For decades, the northern spotted owl has been a symbol of the conflict between logging and conservation in the Pacific Northwest. But new research from Oregon State University suggests forest restoration and spotted owl conservation may not be at odds after all.
Jeremy Rockweit, a postdoctoral scholar working with the U.S. Forest Service through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, led the study focused on dry forests in Southern Oregon and Northern California.
He said spotted owls in the region thrive in landscapes that include both mature forests for nesting and a mix of other habitats, including oak woodlands and shrublands, where they hunt prey.
“What this study suggests, and what those past studies looking at high-quality habitat suggest, is that we can retain the most persistent nesting and roosting forest where it occurs naturally, and restore those other areas to what we think they looked like prior to European colonization,” Rockweit said. “That would benefit both forest resilience or restoration goals and improve habitat quality for spotted owls.”
The research examined wildfire patterns dating back to 1985 and found that owl nesting habitat was more likely to survive fire in cooler, wetter drainage bottoms known as “fire refugia.”
Meanwhile, decades of fire suppression allowed dense Douglas fir forests to expand into areas that historically burned more frequently, increasing the risk of severe wildfire.
Rockweit said restoring a more diverse forest landscape could benefit not only spotted owls, but many other native species as wildfire seasons grow more intense.
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- Jeremy Rockweit, postdoctoral scholar, Oak Ridge Institute of Science & Education
