Ruffed Grouse Society Petitions U.S. Forest Service to Sustain Young Forest Habitat

By Justin Stakes

RGS has filed a legal challenge to compel the Forest Service to follow the law

Coraopolis, PA – The Ruffed Grouse Society (RGS) has filed a Petition for Rulemaking with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Forest Service due to the agency’s consistent failure to provide the young forest habitats required by the ruffed grouse, American woodcock, golden-winged warbler and other game and nongame wildlife on national forests throughout the eastern United States.

“The failure of national forests in Regions 8 and 9 to meet even their own minimum goals for young forest habitats has contributed to substantial declines in the populations of game and nongame wildlife that depend upon these habitats,” said RGS President and CEO John Eichinger. According to Ryan Woody, an attorney representing RGS on the Petition from the firm of Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, S.C., “The failure of the U.S. Forest Service to sustain young forest habitats sufficient to support viable populations of ruffed grouse and other wildlife that require these habitats on the Chattahoochee (GA), Hoosier (IN) and Sumter (SC) National Forests is a clear violation of regulations promulgated under the …read more

Source:: AmmoLand