Northern Spotted Owl Sample Clauses

Northern Spotted Owl. Spotted owl population dynamics

Northern Spotted Owl. Status – The northern spotted owl was federally-listed as threatened under the ESA on June 26, 1990 (USFWS 1990a). Detailed accounts of the taxonomy, ecology, reproductive characteristics, and status and trends of the spotted owl are found in numerous federal documents (Xxxxxxxx et al. 2004, USFWS 2008, USFWS 2011, Xxxxx et al. 2011). Ecology – The current range of the spotted owl extends from southwest British Columbia through the Cascade Mountains, coastal ranges, and intervening forested lands in Washington, Oregon, and California, as far south as Marin County (USDI FWS 1990a, p. 26115). Northern spotted owls generally rely on structurally complex forest habitats because they contain the structures and characteristics required for nesting, roosting, foraging, and dispersal. These characteristics include the following: (1) a multi-layered, multi-species canopy dominated by large overstory trees; (2) moderate to high canopy closure; (3) a high incidence of trees with large cavities and other types of deformities; (4) numerous large snags; (5) an abundance of large, dead wood on the ground; and (6) open space within and below the upper canopy for flight (Xxxxxx et al. 1990; USFWS 1990b).

Northern Spotted Owl. (Strix occidentalis caurina) The northern spotted owl is listed as threatened pursuant to the federal ESA. This species is a “fully protected” species in California. It is listed as a Sensitive Species by the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. Habitat and protection for this species is provided through a property-wide HCP. (See Green Diamond Resource Company - Habitat Conservation Plan for the Northern Spotted Owl for further information pertaining to this species on Green Diamond land). Provisions of the HCP shall avoid significant adverse impacts and unauthorized take of the species

Northern Spotted Owl. Status - The owl was federally listed as threatened under the ESA on June 26, 1990 (USFWS 1990a). Detailed accounts of the taxonomy, ecology, reproductive characteristics, and status and trends of the spotted owl are found in numerous federal documents (Xxxxxxxx et al. 2004, USFWS 2008, USFWS 2011, Xxxxx et al. 2011).

Northern Spotted Owl. Thirty spotted owl home range circles of 1.8-mile radius overlap some portion of the Applicants’ land base. However, only site centers located within the White Salmon and Columbia Gorge SOSEAs have regulatory status under Washington Forest Practices rules. With the exception of only one site center, Site #753, located on the Applicants’ ownership within the White Salmon SOSEA, all site centers within SOSEAs are currently located on USFS or WDNR ownership. Four of these sites are located within the Columbia Gorge SOSEA and 14 sites are located within the White Salmon SOSEA. The remaining twelve sites that overlap the Applicants’ lands are not within a SOSEA.

Northern Spotted Owl. There are owl territories that overlap Applicants lands but no spotted owls are known to currently known to occupy the covered lands. Surveys in the area suggest that most of the spotted owl site centers across this landscape are probably unoccupied at the present time, largely due to expansion and increase in the local barred owl population, combined with limited below-threshold habitat loss at a few sites outside of SOSEAs. Surveys at spotted owl site centers on the Applicants’ landscape suggest that very few site centers are occupied (D. Rock,

Northern Spotted Owl. Incidental take for spotted owls is usually assessed when there is an established spotted owl territory, which is a either a pair or territorial single bird. Incidental take is not typically described for a dispersing juvenile bird that may be in transition from a natal area to more permanent residence. Nevertheless, the discussion that follows considers both dispersing individuals and an established territory. In the future, spotted owls may find suitable habitat for dispersal and foraging purposes on the LCT as the stands grow older with snags and defective trees developing within. Older forest patches will occur in riparian areas and also be dispersed in patches throughout the tree farm in baseline blocks, SMAs and SSAs. Across the covered lands, these protected areas probably have the highest likelihood of potential occupancy. Thus, the probability of a spotted owl pair nesting on the property is possible, although the likelihood is low due to the presence of barred owls and management practices associated with adjacent landowners, which are not conducive to creation or retention of spotted owl habitat. Dispersing juveniles may use the provided habitat because the LCT is situated between two SOSEAs and is proximal to designated spotted owl critical habitat which could contain nesting spotted owls. Incidental take of spotted owls, should it occur on the LCT, would likely be in the form of disturbance to dispersing spotted owls associated with the covered forest management activities on an annual basis, including, but not limited to commercial thinning, regeneration harvest, and road construction and maintenance activities, once larger blocks of contiguous mature stands have developed. Subsequent harm may occur as roosting, foraging, and dispersal habitat is degraded across the covered lands when commercially mature forest stands are harvested. However, there will always be dispersal habitat available for spotted owls to move to when disturbed and this habitat will always be greater than the baseline level available currently. Take in the form of harassment associated with removal of dispersal habitat is difficult to quantify because dispersal habitat will develop and be harvested at different rates throughout the Permit term. Harassment take from the covered activities could occur if in proximity to an occupied nest site. Although it is unlikely that spotted owls currently nest on the LCT and although Everett has agreed to protect nest sites from habita...

