The threatened species of the northern spotted owl just aren't getting cut any slack, especially from the Department of Interior (DOI).
Several international scientific societies are joining together to ask the DOI to reconsider their proposal for commercial timber harvest in the Pacific Northwest. The Society for Conservation Biology, The Wildlife Society, and the American Ornithologists’ Union are calling for a full environmental impact statement and peer-reviewed scientific assessment on the potential impacts of the DOI's proposal, which would allow commercial timber harvesting in the critical habitat of this species. They are recommending that the EIS identify "a range of experimental forestry techniques, appropriate scientific methodologies to assess those techniques, and a scientific process for evaluating impacts on northern spotted owls."
Many of the scientists are disheartened that the species protection is having to be re-visited. Paul Beier, president of the Society for Conservation Biology states that, "Any activity that can have significant long-term consequences for the owl must be fully vetted by the peer review process. An environmental impact statement is the best vehicle for accomplishing this task.".
The ESA requires that all federal agencies avoid activities that will harm critical habitats for threatened and endangered species. Through this, the DOI is required to not embark on a management scheme based on untested forestry management activities which could have significant, unforeseen, and long-term negative implications for the spotted owl. As of now, there seems to be little scientific knowledge regarding the effects this new management plan will have on the spotted owls. The species lives in closed-canopy, old growth forests--the reasoning for them being given protection was due to unsustainable timber harvesting. As of now, the DOI assumes that the spotted owl will benefit over long-term, but scientists are saying that this is an untested/unverified management theory.
John R. Faaborg, President of the American Ornithologists’ Union, made this claim, “The USFWS has proved thoughtful in its approach to the barred owl question by planning carefully designed experiments to determine if the reduction of competition by this encroaching species will benefit the northern spotted owl. The AOU encourages the Service to take the same thoughtful approach to the issue of forest management and timber removal by approaching it first on an experimental basis.”
You would think that they would follow Faaborg's request right? Only time will tell.
If interested, you can read the full letter here to see what was actually said to the DOI secretary
http://www.enn.com/press_releases/3966
