Recovery Plan for the Northern Spotted Owl - DRAFT

Delisting CriteriaThe primary threat to the northern spotted owl leading to its designation as athreatened species is the reduction and fragmentation of its habitat in forestsin Washington, Oregon, and northern California. Northern spotted owls useold-growth forests and other forests with similar characteristics for nesting,breeding, and rearing young. As timber harvesting has proceeded in the PacificNorthwest, the amount of habitat suitable for spotted owls has declined andremaining habitat areas have become smaller and more isolated from eachother, particularly during the last 50 years. As a result, the population ofspotted owls declined, in some areas rather sharply.The objective of the draft recovery plan is to reduce the threats to the spottedowl so that it can be removed from the list of threatened species anywhere inits range. The decision to remove the spotted owl from the list of threatenedspecies can be made on an incremental basis for individual areas, calledprovinces, or for groups of provinces. The range of the spotted owl has beendivided into 11 provinces.Four criteria must be met before delisting is considered: (1) A scientificallycredible plan for monitoring owl populations and owl habitat must have beenin effect for at least 8 years; (2) the population must have been stable orincreasing, as indicated by both density and demographic estimates, for atleast 8 years; (3) regulatory mechanisms or land management commitmentsmust have been implemented that provide for adequate protection of breeding,foraging, and dispersal habitat, and (4) analyses must indicate that the populationin unlikely to need protection under the Endangered Species Act duringthe foreseeable future. The draft recovery plan emphasizes that all of thesecriteria must be satisfied before delisting is considered.Designated Conservation AreasAs the primary means for achieving recovery, the draft plan recommendsestablishing 196 designated conservation areas (DCAs) to provide approximately7.5 million acres of federal forestland as the primary habitat for thenorthern spotted owl population. These DCAs include approximately 48percent of the total remaining spotted owl nesting, roosting, and foraginghabitat on federal lands (Figure ES. 1.). The largest DCAs are designed tosupport a population of 20 or more pairs of owls in habitat conditions thatallow successful breeding and rearing of young. They are located to allow owlsto disperse from one DCA to another. Each DCA contains areas of currentlyexisting owl habitat combined with areas of younger forests. These youngerstands will be protected so they can mature into owl habitat. The DCAs containapproximately 1,180 known owl pairs on federal lands. This represents about48 percent of the total pairs currently known on all federal lands (FigureES.2.). When the DCAs become fully developed owl habitat, they will support apopulation of approximately 2,320 pairs of owls.DCAs are located to take advantage of other forestland containing owl habitatthat will not be harvested or will be harvested in a manner that does notreduce habitat value. Such areas include parks, wilderness areas, and certainadministratively reserved areas. DCAs also are located in a pattern to reducethe risk to the owl population from natural threats such as fire, disease, andinsects.ix