Elliott State Research Forest Habitat Conservation Plan

The Oregon Department of State Lands developed a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for the Elliott State Research Forest in Oregon’s Coos and Douglas Counties. The HCP supports forest research and management activities and the conservation of listed species and their habitat on the Elliott State Research Forest. 

On May 28, 2025, the Service announced a Record of Decision and the issuance of an Endangered Species Act incidental take permit for the HCP.  The permit covers incidental take of marbled murrelet and northern spotted owl associated with implementing the HCP over 80 years. Documents related to the HCP are available in Federal Register docket FWS–R1–ES–2022–0029.
 

Record of Decision

Record of Decision
Federal Register notice (to publish May 29)

Final Environmental Impact Statement 

Final Environmental Impact Statement
Elliott State Research Forest Final Habitat Conservation Plan
Federal Register Docket (publishing Jan 10, 2025)
News release for the final EIS

Draft Environmental Impact Statement --- Extended Public Comment Period Closed January 10, 2023

Public comment period extension (published Dec. 20)
Recording of the DEIS public meeting
Draft Habitat Conservation Plan
Draft EIS
Federal Register notice for the draft EIS (published Nov. 18)
News release for the draft EIS

Public Meeting for the draft EIS

The Service held a virtual public meeting on December 13, 2022, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Pacific time. The meeting included presentation on the proposed HCP and draft EIS, followed by an opportunity for questions and discussion. Public comments were not taken at this meeting. We encourage you to submit your written comments using one of the methods described above. 

Additional Information

The Service also held a public comment period during scoping that closed June 6, 2022. We encouraged the public and stakeholders to help identify issues and alternatives for the plan. The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Office and NOAA Fisheries West Coast, a cooperating agency, held a virtual public meeting on May 16, 2022 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. PT. A closed captioned recording of the meeting is available.

Federal Register notice for the public scoping period
News release for the public scoping period
Habitat Conservation Plan factsheet
Frequently asked questions about the National Environmental Policy Act

More information on the Elliott State Research Forest Habitat Conservation Plan is available the Oregon Department of State Lands website.