Forest Area Saved for Spotted Owl Expected to Shrink
The government is further scaling back conservation measures for the rare northern spotted owl in an effort to save Northwest timber jobs, congressional and other sources said.
The Fish and Wildlife Service proposed in April that 11.6 million acres of Northwest forest be designated habitat critical to the owl species’ survival. In August, it revised that area to about 8.2 million acres. Three sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the habitat area will be further reduced, to less than 7 million acres.
David Klinger of the Fish and Wildlife Service in Portland, Ore., confirmed that the final designation would be significantly scaled back and the plan will have less economic impact than earlier proposals.
The agency will present the final plan today to U.S. District Judge Thomas Zilly in Seattle, Interior Department spokesman Steve Goldstein said.
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