# Presentation: 335016

## Recap from the 2005 workshop, “Managing Northern Spotted Owl Habitat in Dry Forest Ecosystems”

- Silvicultural Practices Supporting Northern Spotted Owl Habitat in Dry Forest Ecosystems Workshop
- May 16-18, 2006 Ashland, OR

**          ****U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service**

## Background

-   In 2003, two large wildfires on the Deschutes NF resulted in the loss of 14,530 acres of NSO habitat, including loss of 16 NSO nest sites.
-   The acres lost to these fires in 1 wildfire season exceeded those that had been consulted on for timber harvest in the Eastern OR Cascade Province during the first decade of the NW Forest Plan

- U.S. Forest Service

- U.S. Forest Service

## Recognition of wildfire effects to NSO habitat

- In 2004, the SEI report (Courtney et al. 2004) affirmed that dry forests in the Eastern Cascades and Klamath provinces were important to NSO conservation.
- And that dry forest habitat to the owl was at risk due to the lack of treatment in LSRs

- Managing Northern Spotted Owl Habitat
- May 24 and 25, 2005
- Redmond, Oregon
- Sponsored by: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- In Cooperation With:
- U.S. Forest Service
- Bureau of Land Management

**Notes:**
Recognition that NSO habitat in the dry forest ecosystem was at risk due to disease, insect infestation, and stand replacing wildfire. 
Based on this need the FWS with our Forest Service and BLM partners convened a workshop in Redmond to discuss Mgt of NSO habitat in dry Forest ecosystems.  Our goal was to gather people from different disciplines and geographic areas to brainstorm on mgt techniques.

## REDMOND WORKSHOP:  Problem Statement

**REDMOND WORKSHOP:  Problem Statement**
**   ****Dry forest ecosystems have declining northern spotted owl populations and increasing fuel accumulations.  The trend in forest succession will continue to increase the risk of owl habitat loss.   How can we minimize these risks while maintaining adequate amounts of suitable habitat for spotted owls across the landscape?**

##  2005 REDMOND WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES

** ****2005 REDMOND WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES**
** ****Enhance the science - management                     dialogue**
** ****Improve forest management in the dry forest provinces**
** ****Provide a synthesis report with       recommendations for Federal agencies**

**Notes:**
1. Give researchers and land managers an opportunity to interact. 

In order to improve forest management, the Service wanted to let management agencies know that the FWS was interested in treating owl habitat for NSO conservation.
The workshop was designed to have in depth discussions about how to reduce risk to owl habitat.
Essentially, a large brainstorming session with the intent of gathering ideas to incorporate into a synthesis report.

## Workshop Synthesis Report

_**Workshop Synthesis Report**_

-   WEBSITE: www.fws.gov/oregonfwo
-   14 Key recommendations
-   No action is not an option; we must continue to move forward

**Notes:**
Available here :  WEBSITE

14 Key recommendations for those that attended and those that did not, including our agency executives..   Cal Joyner can speak more about the regional executive perspective.

Not going to discuss all 14 of the recommendations.  There was a consensus at the workshop that No action is not an option and we needed to take a pro active approach to conserving NSO habitat in dry forests and that spotted owl habitat is at risk and declining due to insect infestations, disease, and fire in the dry forests.  

 Recommendations ranged from adopt a recovery plan for NSO, develop provincial assessments that address fire risk and prioritize treatments, to facilitate education and public involvement . 

## Workshop Synthesis Report - continued 

_**Workshop Synthesis Report - **__**continued**__** **_

-   Convene a NSO recovery team
-   Establish interagency provincial teams to set       a provincial context for fuel reductions to maintain and restore NSO habitat
-   Establish interagency Forest level teams to prioritize where to protect, restore, and enhance existing owl habitats
-   Implement interagency planning for projects
-   Manage for long-term sustainability of owl habitat regardless of land use allocation

**Notes:**
Available here :  WEBSITE

14 Key recommendations for those that attended and those that did not, including our agency executives..   Cal Joyner can speak more about the regional executive perspective.

Not going to discuss all 14 of the recommendations.  There was a consensus at the workshop that No action is not an option and we needed to take a pro active approach to conserving NSO habitat in dry forests and that spotted owl habitat is at risk and declining due to insect infestations, disease, and fire in the dry forests.  

 Recommendations ranged from adopt a recovery plan for NSO, develop provincial assessments that address fire risk and prioritize treatments, to facilitate education and public involvement . 

## Workshop Synthesis Report - continued 

_**Workshop Synthesis Report - **__**continued**__** **_

-   Conduct pilot treatment projects
-   Conduct up-to-date surveys and assess habitat conditions for the NSO
-   Dedicate funding resources to treatment of habitat outside the WUI
-   Conduct additional workshops
-   Facilitate information exchange, education, and public involvement

**Notes:**
Available here :  WEBSITE

14 Key recommendations for those that attended and those that did not, including our agency executives..   Cal Joyner can speak more about the regional executive perspective.

Not going to discuss all 14 of the recommendations.  There was a consensus at the workshop that No action is not an option and we needed to take a pro active approach to conserving NSO habitat in dry forests and that spotted owl habitat is at risk and declining due to insect infestations, disease, and fire in the dry forests.  

 Recommendations ranged from adopt a recovery plan for NSO, develop provincial assessments that address fire risk and prioritize treatments, to facilitate education and public involvement . 

## Workshop Synthesis Report - continued 

-   Review and establish local spotted owl habitat definitions
-   Evaluate the NWFP BIOMapper to map suitable owl habitat in dry forests ecosystems
-   Address research questions

**Notes:**
Available here :  WEBSITE

14 Key recommendations for those that attended and those that did not, including our agency executives..   Cal Joyner can speak more about the regional executive perspective.

Not going to discuss all 14 of the recommendations.  There was a consensus at the workshop that No action is not an option and we needed to take a pro active approach to conserving NSO habitat in dry forests and that spotted owl habitat is at risk and declining due to insect infestations, disease, and fire in the dry forests.  

 Recommendations ranged from adopt a recovery plan for NSO, develop provincial assessments that address fire risk and prioritize treatments, to facilitate education and public involvement . 

Key research questions – What is post-fire habitat recovery for dry forests and NSO?
                                     How should we promote NRF components?
                                     What prescriptions should we be using in treating NRF?
                                     How do owls and prey respond to treatments?
                                     What is the Historic Range of Variability? 
                                     How should we develop prey habitat?

## Recommendations to be addressed by Ashland workshop

**Need for more workshops to facilitate information exchange**
**Design silvicultural prescriptions for NSO habitat and prey**

**Notes:**
This workshop is addressing the following recommendations from the 2005 workshop in Redmond:

## THANKS!