Conservation Update Spring 2025
The Urgent Need to Act: Protecting the Spotted Owl
The Umpqua Watersheds Conservation Committee continues to work diligently to protect our environment, especially here in the Umpqua. Conservation is rarely straightforward—righting past wrongs can be messy, complicated, and, at times, emotionally charged. But doing nothing is not an option when inaction leads to extinction.
One of the most difficult conservation challenges we face today is the rapid decline of the northern spotted owl due to both habitat loss and competition from the invasive barred owl. This issue has been studied, debated, and analyzed for over 25 years, yet as we hesitate, the spotted owl disappears from our forests. The time for deliberation is over—the time to act is now.
Why Barred Owl Removal is Necessary
The lethal removal of barred owls raises strong emotions, and understandably so. The idea of killing one species to save another is difficult. However, this is not an arbitrary decision but a necessary intervention to restore balance.
We already intervene in nature in many ways—whether it’s controlling deer populations to prevent overgrazing, removing invasive plants like Scotch broom, or even exterminating rats and cockroaches from our homes. These are all forms of “lethal removal” used to maintain balance in our ecosystems and protect species at risk.
Barred owls are not native to the Pacific Northwest; they expanded westward due to human-caused changes in the landscape. Larger, more aggressive, and highly adaptable, they outcompete the smaller, habitat-specialist spotted owls, driving them toward extinction. Without management, the spotted owl has no chance.
Moving Beyond Debate
Opponents argue that we should let nature take its course. But this is not nature taking its course—it is the result of human-driven changes to the environment. Just as Australia must control invasive rabbits and Hawaii must remove feral cats to save native bird species, we must take responsibility for mitigating the damage we have caused.
After decades of research and careful consideration, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has developed a management plan for barred owls that prioritizes scientific integrity and minimizes suffering. Umpqua Watersheds stands with other organizations in supporting this plan because delays mean more spotted owls lost—perhaps forever.
Hope alone will not save the spotted owl. Action will. If we truly care about biodiversity, we must be willing to make difficult but necessary choices. Umpqua Watersheds has joined other conservation organizations to support the USFWS and counter legal challenges from animal rights groups that oppose the removal program. We recognize the urgency of this issue and are committed to ensuring the program moves forward.
The Connection to the Blue and Gold Timber Sale
The survival of the spotted owl does not depend solely on barred owl management—it also requires the protection of its habitat. Yet, while the barred owl threatens its survival, federal agencies continue to approve logging in the forests the spotted owl needs to recover.
In its 2016 Resource Management Plan (RMP), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) stated that it would not offer timber sales in spotted owl habitat unless a barred owl management plan was implemented by 2024. Amid the ongoing uncertainty about the barred owl program implementation, the BLM has announced plans to auction timber from the Blue and Gold Timber Sale on March 18, 2025. The language in the BLM 2016 RMP “The BLM would not authorize timber sales that would cause the incidental take of NSO territorial pairs or resident singles from timber harvest until implementation of a barred owl management program has begun” (BLM, 2016 Resource Management Plan, p. 30).
While the BLM has stated its intention to implement the barred owl removal program, federal hiring freezes and funding cuts under the current administration raise serious doubts about the agency’s ability to do so. Without the program in place, BLM and USFWS must reinitiate consultations on the “take” guidelines for the spotted owl—a critical step that has not yet happened. These unresolved issues should require BLM to withdraw timber sales in spotted owl habitat until it can meet the conditions outlined in the 2016 RMP.
Standing Up for Spotted Owl Survival
Umpqua Watersheds has joined other organizations in opposing the Blue and Gold Timber Sale. The continued loss of old-growth habitat, combined with unchecked barred owl expansion, is driving the spotted owl closer to extinction.
We will continue to monitor agency actions, challenge harmful policies, and advocate for stronger protections—because true conservation requires both habitat preservation and active management. The future of the spotted owl depends on it.
NEPA under assault
Recently, an executive order was issued to essentially nullify the National Environmental Policy Act. This action, Executive Order 14154, directs the removal of NEPA’s implementing regulations. However, there are still possible ways to challenge or reverse this action, but the path is narrow. Legal challenges appear to be the only approach available to state governments and environmental organizations who argue that the removal of NEPA’s regulations is in violation of current environmental laws or procedural requirements. Courts could issue an injunction to block the rollback. We need strong Public Pressure & Advocacy to oppose this decision and influence political decisions. If enough organizations and individuals make their voices heard, it increases the likelihood of a reversal or at least modifications to mitigate the damage. Congress could pass legislation to codify NEPA’s implementation of regulations into law, preventing future rollbacks via executive order. If enough public opposition arises, lawmakers might push back. Keeping up the pressure is crucial. Even if Congress won’t act now, building a strong record of opposition—including your comment—helps set the stage for legal arguments and future policy shifts.
Additionally, state-level environmental policies may play a role in mitigating some impacts. Please add your comment. The comment period is only 30 days. It is extremely short and evidence that they really are trying to slip one by the American public.
