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Several questions related to the Standards and Guidelines for the great gray owl were asked by the RIEC in their letter to the Pacific Northwest Research Station. The major issues raised included: (1) the current status of the owl; (2) the suitability and effectiveness of the current survey protocol and protection measures; and (3) whether or not the overall strategy for this species was appropriate and justified. First, we framed these issues into three groups of questions. Second, we presented these questions to a scientific panel of great gray owl experts for comments. Third, we summarized these comments into the following section.
Reaching consensus among all nine panel members responding to the issues and questions presented often was not attainable, nor was it expected given the limited information base available to the panel on great gray owls within the area of the Northwest Forest Plan. This lack of agreement was most evident as the panel suggested specific changes to the current survey protocol and as they suggested an alternative conservation strategy to the current one. We do indicate throughout this section where diverging opinions occur; that is, when two (or one strongly) or more panelists contradict with most of the panel on issues crucial to formulating a management strategy for this species.
