The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service invites public input in the preparation of a draft environmental impact statement for a barred owl management strategy to address the threat of the non-native barred owl to native northern and California spotted owls. This announcement opens a 30-day public scoping period.

Northern spotted owl populations are in serious decline due to competition from the invasive and non-native barred owl, along with past and ongoing habitat loss. Reducing the negative impacts of barred owls is necessary for the long-term survival and recovery of the federally listed northern spotted owl.

California spotted owls face a similar risk from barred owl competition as barred owl populations continue to expand southward. The service is taking the lead in developing a Barred Owl Management Strategy that could be implemented by federal, state, or Tribal agencies and other landowners.

“There is a sense of urgency here. The Service looks forward to working with our partners to swiftly develop and implement a management strategy that reduces the harmful impacts barred owls are having on spotted owls,” said Craig Rowland, acting state supervisor for the Service’s Oregon office. “We are seeking input from all interested parties, so we can arrive at the best possible path forward.”

The service will hold a virtual public meeting from 6-8 p.m. Pacific Time July 28. The meeting will include a presentation followed by questions and discussion on the Environmental Impact Statement process for the management strategy.

A link and access instructions to the virtual meeting will be posted to http://www.fws.gov/office/oregon-fish-and-wildlife at least one week prior to the public meeting date.

Public comments can be submitted in writing via: Internet: https://www.regulations.gov; or mail comments to: Public Comments Processing; Attn: Docket No. FWS–R1–ES–2022–0074; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, MS: PRB/3W; 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041–3803.

Public input will be used to prepare a draft Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act.

The service is working with partners and other stakeholders to consider all possible methods to manage barred owls, including lethal removal.

The service recently completed a multi-year barred owl removal experiment to test whether northern spotted owls would benefit from the removal of barred owls.

This was the largest field experiment ever conducted of its kind – taking part in three western states and incorporating 17 years of demographic data on northern spotted owl.

The results from the study show that barred owl removal had a strong, positive effect on northern spotted owl survival, which ultimately stopped population declines in areas where barred owls were removed. Northern spotted owl populations continued to decline sharply in control areas where barred owls were not removed.

For more information about the Barred Owl Management Strategy, visit: https://www.fws.gov/project/barred-owl-management