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Ruffed Grouse Society Helps Push for Young Forests

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The Ruffed Grouse Society has signed on to a partnership that hopes to restore more young forest species to the Northwoods. 

Gary Zimmer, coordinating biologist for the Ruffed Grouse Society, says it’s going to take significant cooperation to encourage habitat that supports certain kinds of wildlife. 

“Pooling resources –both financially and in-kind services, habitat equipment. Getting more done for less. It’s tough to do alone.”

Zimmer says forests are maturing, a hundred years after they were cutover.  And with young forest types declining, species like the golden winged warbler, woodcock and ruffed grouse are losing their preferred habitat. 

Zimmer says agencies are already working to manage some public land for young forest types.  And the next step is to focus more on working with private landowners. 

“On any wildlife habitat, you can’t work really on an isolated parcel, and the best way to do it is look across parcels and across landscapes to do the best thing, the biggest benefits for these species.”

10 agencies, including the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Wisconsin DNR have signed on to the initiative.  

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