Presenter: Quentin Hays, Eastern New Mexico University
On forested lands throughout the Southwest, Mexican spotted owls (Strix occidentalis lucida) are a driver of management activities, as the current Recovery Plan (USFWS 2012) dictates forest treatment guidelines in designated owl habitat. These guidelines often prove restrictive for forest management and restoration programs, which serve to promote resiliency and mimic historic disturbance regimes. The Collaborative Forest Restoration Program (CFRP) was legislatively established in 2001 to provide funding for restoration projects in New Mexico. Funding from this program has enabled implementation of a variety of forest treatments in Mexican spotted owl Protected Activity Centers (PACs) on the Lincoln National Forest and Mescalero Apache tribal lands, New Mexico. The program of open-canopy cuts, mechanical thinning and prescribed fire also builds upon and continues long-term demographic and prey-base monitoring initiated by the Rocky Mountain Research Station (USFS). Our work is elucidating pre and post-treatment differences in owl occupancy and demography, as well as possible relationships to prey dynamics. Implementing science-based restoration activities within owl habitat, while also closely monitoring the impact of these activities on owls, is of critical importance in light of the increase in severe, climate-driven wildfires and subsequent habitat loss seen throughout the Southwest in recent years. This initiative provides a successful demonstration of linking forested landscape restoration work and conservation of a federally threatened species, while also possibly providing a model for future, large-scale restoration activities on forested lands in the Southwest. View a recording of this webinar here.
This webinar was co-hosted by The Wildlife Society, Southwest Section
