Regional Ecosystem Office (REO) - Northwest Forest Plan

Management Recommendations

Management recommendations provide guidance in conserving Survey and Manage species. They identify and integrate the habitat or life-history factors key to managing the species to provide for a reasonable assurance of species persistence at the known sites and within the NWFP area. Depending upon the environmental conditions required by a species, decisions about the size of buffers to be applied to an area and what management activities are appropriate can vary from site to site from maintaining one or more habitat components (such as downed logs or canopy cover) to complete exclusion from disturbance for many acres. While the Management Recommendations are designed to support the conservation of each species, they may allow loss of some individuals, areas, or elements not affecting continued site occupancy.

Management Recommendations for uncommon species may also identify high-priority sites that must be managed to provide for a reasonable assurance of persistence of the taxon (or the procedures for designating such sites locally) as well as sites that no longer need to be managed for the benefit of those species. They may also provide information on natural history, current species status, species distribution, management goals and objectives, specific management actions or recommendations, monitoring needs, and needs for information and research to the extent such information supports management of known sites, identification of high priority sites, and identification of survey priorities. The only Category C species that has procedures developed for identifying high priority sites is the Red tree vole (April 2016).

Survey Protocols

Survey protocols for surveys prior to habitat-disturbing activities (also known as pre-disturbance and equivalent-effort surveys) include instructions for locating the Survey and Manage species. The instructions include such information as: likely habitat where the species is expected to be found, geographical area and substrate where it is typically located, and timing of surveys for successful location, as well as appropriate search and sampling techniques and detailed guidance for identifying the species. Data collection forms are also included.

Field Guides

Field guides help facilitate the survey, collection, and handling of Survey and Manage species. Each species is represented by a condensed description, a set of distinguishing features, and information on substrate, habitat, and seasonality. These guides also often present a list of known sites within the range of the northern spotted owl, a distribution map, and additional references to introduce the available literature on particular species. Some of the fungi field guides contain photographs of species, which had never before been published previously in a field guide.

Species Specific Resources