Tree Farmer - November/December 2009 - (Page 45)

Photo by Tom Kogut, USFS Photo by Rich McIntosh, USGS The agreements allow Port Blakely to conduct forest management activities in a predictable manner and protect the company from future restrictions and “incidental take” penalties in exchange for habitat enhancement activities that will provide a conservation benefit to the threatened species. based landscape habitat plan for both the spotted owl and marbled murrelet, as well as the first landowner to develop one plan that simultaneously meets federal and state requirements,” said Phil Anderson, interim director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. “This cooperative agreement will help promote creation, enhancement, and conservation of important habitat for these species.” The concurrent agreements, which began in July, are the product of more than two years of collaborative work, resulting in a forest management plan that focuses on improving habitat for the murrelets and owls. An elusive seabird, the first marbled murrelet nest was not discovered until 1974. The murrelet feeds on small fish and invertebrates in the ocean during the day and visits its nest site high in the canopy of oldgrowth forests mainly at dawn or dusk. Northern spotted owls live in dense-canopy mature and old-growth forests with standing dead trees, live trees with broken tops, dead wood on the ground, and open space among the lower branches to allow flight under the canopy. Like other owls, spotted owls nest in the tops of trees or in cavities of trees that are naturally deformed or diseased. The 45,306 acres covered by the agreements are located on the west side of the Cascades near Morton, Washington, and managed on an average 60-year rotation. The family’s forest management approach includes precommercial thinning, commercial thinning, clearcut harvesting, maintaining and constructing roads, and other necessary activities to manage the Tree Farm. Under the agreements, forest management activities will include retaining older trees, expanding commercial thinning, and creating snags to establish a complex forest structure that will attract prey species for the owls and provide nesting habitat for the murrelets. Activities are expected to support the dispersal of juvenile owls, which involves their movement from one nesting or foraging area to another. Visit these websites for more details on the agreement: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, ; Safe Harbor Agreements, . Contributors to this article include Ann Haas, endangered species program specialist, and Mark Oswald, biologist, with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Tree Farmer NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009 http://www.fws.gov http://www.fws.gov/endangered/pdfs/harborqa.pdf http://www.fws.gov/endangered/pdfs/harborqa.pdf

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Tree Farmer - November/December 2009

Tree Farmer - November/December 2009
Contents
Safety 101: Using Small Woodlot Equipment
Buyer’s Guide & Resource Directory
Consulting Foresters & Managers
Associations
Fertilizers, Herbicides & Repellents
Forest Appraisal, Analysis & Management
Forest Measuring Instruments & Software
Insurance
Resources
Land Sales
Seeds & Seedlings
Real Estate Brokers
Timber Buyers & Loggers
Supplies, Gifts & Apparel
Timber Pricing Services
Tax Advice & Timber Taxes
Tools & Equipment
Tree Paint & Markers
Tree Protectors & Shelters
Wood Manufacturers
Agencies
Associations & Organizations
Tree Farm State Contacts
Grant, Loan & Cost-Share Programs
Cooperative, State Research, Education & Extension Services
State Foresters
Make Your Home and Forest Fire Resistant
Taxing Issues
Ties to the Land
A Safe Harbor for Two Threatened Species
Tools & Techniques
Timberland Liability - Are You at Risk?

Tree Farmer - November/December 2009