Timber Harvest and Forestry Operations
If your project is within 660 feet of an eagle nest, communal roost, or foraging area, you will need to follow specific measures described below to prevent disturbance to eagles.
Eagle Nests
Year-Round
- Do NOT remove trees containing eagle nests without a permit. Trees that contain eagle nests or nesting materials are protected (even if eagles are not present or have not used the nest for an extended time) and may only be removed under particular and limited circumstances. If you need to remove a tree with an eagle nest, contact your Local Fish and Wildlife Service Office for guidance on obtaining a permit.
- Avoid clear-cutting or removal of overstory trees within 330 feet of nests (overstory trees provide a visual screen between nesting eagles and activities below).
- Avoid construction of log transfer facilities and in-water log storage areas within 330 feet nests.
Nesting Season (January 1 – August 15)
- Avoid timber harvesting operations, including road construction, chainsaw, and yarding operations within 660 feet of the nest.
- Avoid selective thinning and other silvicultural management practices designed to conserve or enhance habitat during the nesting season.
- Avoid prescribed burning during within 660 feet of a nest tree during nesting season. If burning during the nesting season is necessary, do the following:
- Conduct burn s either before the nest is active or after the young have fledged from that nest
- Take precautions such as raking leaves and woody debris away from the nest tree to prevent crown fire or fire climbing the nest tree
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Information For: |
| Building Construction |
| Linear Infrastructure |
| Towers |
| Timber & Forestry |
| Recreation |
| Aircraft Use |
| Fireworks/Blasting |
| Resource Extraction |
| Agriculture/Aquaculture |
| Habitat Alteration |
| Dock/Mooring/Marina |
| Water Impoundment |
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Eagle Roosts and Foraging Areas
Wintering and foraging eagles congregate at specific sites year-after-year for purposes of feeding and sheltering. Loss of communal roost and foraging areas can harm eagles. In addition, human activities near or within communal roost and foraging areas may, while not physically altering the habitat, prevent eagles from feeding or taking shelter, which can reduce their biological fitness. Both physically altering the habitat and disturbing eagles through human activity may result in take, which is against the law.
To protect communal winter roosts we recommend the following:
- Do NOT harvest within core communal roosts, which are defined as areas used year after year where eagles gather and perch overnight; they provide necessary components for survival.
- Do NOT remove overstory within 330 feet of communal roost areas at any time, year round in order to maintain roost functionality and avoid wind throw.
- Do NOT harvest between 330 feet and 660 feet of communal roost sites during roosting season, between November 15 and March 15. Outside roosting season, only thin or partially harvest if necessary. Please contact us if you are thinning, partially harvesting or clear-cutting between 330 feet and 660 feet of a communal roost.
To protect important foraging roosts we recommend the following:
- Do NOT harvest within foraging roost areas, which are defined as the habitat used for roosting near foraging areas that provide necessary components for survival.
- Do NOT remove overstory trees within 330 feet of foraging roosts at any time, year round, to avoid disturbance and windthrow.
- Do NOT harvest within 660 feet of foraging roosts during important foraging times (e.g., during salmon spawning/migrations or times when foraging is occurring).
Timber Self Certification Form - Keep this form for your records to demonstrate your compliance with the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. Additional federal, state, local, or tribal authorization may be required depending on your activity and location.
If you can't meet these recommendations, please contact your Local Fish and Wildlife Office.
