The Susquehanna River Valley and Northeast Pennsylvania chapters of the Ruffed Grouse Society teamed up to host a habitat work day at Nettle Ridge in Loyalsock State Forest April 7. RGS volunteers were joined by Pennsylvania College of Technology forestry students and forestry instructor Erich Doebler, along with employees of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry personnel for a day of habitat creation aimed at transforming a low-value timber stand into a future haven for grouse, woodcock and other early succession forest dwellers. The 15 chainsaw-toting volunteers cleared several acres of small diameter, black birch trees as part of a multi-year effort aimed at creating a patchwork of young forest habitat in an area predominated by low-value timber with little habitat value. The project, funded by the RGS Drummer Fund and jointly supported by the NEPA and Susquehanna River Valley chapters of the RGS, is being coordinated by Loyalsock State Forest forester Brian Laudermilch, RGS and Pennsylvania Game Commission. Plans are in the works to complete the first phase of the 10-acre clearcut in the fall.