RGS Provides Forestry Mulching Equipment to Improve Wildlife Habitat

By Justin Stakes

Elkins, WV -(AmmoLand.com)- The Ruffed Grouse Society (RGS) has provided a forestry mulching machine to assist several agencies with their efforts to provide better habitat for a number of wildlife species in West Virginia.

Early successional habitat projects have been successful on the Monongahela National Forest (MNF) under a collaborative partnership among the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR), the West Virginia Division of Forestry (DOF) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).

Early successional habitat (ESH) refers to areas that have well-developed ground cover or shrub and young trees, lack a closed tree canopy, and are created or maintained by intense or recurring disturbances. Disturbances and early successional habitats are important to maintain the diverse plant and wildlife species native to deciduous eastern forests. A variety of wildlife species require ESH during all or part of their lifecycle, most notably ruffed grouse, American woodcock and many species of songbirds.

The Caterpillar 299D XHP machine, mulching head, and a gooseneck trailer were bought by the RGS to maintain and create early successional habitat on …Read the Rest

Source:: AmmoLand