Recovery Plan for the Northern Spotted Owl - DRAFT

owls. (Refer to tables in section III.C.4, for identification of these areas.) Seemanagement guidelines 1 and 2 (later in this section) for actions to be taken inthese cases.Category 1 DCAs are more than 12 miles apart, or category 2 DCAs are morethan 7 miles apart. If category 2 DCAs are relatively large (i.e., 10 pairs), thenit may be appropriate to modify this criterion to allow greater distances than 7miles. See management guideline 3 for action to be taken in this case.Other areas are identified on a case-by-case basis. These could include areaswhere 1) only small category 2 DCAs (i.e., two-pair areas) could be delineatedor 2) where overall owl densities in the DCA network fail to meet densities thatwould be obtained if all guidelines (section III.C.2) for the DCA network werefully met. See management guideline 3 for action to be taken in this case.Management guidelines for prescription B (assumes implementation ofprescription A)1. In areas where DCAs do not currently contain sufficient owl pairs andterritorial singles, provide reserved pair areas for matrix pairs or territorialsingles to increase to 15 the total known owl activity centers associatedwith a given category 1 DCA. The standard here is set at 15 known pairsor territorial singles rather than 20 because some pair sites in a DCAmight not be occupied at any given point in time. This value was derivedfrom a table of expected occupancy of areas given different numbers ofinteracting pair sites and different amounts of suitable habitat in the area(Voss and Noon pers. comm.).2. Where category 1 DCAs contain inadequate suitable habitat to support atleast 20 owl pairs, reserved pair areas will be established so that the totalamount of habitat associated with a given category 1 DCA is adequate tosupport 20 owl pairs.3. For areas that do not meet the distribution distance criterion, or otherspecial emphasis areas, provide enough reserved pair areas so that thetotal pair density at least equals that which would be obtained if allguidelines for the DCA network were met. This density is two pairs pertownship.4. To identify reserved pair areas, search for pairs and habitat that are asclose as possible to the DCAs.5. For each reserved pair area, delineate an area surrounding the activitycenter with an acreage at least equal to the median home range size forpairs. Use data from the study area that is most similar to the site beingconsidered (Table 2.1). This area will be delineated to encompass asmuch suitable habitat as possible, and that habitat will be as close to theacti-vity center as possible. Reserve all suitable habitat within that areafrom timber harvest. If this habitat acreage does not at least equal themedian amount found for pairs in the province (Table 2.2), additionalhabitat must be provided from 1) the next best habitat available withinthe home range area, or 2) additional habitat outside the home rangearea.6. Within these reserved pair areas, allow for management of currentlyunsuitable areas consistent with DCA management guidelines.7. Wherever located, reserved pair areas will count toward the residualhabitat area densities for prescription A. Residual habitat areas whichare not required as reserved pair areas will continue to be managed underprescription A.122