Recovery Plan for the Northern Spotted Owl - DRAFT

DCAs, separated by dispersal habitat, would provide a lower probability ofsuccessful dispersal, given the geography of the peninsula. In addition, thelarge DCA will protect habitat for enough owl pairs to reduce the risk fromstochastic environmental or demographic events. This is an extremely importantconsideration on the Olympic Peninsula because the spotted owl populationhere virtually is isolated from the remainder of the owl's range (USDA1988: Thomas et al. 1990).There are 89 known pairs of owls located within federal lands in the DCAs.These represent 97 percent of all owl pairs located on federal lands in theprovince (Table 3.3 and Figure 3.7). The DCAs contain 70 percent of thenesting, roosting, and foraging habitat identified on federal lands in the province(Table 3.4 and Figure 3.8).Table 3.3. Summary of acreage and owl pairs for designated conservation areas(DCAs) and for all lands in the Olympic Peninsula province. (More detailed information,including projected owl pairs on nonfederal land, is in Appendix J, Table J.1.)AcreageOwl PairsDCA Percent NRF Current FutureIdent. Federal Habitat Known Owls 3 Projected ProjectedNumber Total Land 1 Federal 2 Federal Nonfed Federal 4 Federal 5WD-36 847,086 97 446,519 84 2 124 193WD-45 35,439 100 - 5 0 8 8Totals: 882,525 97 89 2 132 201Total for all lands in province: 636,839 92 19WManagement of nonfederal lands within the perimeter of designated conservation areas is discussed in the narrative.2 NRF = nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for spotted owls. Habitat information was not available for nonfederal lands.3 Numbers are pairs of spotted owls verified in a 5-year period either 1986 through 1990 or 1987 through 1991.4 This is an estimate of the number of pairs of owls that the DCA would be expected to support on federal lands if the population stabilized withcurrent habitat conditions See Appendix J for further details.5 This is an estimate of the number of pairs of owls that the DCA might support in the future on federal lands if habitat were recovered. SeeAppendix J for further detailsTable 3.4. Summary comments on the designated conservation area (DCA) networkin the Olympic Peninsula province. (Section Ill.C.2. and Appendix I providefurther information on the criteria and process used to delineate these areas.)DesignatedConservationAreaWD-36WD-45CommentsA DCA is recommended within and around Olympic National Park toincrease habitat connectivity among major drainages, to include habitatat a variety of elevations, and to support a potentially isolated population.It is delineated as one large area, plus four small satellite areas.This DCA lies in the coastal strip of Olympic National Park. It isexpected to support eight spotted owl pairs." I' ll- ,... I..... 11 I145