The never-ending battle to fight succession of Michigan forests now has a new tool: an amazing machine that's capable of easily cutting softwood trees up to eight inches in diameter. The Terex ASV PT-100 Forestry Unit is a timber loader that has been outfitted with a revolving, auger-like blade that mows down vegetation in front of it.

The idea is to create more early succession habitat, the kind of young stands -- such as aspen or alder -- that are perfect for numerous wildlife species but especially critical to grouse, woodcock and golden-winged warblers. Often, these stands (especially alders) are not valuable enough as wood products to get them cut by the timber industry, the primary means of maintaining early succession habitat in a cost-effective manner.

The compact PT-100 is propelled by tracks, making it more accessible to difficult areas than wheel-driven vehicles. It was purchased through the Ruffed Grouse Society, which brought together a couple of foundations to come up with the $86,000 to pay for the machine.

"We're able to use it in places where we can't get the bigger pieces of equipment into and it really lends itself to alder," said Dr. Mike McDonald, a veterinarian who co-chairs the Al Litzenberger (Petoskey) Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society. "We hope to get it into wet areas during the winter and that it's not so heavy it's going to go through the ice."

McDonald is a sometimes hunting and fishing partner of John Frey, who has long been committed to conservation and heads the Frey Foundation, based in Grand Rapids, which is one of Michigan's largest family foundations.

"I've been deeply interested in wildlife habitat work my whole life," said Frey, now approaching 70 years of age. "I've been a member of the Ruffed Grouse Society forever and the stem density and canopy issues have always been a concern. But with what's happening with our woodcock population, it's of major concern now."

Woodcock populations have been in decline in the United States for more than four decades and almost all agree it's because of the loss of early successional forests. Michigan is not only America's top woodcock hunting state, but it's also the prime production state of the migratory game birds.

Frey then contacted the Mellon Foundation, which has helped put similar machines into action in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

"The Mellon family has been extraordinarily important to wildlife habitat work and has been involved with Michigan quietly for many years." Frey said, "We were very happy to partner with them to purchase this equipment."

Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologists, who have witnessed what the PT-100 can do, have a high opinion of the equipment.

"It's a wonderful machine," said DNR Wildlife Division Chief Russ Mason. "We ought to have a whole fleet of them. I'd quit my job and drive that thing around all day every day if they'd let me."

Mason said not only will the machine be invaluable in northern Michigan forests where early succession habitat is in low supply, but it also can be used in southern Michigan on wildlife management areas to make them more productive.

Al Stewart, the DNR's upland game bird specialist, recently participated in a demonstration/training session with the manufacturer and members of the Ruffed Grouse Society near Traverse City. Stewart said he was very impressed.

"In one hour this piece of equipment can cut more brush that hand crews can in a day," Stewart said.

"We're delighted to partner with the Ruffed Grouse Society to create habitat for woodcock and other species that use young forests and brush. This machine also is valuable as we work to eradicate non-native invasive species that are impacting wildlife."

The Ruffed Grouse Society's PT-100 currently is being used in southwest Michigan on state game areas to improve the habitat.

The society plans to "rent" the equipment to not only public wildlife managers (such as the DNR) but to private landowners as well. Fees for the use of the PT-100, which will be lower for public landowners than private landowners, will be placed in a fund to maintain -- and ultimately replace -- the equipment as it ages.

"We plan to contact the various clubs in northern Michigan to see if they have a use for it," Frey said.

DNR biologists see the unit as an important piece of the Woodcock Initiative, a nationwide management plan designed to improve habitat for the game birds. That it will improve habitat for numerous other species (both game and nongame) is sort of icing on the cake.

Frey said he is encouraged that private foundations have stepped up to fund this equipment purchase. The ability to impact wildlife conservation in the future will depend, he said, on forming private/public partnerships.

"We've only scratched the surface," Frey said.