Experimental Removal of Barred Owls to Benefit Threatened Northern Spotted Owls Draft Environmental Impact Statement Prepared by Oregon Fish and Wildlife Office U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Portland, Oregon March, 2012 Experimental Removal of Barred Owls to Benefit Threatened Northern Spotted Owls Draft EIS Table of Contents Table of Contents ............................................................................................................... i List of Tables .................................................................................................................. xiii List of Figures ............................................................................................................... xviii Executive Summary ....................................................................................................... xxi S.1 Background ............................................................................................................ xxi S.2 Purpose of and Need for the Action .................................................................... xxiii S.3 Description of the Proposed Action ..................................................................... xxiii S.4 Considerations Used in Developing the Alternatives .......................................... xxiv S.4.1 Number of Study Areas ................................................................................ xxiv S.4.2 Distribution of Study Areas .......................................................................... xxiv S.4.3 Type of Study ................................................................................................ xxv S.4.4 Removal Method ......................................................................................... xxvii S.5. The Alternatives................................................................................................. xxvii S.5.1 No Action Alternative ................................................................................. xxviii S.5.2 Action Alternatives ..................................................................................... xxviii S.5.2.1 Alternative 1 ....................................................................................... xxviii S.5.2.2 Alternative 2 ....................................................................................... xxviii S.5.2.3 Alternative 3 ......................................................................................... xxix S.5.2.4 Alternative 4 ......................................................................................... xxix S.5.2.5 Alternative 5 ......................................................................................... xxix S.5.2.6 Alternative 6 .......................................................................................... xxx S.5.2.7 Alternative 7 .......................................................................................... xxx S.6. Action Area ......................................................................................................... xxxi S.7. Environmental Consequences ............................................................................. xxxi S.7.1 Effects on Barred Owl .................................................................................. xxxi S.7.2 Effects on Northern Spotted Owls .............................................................. xxxiii S.7.3 Effects on Ongoing Spotted Owl Demographic Study Areas .................... xxxiii S.7.4 Effects on Other Species ............................................................................. xxxiii S.7.5 Effects on the Social Environment ............................................................. xxxiv S.7.6 Effects on Recreation and Visitor Use ........................................................ xxxiv S.7.7 Effects on the Economy .............................................................................. xxxiv S.7.8 Effects on Study Costs ................................................................................. xxxv Table of Contents Page i Experimental Removal of Barred Owls to Benefit Threatened Northern Spotted Owls Draft EIS S.7.9 Effect on the Cultural Environment ............................................................. xxxv Chapter 1 ........................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose of and Need for Action .......................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Background ............................................................................................................... 2 1.3 Purpose of and Need for the Action .......................................................................... 6 1.4 General Description of the Proposed Action ............................................................ 6 1.5 Decisions to be Made ................................................................................................ 7 1.6 Public Involvement ................................................................................................... 7 1.7 Permits and Consultations......................................................................................... 8 Chapter 2 ......................................................................................................................... 10 Alternatives ....................................................................................................................... 10 2.1 Considerations Used in Developing the Alternatives ............................................. 10 2.1.1 Number of Study Areas ................................................................................... 10 2.1.2 Distribution of Study Areas ............................................................................. 10 2.1.3 Type of Study ................................................................................................... 12 2.1.3.1 Demographic Study Approach ................................................................. 12 2.1.3.2 Occupancy Study Approach .................................................................... 13 2.1.3.3 Site-Specific Study Approach .................................................................. 14 2.1.3.4 Invasion Study Approach ......................................................................... 15 2.1.4 Method of Removal ......................................................................................... 16 2.1.4.1 Lethal Removal ........................................................................................ 16 2.1.4.2 Nonlethal Removal .................................................................................. 17 2.1.4.3 Combined Removal ................................................................................. 17 2.1.5 Availability of Pretreatment Data .................................................................... 17 2.2 Alternative Descriptions ......................................................................................... 18 2.2.1. No Action Alternative ..................................................................................... 18 2.2.2. Elements Common to All Action Alternatives ............................................... 19 2.2.2.1. Type of Study ........................................................................................... 19 2.2.2.2 Methods of Removal ................................................................................. 20 2.2.2.3 Duration of the Study ................................................................................ 22 2.2.3 Action Alternatives .......................................................................................... 23 2.2.3.1 Alternative 1 ............................................................................................. 25 2.2.3.2 Alternative 2 ............................................................................................. 27 Table of Contents Page ii Experimental Removal of Barred Owls to Benefit Threatened Northern Spotted Owls Draft EIS 2.2.3.3 Alternative 3 ............................................................................................. 28 2.2.3.4 Alternative 4 ............................................................................................. 30 2.2.3.5 Alternative 5 ............................................................................................. 32 2.2.3.6 Alternative 6 ............................................................................................. 34 2.2.3.7 Alternative 7 ............................................................................................. 36 2.2.3.8 Summary of Action Alternatives ............................................................. 39 2.3 Alternatives Considered and Dismissed from Detailed Analysis ........................... 40 2.3.1 Site-Specific Study Approach .......................................................................... 40 2.3.2 Invasion Study ................................................................................................. 40 2.3.3 Targeted Partial Removal of Barred Owls ....................................................... 41 2.3.4 Reproductive Interference ................................................................................ 41 2.3.5 Studies of Species Interaction without Removal