Recovery Plan for the Northern Spotted Owl - DRAFT

Table 3.18. Summary comments on the designated conservation area (DCA)network in the Oregon Klamath province. Section 1Il.C.2.. and Appendix I providefurther information on the criteria and process used to delineate these areas.DesignatedConservationAreaOD-16OD-20 through OD-25OD-26OD-52CommentsThis category 1 DCA currently supports more than 20 pairs of owls butrequires both federal and nonfederal lands to do so. In the future, it isprojected to be able to support at least 20 pairs solely on federal land.These category 1 DCAs currently contain fewer than 20 known pairs ofowls. Each has the potential to increase to at least 20 pairs.This DCA currently supports more than 20 known pairs of owls butrequires both federal and nonfederal lands to do so. If some nonfederalcontributions are maintained, it will continue to support at least 20 pairs.This category 2 DCA includes low elevation habitat and providesdistribution of the network into the northwest corner of the province.All checkerboard lands in the north and east portions of the province. Tworecommendations are made:1) Within the perimeter of DCAs OD-16, OD-21, and OD-26, providenesting, roosting, and foraging habitat. The objective of providing habitatwithin these DCAs is to meet, in conjunction with habitat on federal land,the objectives for DCAs. The DCAs currently contain relatively goodnumbers of owl pairs, but nonfederal habitat is needed to perpetuatethese pairs.2) Provide dispersal habitat on nonfederal lands, especially among DCAsOD-16, OD-24, OD-25, and OD-26, and between OD-26 and OD-27 inthe adjacent Oregon Coast Range province. The objective of providingthis dispersal habitat is to help meet, in conjunction with habitat onfederal land, the objectives for owl dispersal among the DCAs.Currently, Endangered Species Act requirements prohibiting take are contributingto partial fulfillment of these nonfederal recommendations in the province.Some of the guidelines in the act do not effectively address the recommendationsby providing dispersal habitat. Conservation planning andprotective management (section III.C.3.) could lead to more efficient conservationmeasures for achieving some of these province recovery goals.The recovery plan should be used to help guide compliance with Oregon'sEndangered Species Act programs on state lands and provide an incentive forconservation planning. To the extent that the recovery plan and the stateEndangered Species Act programs can be made consistent, coordinationbetween them will be improved.There is very little state land within the area of special management emphasis,but on these lands the Oregon Department of Forestry is implementing aSustainable Forestry Program on state lands that would yield additionalbenefits to wildlife by providing more snags, down material, and riparian zoneprotection.177