Environmental Assessment

AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES CHAPTER 3
species in the area. However, retention cover patches for big game, movement/LOS corridors, untreated
areas (e.g. steep slopes of buttes), and allocated Old Growth Management Areas still provide adequate
potential nesting habitats for this species. Sharp-shinned hawks can better utilize the small retention
patches than either the Cooper’s hawk or goshawk.
Through time, additional nesting habitat will develop and be of higher quality because of increased
diameter growth of trees due to thinning. The result should be a more stable population of this species
throughout the landscape, and a lowered risk of displacement by catastrophic wildfire or epidemic
insect/disease mortality of trees. Cumulatively, the action alternative effects on nesting and foraging
habitats will not lead to a trend toward Federal listing for the sharp-shinned hawk.
Great Gray Owl - Forest-wide S&G WL-31 (LRMP page 4-54) defines nesting habitat for this species as
having a mean canopy cover of 60 percent (range of 50 to 70 percent); an overstory tree density of 67
trees per acre with a dbh of 12 inches or greater, have a lodgepole dominated overstory, and have an
average distance of 440 feet (range 63 to 1,070 feet) to the nearest meadow.
Habitat estimates for this species within the planning area are the same as for the northern goshawk and
were made using the same information and methodologies. There are approximately 1,922 acres of stage
5 lodgepole pine LOS and approximately 3,384 acres of stage 6 lodgepole pine LOS in the planning area.
The LRMP requires habitat for eight (8) pairs across the Forest. With no direction in the LRMP for
distribution of those pairs, equal distribution across the three ranger districts would require habitat for 2 to
3 pairs on the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District. Based on land area, the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District
would require habitat for five (5) pairs.
Surveys of the habitat of this species have found a total of six (6) pairs on the Forest at the present time.
Five (5) pairs have been identified in the northern portion of the Forest (Sisters Ranger District) and one
(1) in the southern portion (Crescent Ranger District). In addition, owls have been heard or seen along
the Deschutes River and wet meadows in the central portion of the Forest (Bend-Fort Rock Ranger
District). This information suggests that there appears to be suitable habitat on the Forest, but outside of
the Opine planning area to support eight (8) nesting pairs. This is consistent with the 42 recorded
sightings on the Forest. No sightings have been recorded east of La Pine, Oregon.
There are no canopy coverage estimates for lodgepole in the planning area. There are no natural
meadows or riparian habitats favorable for this species within the planning area boundaries. Field surveys
detected no members of this species.
Alternative 1 would have no short-term effect on either the habitat or population of this species. Stands
currently rated at high risk to bark beetle attack or wildfire would remain at high risk. Long-term, the risk
of loss of existing habitat to either bark beetle attack and/or wildfire would remain. Loss of nesting
habitat could displace this species from the area. In the event of a catastrophic wildfire, it would take
decades for nesting habitat to return.
Maintaining existing and potential habitat with high tree density increases the risk of losing that habitat.
Potential nesting habitat is limited in the planning area (comparing acres of potential habitat to total acres)
and is likely limited on the landscape. The effect of losing existing and potential habitat in the planning
area would be a reduction in population of this species over the affected landscape. It is likely that
potential habitats in the adjacent planning areas are already part of an occupied territory; any displaced
birds would have to travel long distances to establish new territories.
3-142