.
Jon Steigerwaldt, RGS & AWS Forest Conservation Director for the Great Lakes/Upper Midwest, provided integral insight into the USFS Huron-Manistee Zone Aspen Management proposal. This 15-year, 50,000 acre aspen cutting project was green-lighted by the USFS for the betterment of ruffed grouse and woodcock as well as all wildlife that rely on young successional forest habitat.
As if that weren’t enough to call the month a conservation success, on September 29th RGS & AWS was awarded a $56,800 Michigan Wildlife Habitat Grant. This grant was written for the benefit of woodcock habitat along their southern Michigan migration routes. The prescribed work being complete in 2022 in four Michigan state game areas, totaling 75 acres of singing ground and breeding openings, brush mulching and strip cuts. This project was championed by Robert J. Lytle chapter under the guidance of Jon Steigerwaldt and supported by Dr. Brent Rudolph.
These conservation successes demonstrate the importance of our volunteer members, our state and federal conservation partners, and their collaboration with RGS & AWS. While October is upon us, the organization, our volunteers, and partners are still at work identifying opportunities for young successional forest management so future Septembers are as successful as the one that just closed.
If you’d like to contact a chapter in Michigan, visit our chapter contact page. If you’d like to reach out to Glen, you can email him at GlenB[at]ruffedgrousesociety.org.
