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An expert panel was assembled to discuss the issues surrounding the great gray owl that were identified by the RIEC. An expert panel was needed specifically for this species because in the SAT and FEMAT panels, where many numbers of species were considered, they remarked that little information was available on the great gray owl within the range of the northern spotted owl, and that there was considerable uncertainty about its status. Although substantial amounts of literature exists on the great gray owl, most of it comes from studies outside the area of the Northwest Forest Plan, and its applicability to the area of the Northwest Forest Plan still needs to be determined.
Our approach was to collect information and discuss management questions posed by the RIEC by scheduling a 3-day conference on the great gray owl. The conference would cover the following objectives: (1) give a technical assessment of the owl’s status; (2) provide a forum for field biologists to comment on the great gray owl survey protocol; and (3) give experts an opportunity to comment on the management and conservation of the great gray owl in the range of the Northwest Forest Plan. The conference was held May 14-16, 1996.
The first day of the conference was a field trip to McKenzie Ranger District, Willamette National Forest, to observe great gray owls and their nesting and foraging habitat in that area. During the field trip, biologists exchanged information on the owl and related their experiences with implementing the current survey protocol. On the second day of the conference, great gray owl experts gave a state-of-the-knowledge presentation on the ecology of this species throughout North America. The day concluded with field biologists providing more specific comments on the current great gray owl survey protocol and additional questions and discussion on the great gray owl. On the last day, the great gray owl experts met for about 4 hours in a panel format todiscuss the status of the species within the range of the Northwest Forest Plan, the appropriateness of the current survey protocol and protection measures, and to evaluate and comment on a set of management alternatives for this species. This was followed by two conference calls with panel members and a peer review of this document by panel members, field biologists, and other Federal resource specialists.
