What are the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, the Ruffed Grouse Society, the Wildlife Management Institute and the Cowls Land and Lumber Company of North Amherst up to? Woodcock habitat. These four have joined forces for the American Woodcock Initiative. The goal is to create better habitat for the American timberdoodle (who thought up that nickname anyway?). Woodcock, as well as New England cottontails, chestnut sided warblers and wood turtles need young forest habitat—no more than 30 years old—of dense stands of seedling and sapling trees. Clear cutting, once thought of a no-no in land management is the answer. A natural clear cut occurs after heavy winds, ice storms, fires, or flooding. Those events can hardly be counted on. Selective clear cutting, however, is a proven land management technique. Massachusetts has very little young forest habitat, less than 5% in fact. With advice and assistance from the Woodcock Initiative Partners, clear cuts will take place in carefully selected forested areas on Cowls property. Want to show your support? The Wildlife Management Institute tweaked with Cowls Lumber’s “got wood?” tag line and came up “got woodcock?” You can get a “got woodcock?” bumper sticker by sending a self addressed stamped envelope to the Wildlife Management Institute, 69 Clinton Avenue, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819.