Tucked away in southwest Oregon’s Coast Range, the Elliott State Forest is home to the northern spotted owl, marbled murrelet and coho salmon, all federally-listed threatened species. The Elliott must be managed to produce revenue for the Common School Fund and also provide important wildlife habitat for these species. In recognition of these dual responsibilities, the Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL) applied for a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) in response to the federal listing of the spotted owl and the marbled murrelet in the early 1990s. In 1994 and 1995 as part of the HCP, a 60-year Incidental Take Permit (ITP) was issued for the spotted owl and a six-year ITP was issued for the marbled murrelet.

In response to the looming 2000 expiration of the marbled murrelet permit, the State Land Board, DSL and the Oregon Department of Forestry convened a planning process to create a more comprehensive HCP. A bi-level committee was established to revise the HCP and the Forest Management Plan (FMP) that determines long term management of the forest.

The Steering Committee addressed policy issues and the Core Planning Team focused on scientific issues. Public input was solicited through meetings, on-line comment, and a newsletter. Throughout the six-year process, both committees overcame significant challenges including interpretation of scientific data, lack of public interest in the process, and limited guidance on what would be acceptable from the federal agencies.

Despite these challenges, the Steering Committee developed plans expected to meet federal requirements and the needs of the DSL and local communities. Factors that contributed to the success of the process include the relationships that developed between committee members, the commitment level of participants, the bilevel structure of the process and the use of scientific tools such as ecosystem and forest modeling. Inclusion of the county commissioner and a trust beneficiary representative also facilitated greater buy-in to the process.

Pending initial approval from the State Land Board and the Board of Forestry, the HCP will be submitted for approval to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service in 2007. The FMP will likely be approved by both boards if it is approved by federal officials.