Recovery Plan for the Northern Spotted Owl - DRAFT

3. Within dispersal distance of deficient DCAs - Where needed to meet theDCAs' target for owl numbers and demographic stability, provide supplementalpair areas. These areas are included in the areas of special managementemphasis.4. Nonfederal matrix management - In some areas, a recommendation is madeto provide for successful dispersal of owls across a relatively short distance(less than 12 miles) to provide for interaction of owls among pair areas,DCAs, or nonfederal clusters. This normally would require foraging,roosting, and dispersal habitat distributed through the landscape, or possiblyarranged in a corridor. However, nesting habitat would enhance dispersalopportunities. Nonfederal dispersal habitat will not necessarily followthe 50-11-40 rule used for federal dispersal habitat, but would be based onthe long-term commitments that had been entered for the area.Since the listing of northern spotted owls as a threatened species, protectionmeasures have been established to comply with Endangered Species Actrequirements on nonfederal lands (prohibition of take), through consultationwith the FWS and through various state forest practices acts. These measuresare contributing to the accomplishment of biological goals for the provinces.However, accomplishing recovery goals described in each province narrativemay require a combination of existing measures and other actions that wouldbe determined through the protective management process.A result of the protective management process will be a further refinement ofareas where recovery contributions are required. The potential for implementationof these recommendations for nonfederal lands is discussed in theimplementation section for each of the states (section III.C.2.). That sectionalso discusses the processes that would be followed to develop more specificmanagement of owls and owl habitat on nonfederal lands. Generally, thoseprocesses would consist of states and private landowners working with theFWS to develop mechanisms under state law that would provide for owl protectionwhile concurrently modifying take prohibition standards. Another possibleapproach would be to follow conservation planning under section 10 ofthe Endangered Species Act.When all goals for a province have been established for federal and nonfederalland and mechanisms are being put in place to accomplish those goals, aschedule should be developed to modify take prohibitions for areas where nolong-term contribution to recovery of spotted owls is required. If take prohibitionswere removed, the recommendation would be to protect the nest siteduring the breeding season. While only areas of special management emphasisare discussed, the spotted owls and habitat outside of these areas makecontributions to current population maintenance. Until long-term recoverycommitments are in place on nonfederal lands, the contribution of these owlsand their habitat is important for short-term maintenance of the owl population.Olympic Peninsula ProvinceProvince descriptionThe Olympic Peninsula is a relatively isolated province in northwest Washington,bordered on three sides by bodies of water. The central portion of thepeninsula is a mountain range with high elevation ridges radiating from thecentral area throughout Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest.Currently, spotted owl habitat is located generally in mid-elevational forestsalong major river systems draining the mountains.143