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Sierra Pacific Industries Enters Conservation Agreement With U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to Conserve Fisher Habitat

Posted on: Tuesday, 11 December 2007, 00:00 CST

California's leading private forest landowner today announced it has applied for a Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA) with the U.S. of Fish and Wildlife Service that will enhance habitat for the fisher, a forest-dwelling mammal. Under the agreement Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) will increase habitat for the fisher on approximately 160,000 acres of SPI's private lands in Butte, Plumas and Tehama counties. The voluntary 20-year agreement calls for implementation of conservation measures that will improve the overall status of the fisher species. In addition, successful completion of the CCAA would clear the way for a potential re-introduction of the species by the California Department of Fish and Game.

Though not listed as a "threatened" or "endangered" species, fisher -- similar to pine martens, weighing 4 to 13 lbs. with a long body, short legs and bushy tail -- have declined in the region over the past 150 years due to factors including trapping, mining, past-era logging, and wildfires. Fishers are known to live up to 10 years in the wild, and are considered a "candidate" species under the federal Endangered Species Act.

"This CCAA will result in increased amounts of denning/resting habitat and enhance the potential to increase the distribution of fishers in the wild," said SPI biologist Steve Self. "The potential reintroduction of the species on our forest land in this area could begin a new sustainable population, possibly becoming a vital link between northern and southern fisher populations that are now isolated. By enrolling private timberlands in this effort and allowing the experimental reintroduction of fishers from other areas to a currently unoccupied portion of their historical range, SPI will contribute to the connectivity of fisher populations within the state," said Self.

The agreement's conservation benefits to the fisher include:1

• Provides an increase in denning/resting habitat within the SPI Stirling Management area, which has been identified as having the highest likelihood of supporting an introduced population of all the properties considered in the California Department of Fish and Game draft reintroduction feasibility assessment.

• Contributes to recovery of fisher denning/resting habitat by moving the enrolled SPI forestlands to a condition that supports more denning/resting habitat for the fisher than exists today.

• Provides necessary low- to mid-elevation habitat on private lands in an area of limited federal ownership.

According to company spokesman Mark Pawlicki, "SPI's forest management activity is expected to increase the amount of fisher denning and resting habitat on the enrolled land from approximately 37,000 acres to 53,000 acres and will make measurable progress towards future sustainability of fisher populations in California."

"SPI's current management practices and company policies will allow trees to grow larger before harvest than required under California's stringent forest practice regulations. The benefits of these practices are expected to be positive for fishers, as well as for other wildlife species that use mid-mature and mature forest stands," said Pawlicki.

Sierra Pacific Industries is a third-generation, family-owned and operated forest products company based in Anderson, CA. SPI is committed to manage its land in a responsible way to protect the environment while providing quality wood products for consumers.

Details of the agreement can be found at http://www.fws.gov/yreka/.

1 Environmental Action Statement Screening Form for Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, October 5, 2007.

Source: Business Wire

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