Northern Spotted Owl. Forest Practices Rules (WAC 222-16-085) define suitable spotted owl habitat as forest stands which meet the description of old forest habitat, sub-mature habitat, or young forest marginal habitat. Old forest habitat is the highest quality followed in descending order by sub-mature habitat and young forest marginal habitat. A. Old forest habitat means habitat that provides for all the characteristics needed by northern spotted owls for nesting, roosting, foraging, and dispersal, described as stands with: (i) A canopy closure of 60% or more and a layered, multispecies canopy where 50% or more of the canopy closure is provided by large overstory trees (typically, there should be at least 75 trees greater than 20 inches DBH per acre, or at least 35 trees 30 inches DBH or larger per acre); and (ii) Three or more snags or trees 20 inches DBH or larger and 16 feet or more in height per acre with various deformities such as large cavities, broken tops, dwarf mistletoe infections, and other indications of decadence; and (iii) More than two fallen trees 20 inches DBH or greater per acre and other woody debris on the ground. B. Sub-mature habitat provides all of the characteristics needed by northern spotted owls for roosting, foraging, and dispersal, described as stands with: (i) A forest community that characterized by 30% or more conifer trees; and (ii) A canopy closure of 70% or more; and (iii) Dominant/codominant tree height greater than or equal to 85 feet with a density of 115-280 trees per acre, greater than or equal to 4 inches DBH, or two or more layers with 25%-50% intermediate trees; and (iv) Three or more snags/cavity trees per acre, 20 inches DBH or larger and 16 feet or more in height. X. Xxxxx forest marginal habitat provides some of the characteristics needed by northern spotted owls for roosting, foraging, and dispersal, described as stands with: (i) A forest community that characterized by 30% or more conifer trees; and (ii) A canopy closure of 70% or more; and (iii) Dominant/codominant tree height greater than or equal to 85 feet with a density of 115-280 trees per acre, greater than or equal to 4 inches DBH, or two or more canopy layers with 25%-50% intermediate trees; and (iv) Two or more snags/cavity trees per acre, 20 inches DBH or larger and 16 feet or more in height or greater than or equal to 10% of the ground covered with 4 inch diameter or larger wood, with 25%-60% shrub cover. There is no record of spotted owls occurring on the covered l...

Northern Spotted Owl. Under the No Action Alternative, habitat for spotted owls would be managed in compliance with the Washington Forest Practices Rules (WAC 222-10-041), Oregon Forest Practices Rules (ORS 527.610), and would not require an ITP under the ESA, due to incidental take avoidance. SDS has 46,244 acres of commercial forestlands in Washington, and 12,141 acres of commercial forestlands in Oregon. BLC has 11,601 acres of commercial forestlands in Washington (SHA Figure 2-1 and Table 3-1). Together, the Applicants own 69,986 acres classified within its inventory as commercial forest land. The baseline includes all lands that the Applicants manage in Washington and Oregon under the current Forest Practices Rules, which totals 81,587 acres. Currently, Washington Forest Practices Rules requires spotted owl circle management and protection on private timber lands (WAC 000-00-000, WAC 000-00-000) in SOSEAs. These requirements are described in Chapter 2. There are 30 northern spotted owl site centers in the vicinity of the Applicants’ lands in Washington, four of which are within the Columbia Gorge and 14 are within the White Salmon SOSEAs. All site centers, except for one, are located on USFS, WDNR, or other private lands. The White Salmon and Columbia Gorge SOSEAs encompass approximately 54% (31,487 acres) of the Applicants’ commercial forestlands in Skamania and Klickitat Counties (57,845 acres). Under current Forest Practices Rules, the Applicants could harvest all the acreage in the SOSEAs except spotted owl habitat protected by harvest restrictions associated with the SOSEAs, i.e., all suitable habitat within 0.7 mile circles and the highest quality 2,605 acres of habitat within the 1.8 mile radius. Although WDNR has completed identification of the highest quality 2,605 acres for each owl site in the White Salmon SOSEA, they have not completed identification of the highest quality 2,605 acres for each owl site center in the Columbia Gorge SOSEA. Thus, the Applicants have conservatively assumed that all current acres of habitat on their lands will be identified as part of the highest quality 2,605 acres in the Columbia Gorge SOSEA. As a result, there are 3,694 acres of spotted owl habitat restricted from harvest under the Washington Forest Practices Rules in the White Salmon SOSEA and 1,003 acres of habitat restricted from harvest in the Columbia Gorge SOSEA. This habitat includes 1,054 acres of Sub-Mature habitat. Using this approach, a total of 4,697 acres of SDS and ...

Northern Spotted Owl. Overview - Under the Proposed Action Alternative, forest management activities that would be conducted by the Applicants would differ from their current forest management activities conducted under the No Action Alternative. Incidental take of spotted owl habitat would occur under the Proposed Action Alternative, both when conducting forest management activities during the term of the SHA, and potentially at the end of the SHA when lands are managed to the Elevated Baseline. The majority of the habitat that is currently restricted from harvest under the No Action Alternative would be available for harvest, and the Applicants over time, would likely harvest it. However, the Applicants propose to slow their current rate of harvest; maintain the Elevated Baseline of habitat across the White Salmon SOSEA; manage for an average 60 year harvest rotation; create SSAs that retain and create suitable owl habitat; defer harvest of owl habitat in certain areas; conduct commercial thinning that is expected to accelerate development of owl foraging, roosting and dispersal habitat; implement a snag retention and creation program that contributes to the quality of owl habitat and provides habitat for owl prey species; and provide owl nest site protections. These actions, and others associated with the SHA, are intended to provide benefits to spotted owls.