Recovery Plan for the Northern Spotted Owl - DRAFT

This area is a portion of one of several larger Tribal conditional use areas,which are limited-entry set-asides. The primary function of this area is toserve as a connecting corridor and habitat expansion between two designatedconservation areas (DCAs) on the Deschutes National Forest.On a short-term basis, other suitable owl habitat will be managed to maintainsome owl activity centers primarily centered on and around the 60,549 acres ofTribal conditional use areas, including the area discussed above. Additionalrestricted land use occurs on riparian zone 'A" lands, which consist of 21,086acres where timber harvest is not allowed and two extensive managementzones; one zone contains 7,224 acres where timber harvest is not allowed, anda second zone contains 7,418 acres of 200+-year extended age harvest rotationunder uneven-aged management prescriptions. All these set-aside or specialmanagement areas contain suitable owl habitat. All these special managementareas consist of 96,277 acres of forested land or 25 percent of the ConfederatedTribes' total forest resource.On a long-term basis, the Tribes will mesh owl protection into their overallwildlife management plan in such a manner as to contain all the necessities ofowl survival.Grand Ronde Indian Reservation, OregonThe entire reservation has been surveyed and only small amounts of suitablenorthern spotted owl habitat exists. All of this suitable habitat is in secondgrowthstands with the majority of the area located on the eastern part of theReservation in the Coast Creek drainage. The Coast Creek drainage has beenoccupied by a successfully breeding owl pair since 1974. An additional residentbird may reside on the western part of the Reservation. Spring 1992calling will determine if the bird found this year is a resident bird. Much of thesurrounding Forest Service and BLM timber stands in the Coast Creek area arenow or are approaching suitable habitat conditions for northern spotted owls.The enabling legislation establishing the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation hasas its principal purpose to provide economic and cultural stability for therestored Grand Ronde Tribe. One of the terms of the Grand Ronde ReservationAct provides that, beginning September 1988 and for the following 20 years, 30percent of all timber revenue is to be set aside for economic developmentprimarily in Yamhill, Polk, and Tillamook Counties. Given the above situations,the Tribe and U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs have conducted on-thegroundsurveys with the FWS to explore alternatives that will provide protectionfor northern spotted owls and allow a metered harvest of timber from theCoast Creek area. This agreed upon action was begun in 1991, and willcontinue as long as necessary.Hoopa (Hupa) Valley Indian Reservation, CaliforniaOwl surveys have located 27 activity centers within the reservation. Voluntaryconsultation (meeting section 7 requirements) with the FWS has been and willcontinue to be completed prior to timber harvests.Approximately 6,000 acres of the total 88,000 acres of the reservation areinherently unsuitable for northern spotted owls (natural prairies, urban areas,water bodies, etc.). Of the remaining 82,000 acres, approximately 39 percentis designated as reserves, cultural sites, stream zones or as the Hoopa ValleyWild and Scenic River view shed (Valley View Shed) along the Trinity River,91