Peer Reviews of Northern Spotted Owl Draft Recovery Plan Posted

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today posted on its website peer reviews of the Draft Recovery Plan for the Northern Spotted Owl. The peer reviews were solicited by the Service and will be among the comments and information the agency considers in developing a final plan.

The draft recovery plan, released April 26, 2007, identifies criteria and actions needed to stop the owls decline, reduce threats and return the species to a stable, well-distributed population in Washington, Oregon and California. The northern spotted owl is protected as a threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act.
The Service contracted with the American Ornithologists Union and the Society for Conservation Biology to obtain four anonymous peer reviews. The Service also requested peer review comments from three scientists whose work the Northern Spotted Owl Recovery Team cited in developing the draft recovery plan. Peer review comments from two of those scientists have been received and also are posted on the website.

The peer review comments can be viewed at: http://www.fws.gov/pacific/ecoservices/endangered/recovery/NSORecoveryPlanning.htm
Public comments on the peer reviews and on the draft plan will be accepted until August 24, 2007.

The Service is specifically requesting comments on the following:

• The methods used to determine desired habitat percentages listed in Recovery Criterion 4. If recommendations are offered, respondents are asked to explain the scientific foundation supporting their comments;
• The biological need, design and feasibility of attempting to provide connectivity between the Olympic Peninsula and central Washington northern spotted owl populations;
• The biological value in identifying conservation areas in southwest Washington and northwest Oregon;
• The practicality of Appendix E, which provides examples of how a salvage logging action (Recovery Action 22) may be implemented;
• The identified boundaries of the Managed Owl Conservation Areas (option 1 only) and the Conservation Support Areas;
• Methods for managing the threat posed by barred owls; and
• Ways to create incentives for private land owners and managers to support recovery of the northern spotted owl.

Comments on the plan can be sent electronically to NSOplan@fws.gov, or mailed to NSO Recovery Plan, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services, 911 NE 11th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97232. Copies of the draft recovery plan will be available by request from the same Portland address (telephone: 503-231-6131).