Tweets,

In the March 1, 1996 issue of the Captial Press (a west coast =
Agriculture weekly), I came across the following article. Thought that =
some might be interested in the bird, the issue, and the ramifications.

Is there no end to it all?....

Jon. Anderson
Olympia, Washington
festuca at olywa.net


NEW SPOTTED OWL RULES CONSIDERED

Wash. forest board may exempt smaller parcels

By Don Richardson Capital Press Staff Writer

OLYMPIA - A new rule under consideration by the Forest Practices Board =
would exempt owners of 500 acres or less from spotted owl restrictions =
unless their land is less than seven tenths of a mile from an owl nest. =
Another proposed rule would restrict timber harvesting near a nest only =
during the nesting season.

The exemption would apply to land within a Special Emphasis Area (SEA), =
a block of non-federal land next to federal land which is declared =
essential spotted owl habitat.

The Forest Practices Board last year rejected five proposed alternative =
rules and asked the Timber/Fish/Wildlife Group (TFW) to suggest an =
alternative more acceptable to small landowners.

A preferred alternative submitted by TFW would designate 14 SEAs in =
Washington state including more than a million acres of mostly private =
land.

The Washington Farm Forestry Association is asking that only five SEAs =
be established. Nels Hanson, executive director of WFFA, said at a =
hearing Feb. 13 that survival of the owl would be just as certain with =
five SEAs as it would be with 14. With 20 million acres of federal land =
already set aside for the owl, Hanson said, there is very little need to =
set aside additional private land.

Outside the Special Emphasis Areas there are about 8 million acres of =
private land. Under present regulations an owner of property with an =
owl nest on it must not disturb anything within a 70-acre circle around =
the nest until the nest has been abandoned for three successive years.

Under the proposed submitted by TFW, harvesting within a 70-acre circle =
would be prohibited only during the nesting season (February to =
September). After that, normal practices could be resumed. If this =
change is adopted, Hanson said, the need for panic harvests would be =
eliminated.

People in owl habitat areas could let their trees grow, knowing they =
could face harvest delays of a few months instead of years.

WFFA voiced opposition to proposed rules designed to protect the marbled =
murrelet. Hanson said the proposal would lock up "suitable habitat" =
rather than areas actually occupied by the murrelet. He said forest =
land up to 50 miles from salt water could be declared murrelet habitat.

The Forest Practices Board was asked not to adopt a murrelet rule until =
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service drafts one. But if one is adopted, =
landowners should not be required to prove the absence of the bird. The =
state should survey to prove its presence.

- end -