New Plan to Save the Spotted Owl Aims for its Barred Rival
OutdoorHub Reporters 02.28.12
According to multiple reports, the Obama administration has released a new plan to save the northern spotted owl. The plan has essentially two parts: Shoot an unspecified number of barred owls in specific areas of the Northwest and cut down large sections of Northwest forest to prevent forest fires that threaten the owls with catastrophic loss of habitat.
The spotted owl is a relatively docile bird. Despite having millions of acres of habitat set aside in an effort to revive the bird’s numbers, the spotted owl population has continued to decline— down 40 percent over the last 25 years.
On the other hand, barred owls, a larger and more aggressive species with origins on the East Coast, have taken over the majority of the spotted owl’s habitat.
While most agree that the barred owl is a major factor in the spotted owl’s decline, some groups have taken issue with the forestry management elements in the new plan.
Tom Partin, president of the American Forest Resource Council had this to say in the Seattle Times: “Habitat is not the current limiting factor for the northern spotted owl, nor is historic loss of old growth trees. In fact, the amount of old growth on our federal forests is increasing while the spotted owl’s numbers are decreasing.”
Conservationists also have some objections. Steve Holmer of the American Bird Conservancy voiced his group’s approval over the administration’s move to carefully remove barred owls, but stopped short of approving the whole plan on the grounds that there was insufficient evidence to show that logging would help in the effort to spur population growth in the spotted owl.
The Obama administration has stressed that this is a plan based on science which will not only create jobs in the logging industry but also help to restore the northern spotted owl population.
This plan replaces the 2008 Bush administration perseveration effort which was struck down in federal court.
