Humpty Dumpty (meaning all the people with the best intentions of protecting the rapidly diminishing species) doesn’t seem to be able to put the spotted owl back in the picture again. What it needs is old growth, and lots of it. Something that is an unintended consequence of our decision to turn the Olympic Peninsula in to a tree farm. Look for more restrictions and more cutting in anticipation of those restrictions.
Northern spotted owl numbers are declining across the Northwest, and the primary reason is the spread of the barred owl, according to a new analysis published Wednesday. Federal scientists have been keeping tabs on spotted owls for more than 20 years now. “We have a lot of data that suggests that they’re in real trouble,” said study co-author Eric Forsman, a retired U.S. Forest Service biologist. Jes Burns reports. (EarthFix)
http://www.opb.org/news/article/spotted-owls-still-losing-ground-in-northwest-forests/