Ruffed Grouse Society's Dan Dessecker Selected for USDA Advisory Committee

Dessecker was selected by the USDA to the Planning Rule Federal Advisory Committee to help guide future management of public forests.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on August 12, 2014 the selection of Dan Dessecker, Ruffed Grouse Society (RGS) director of conservation policy, to the National Advisory Committee for Implementation of the National Forest System Land Management Planning Rule (Planning Rule FACA Advisory Committee), a group of 21 members that will provide guidance and recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture and the Chief of the U.S. Forest Service on management of America's national forests.

Dessecker was selected to represent the interests of commercial and recreational hunters and anglers on the Committee. "Members of the Planning Rule Advisory Committee help us strengthen ecological, social, economic and cultural sustainability objectives," said Vilsack. "The rule will allow the creation of management plans that will protect and restore National Forest System lands in order to sustain communities and protect natural resources."

The selection demonstrates the value of relationships between RGS professionals and those who craft policies that affect forest wildlife management on our public forest lands. "The Ruffed Grouse Society is very pleased to be able to continue to represent the interests of hunters and anglers as we work with the U.S. Forest Service to help guide fish and wildlife conservation on our nation's national forests," said RGS President and CEO John Eichinger.

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The Ruffed Grouse Society is North America's foremost conservation organization dedicated to preserving our sporting traditions by creating healthy forests for ruffed grouse, American woodcock and other wildlife. Without young forest habitat, populations of grouse and woodcock would not flourish and our rich sporting traditions could not be passed on to the next generation. See more about how the Ruffed Grouse Society preserves grouse, woodcock and hunting at, www.ruffedgrousesociety.org.

Some clips for this video were provided courtesy of Michigan State University Extension and Clearwater Media Partners.

2014 MINNESOTA SPRING GROUSE SURVEYS

Statewide Ruffed Grouse drum counts increased 34%

this year.

Increases were driven by changes in

the northern portion of the state, in the prime ruffed grouse range.

This increase is consistent with changes expected with

the 10 year cycle, with the most recent peak

in drum counts during 2009.

The cycle is less pronounced in the more southern regions of the state, near the edge of their range.

See the full report including Sharped-tailed Grouse report