Environmental Information Management System

Name: Spotted Owl

Phylum: Craniata

Class: Aves

Order: Strigiformes

Family: Strigidae

Scientific: Strix occidentalis

• Spotted owl is rare in BC and only found within coastal forests of the Lower Mainland.
• Nesting sites are associated with: mature coniferous forest patches (at least 500 ha)>140 years old, >19.4 m tall and <1370 m elevation. Patches should be connected by undisturbed movement corridors that are a minimum of 1 km wide.
• Large (>19.4 m tall) dead/dying trees are the preferred nesting and roosting habitat of spotted owl.

• Minimize disruption of nesting owls.
• Maintain nesting habitat for future use by spotted owl.
• Plan activities so that nests (occupied and unoccupied) continue to be readily used by spotted owl.

All Activities

• Within identified habitat, plan oil and gas activities to avoid important habitat and habitat features.
• Avoid removing large (>19.4 m tall) dead/dying trees wherever possible as these are the preferred nesting and roosting habitat of spotted owl.
• Maintain known nest and roost areas by minimizing disturbance at nesting and roosting sites.
• Within identified habitat, employ a QP to identify nests within 500 m of the proposed activity location. If a nest is identified, ensure a minimum 500 m operational setback is maintained from the nest. The setback applies regardless of whether the nest is occupied or unoccupied by spotted owls. 

   

All Activities

• The onus is on the applicant to refer to relevant region-specific timing windows for all high priority wildlife species and consider these as an inherent part of planning and operations, in order to alleviate species-specific impacts during key lifecycle timing.
• Maintain a minimum 500 m operational setback from nests (occupied and unoccupied).
• Limit helicopter and fixed-wing use to a minimum of 1000 meters above ground level over occupied nests.
• Limit helicopter and fixed-wing use to a minimum of 1000 meters (horizontal distance) from observed spotted owls and occupied nests.