Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 103 Part 1.djvu/774

 103 STAT. 746 PUBLIC LAW 101-121 —OCT. 23, 1989 logicallv signiHcant old growth forest stands. "Old growth forest stands' are defined as those stands meeting the criteria according to Forest Service Research Publication Numbered PNW-447. In those instances where the Forest Service, after consultation with the advisory boards established pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, determines that the definition in Forest Service Research Publica- tion Numbered PNW-447 is not fully applicable in national forests known to contain northern spotted owls, the Forest Service shall use old-growth definitions contained in its Pacific Northwest Regional Guide. (2) To the extent that fragmentation of ecologically significant old growth forest stands is necessary to meet the timber sale levels directed by subsection (a)(1) of this section, the Forest Service shall minimize such fragmentation in the ecologically significant old growth forest stands on a national forest-by-national forest basis based on the Forest Service's discretion in determining the eco- logically significant stands after considering input from the advisory boards created pursuant to subsection (c) of this section. The habitat of nesting pairs of spotted owls which are not in the Spotted Owl Habitat Areas (SOHAs) described in subsection (b)(3) of this section shall be considered an important factor in the identification of ecologically significant old growth forest stands. (3) No timber sales offered pursuant to this section from the thirteen national forests in Oregon and Washington known to con- tain northern spotted owls may occur within SOHAs identified pursuant to the Final Supplement to the Environmental Impact Statement for an Amendment to the Pacific Northwest Regional Guide—Spotted Owl and the accompanying Record of Decision issued by the Forest Service on December 8, 1988 as adjusted by this subsection: (A) For the Olympic Peninsula Province, which includes the Olympic National Forest, SOHA size is to be 3,200 acres; (B) For the Washington Cascades Province, which includes the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie, Okanogan, Wenatchee, and Gifford- Pinchot National Forests, SOHA size is to be 2,600 acres; (C) For the Oregon Cascades Province, which includes the Mt. Hood, Willamette, Rogue River, Deschutes, Winema, and Umpqua National Forests, SOHA size is to be 1,875 acres; (D) For the Oregon Coast Range Province, which includes the Siuslaw National Forest, SOHA size is to be 2,500 acres; and (E) For the Klamath Mountain Province, which includes the Siskiyou National Forest, SOHA size is to be 1,250 acres. ' (F) All other standards and guidelines contained in the Chiefs Record of Decision are adopted. (4) In planning for the preparation and offer of timber sales authorized in subsection (a)(1) of this section, the Forest Service, to the extent possible in areas proximate to SOHA sites identified in subsection (b)(3) of this section, should exercise discretion in select- ing sites and/or silvicultural prescriptions in order to retain spotted owl habitat characteristics in such areas. The Forest Service should consider the relative location and quality of such areas contiguous to the SOHAs and should give higher priority to preparing and offer- ing sales in areas of lower quality and less important location than to areas of greater quality and more important location relative to the SOHAs. (5) No timber sales offered pursuant to this section on Bureau of Land Management lands in western Oregon known to contain

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