|
Northern
Spotted Owl
on Private
Lands
The
Northwest Forest Plan
(NWFP), which was enacted in 1994 and focused on management of Federal
lands, provided no explicit direction for management of northern
spotted owls (NSO) or other wildlife on non-Federal lands. Earlier,
the Interagency Scientific Committee and the draft Northern Spotted
Owl Recovery Plan gave only general recommendations for management
of NSO on non-Federal lands. Consequently, the only Federal regulatory
authority regarding NSO on private lands derives from Section 9
of the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA), which prohibits take of
listed species without special authorizations. |
|
1,413 NSO sites (about 58 percent of the state’s population) verified
as extant from 1990-1999 were located on state or privately owned timber
lands in California. Most of these private land sites are on industrial
timberlands in the coastal counties of northwestern California, which have
been managed for timber production for many decades. Lower numbers of NSO
sites are also found on private lands in the drier interior counties of
northern California, usually in association with nearby Federal forest land. Sections
919.9 and 939.9 of the California
Forest Practice Rules (FPRs), which govern timber harvest on private
lands in the state, provide that no Timber Harvesting Plan (THP) can be
approved if it is likely to result in take of federally-listed species,
unless authorized by a federal Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). In 1990,
concurrent with the Federal listing of the northern spotted owl, the FPRs
were amended to establish protections that would result in the take of
NSOs unlikely. These measures require surveys for NSOs in suitable habitat,
and retention of specified amounts of habitat near activity centers and
within radii of 0.7 miles and 1.3 miles around activity centers.
The
Service also provides technical assistance for timberland owners preparing
voluntary spotted owl management plans (SOMPs) designed to guide the planning
and implementation of THPs in a manner that avoids the likelihood of unauthorized
incidental take. After review, the Service concurs with these management
plans in advance of project planning, reducing the need for review of
individual THPs. Within the range of the northern spotted owl in California,
seven industrial timber companies, totaling 651,250 acres, have developed
these agreements.
The
Service has also approved three Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) authorizing
incidental take of NSOs on private timberlands in California. All three
(Simpson Timber Co., Pacific Lumber Company, and Regli Estate, totaling
over 650,000 acres) are in the coastal redwood zone, and are administered
by the Arcata Fish and Wildlife Office.
|
