Recovery Plan for the Northern Spotted Owl - DRAFT

mologists, and representatives of other appropriate disciplines should write theindividual DCA plans, and be involved in oversight actions after implementation.More detailed guidance for DCA management plan preparation is inAppendix E.The recommended DCA management guidelines and planning process arecompatible with federal agency mandates and management frameworks. Sincethe recovery plan recommends that DCAs on certain federal lands be designatedas critical habitat (see section III.C.3), the guidelines should be used bythe FWS as the basis for adverse modification determinations for those landsunder section 7 of the Endangered Species Act. Accordingly, after a DCAmanagement plan is prepared by a federal land management agency, submittedfor formal consultation, and approved by the FWS, it is expected thatproposed activities would proceed. Agencies must provide for plan revisionswithin reasonable time frames (e.g., the normal agency planning cycle) toincorporate new information and in cases involving major disturbances (e.g., asignificant fire). In the interim period after agency implementation of therecovery plan but before the preparation of individual DCA management plans,any proposed activity must be submitted for consultation on a case-by-casebasis. Finally, since the guidelines apply to federal lands in DCAs, managementplanning in areas of mixed ownership will necessitate approaches thatare tailored to the specific situations involved. For example, interagencycoordination will be needed to ensure effective monitoring and to manage risksof large-scale disturbances. In addition, coordinated planning will help ensurethat maximum benefit is derived from the contributions by all landowners.Guidelinesfor Silviculture. The primary objective of silvicultural activities inDCAs is to improve habitat in stands with currently unsuitable conditions.Consequently, activities are encouraged if empirical information and modelingprovide a high level of confidence that the development of suitable habitatconditions will be accelerated. Specific examples of appropriate silviculturalactivities are in Appendix G. General guidelines for silvicultural activitiesfollow.1. To safeguard the conservation benefits of DCAs, silvicultural activitiesshould be directed at stand types that owls consistently avoid, as documentedin habitat selection studies. Accordingly, activities should bedirected at stands that: 1) are even-sized with an average diameter (treeof average basal area) of 11 inches dbh or less, excluding large trees fromthe previous stand, if any; 2) show no significant development of amultiple-canopy tree structure; and 3) were regenerated following previousharvest activity. Activities in other types of stands can be consideredon a case-by-case basis, particularly where those stands are stockedheavily and not being used by owls. Examples may include stands thatwere planted following catastrophic fires or stands previously dominatedby conifers that converted to hardwoods following harvest. Well-documentedjustification is required before such activities would be allowed.2. Activities must maintain or reduce risk of large-scale natural disturbance.For example, activities would not be implemented if they significantlyincrease the risk of windthrow in a stand.3. To promote habitat suitability, thinning operations will leave some treesas snags and others as down wood. In addition, some trees may beremoved for commercial or fuel hazard reasons.1124. Key attributes of forests inhabited by the northern spotted owl are theirdiversity and variability on individual sites and from site to site. Topromote diversity and variability, a wide range of silvicultural practiceswill be applied, as opposed to reliance on a limited variety of techniques.