When it comes to major efforts to save bird populations, grouse and woodcock have not had nearly the success as pheasants, quail, and ducks. The Ruffed Grouse Society has been around since 1961, and has been working hard to spread the word on habitat management for woodcock and ruffed grouse.

The Society, along with Mackin Engineering Co. and Pennsylvania State agencies, has established the Woodcock Habitat Initiative on state game lands to try to reverse this trend.

In a private-public partnership involving the Ruffed Grouse Society, Mackin Engineering Co. and Pennsylvania state agencies, creation of a wetland will begin this month on what was once part of the Polk Center complex. A massive tree planting also is under way. So far, 12,000 hardwood trees and shrubs have been installed in 10 upland acres. Planting of another 18,000 is slated for the 15-acre wetland near Little Sandy Creek, off Polk Cutoff Road, this fall.

"We're taking what was basically a rest stop for woodcock and turning it into a five-star resort for woodcock and grouse," said Chris Wagner, a senior environmental engineer for Mackin, which conceived and designed the initiative. "If the habitat we develop is suitable and attractive, the birds will use it to mate, nest and forage. Within three to five years we should see a young but well-established scrub shrub area. We anticipate the species surviving well and reproducing."

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