CALIFORNIA SPOTTED OWL COMMITTEE RELEASES DRAFT REPORT FOR MANAGEMENT ON 12  
  NATIONAL FORESTS IN CALIFORNIA                                 
                                            Release No. 0402.97

                                                               
                                    Tom Amontree (202) 720 4623
                                          tom.amontree@usda.gov



CALIFORNIA SPOTTED OWL COMMITTEE RELEASES DRAFT REPORT FOR MANAGEMENT ON 12  
  NATIONAL FORESTS IN CALIFORNIA

     WASHINGTON, Nov. 13, 1997--Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman, Under
Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment James R. Lyons, and Forest
Service Chief Mike Dombeck today embraced the findings of an independent
report on national forest management in California and committed to
resolving long-standing conservation issues in the region.  The California
Spotted Owl Federal Advisory Committee, appointed by Secretary Glickman to
review a proposed forest management plan for 12 national forests in the
Sierra Nevada Mountains, released its draft report for public review today.  

     "I wanted a credible, independent group of the nation's top scientists
to review the Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement because it is
important that the public have confidence that it is based on sound
science," said Glickman.  "As it turns out, the RDEIS is incomplete and
needs revising and augmenting in many areas.  I'm glad that we have the
committee's recommendations to bring us back on track."  

     The Federal Advisory Committee was appointed in May 1997 to review the
RDEIS prepared by the Forest Service.  The Advisory Committee, chaired by
retired Forest Service Research Station Director Dr. Charles Philpot, made
recommendations to the Secretary based on the Committee's examination of
Forest Service data, the Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project coordinated by
University of California at Davis, the California Spotted Owl Interim
Guidelines, and other independent research.  

     The report, compiled by 11 scientists with diverse perspectives and
expertise, is highly critical of several elements of the 1996 RDEIS.  Among
the problems, the panel found that the California Spotted Owl would not be
adequately protected, certain furbearers would have a high probability of
extinction from the Sierras, fire hazards would not be reduced, certain
resource assessments regarding roads and stream protection were flawed,
timber estimates were overestimated, and some key assumptions were
undocumented.

     "Unfortunately, the 1996 RDEIS missed the mark on protecting owls and
many other resources important to ecosystem integrity in the Sierra
Nevadas," said Lyons.  "We need to make sure that our final plan protects
all the forest resources and provides the basis for sustaining communities
in the region.  The Committee's work will help guide the development of this
conservation strategy. "

     California Spotted Owls and some other species are currently protected
by interim guidelines designed to conserve sensitive species across this
region.  The Forest Service's 1996 RDEIS was intended to replace the interim
strategy with a permanent set of guidelines for protecting the habitat for
owls and other species.  The effort has been in progress for several years.
                                                                                                                                                                                
     Forest Service Chief Mike Dombeck expressed his full support for the
findings of the report and took responsibility for getting the effort back
on track.  "We are going to take these recommendations and put together a
team to significantly improve the conservation strategy through strong
collaboration with partners and researchers, " said Dombeck.  "Our efforts
will address the California Owl and all forest resources.  The strategy will
stand on the solid foundation of the best available science.  Our goal is to ensure the 
ecological sustainability of the entire Sierra Nevada ecosystem and the
communities that depend on it."

     The final report by the Advisory Committee will be published after a
scientific peer and public reviews are complete.


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