Or. Admin. Code § 635-140-0010 - Habitat Management

(1) Goals: The Department's habitat goals are to achieve the following, recognizing that such achievement is dependent upon authorities, programs, collaborative partnerships, and other factors beyond those within the Department's authority alone:

(a) Maintain or enhance the distribution of sagebrush habitats within greater sage-grouse range in Oregon;

(b) Manage those habitats in a variety of structural stages to benefit greater sage-grouse while reducing or minimizing habitat threats and promoting resilience;

(c) Avoid development actions in sage-grouse core, low density, and general habitats which adversely impact sage-grouse habitat or sage-grouse use of those habitats;

(d) Limit the extent, location, and negative impacts of development actions over time within sage-grouse core, low density, and general habitats. In core areas, direct impact levels from development actions will be limited to no more than 3% of any "Priority Area for Conservation" and a rate not to exceed 1.0% over a ten year period, as described in OAR 660-023-0115;

(e) Require compensatory mitigation for direct and indirect impacts from developments within sage-grouse core, low density, and general habitats. Ensure such mitigation provides a net conservation benefit to sage-grouse and their habitat by providing an increase in the functionality of their habitat to support sage-grouse, consistent with OAR 635-140-0025.

(2) Objective: Manage a minimum of 70% of greater sage-grouse range for sagebrush habitat in advanced structural stages, sagebrush class 3, 4 or 5, with an emphasis on classes 4 and 5. The remaining approximately 30% includes areas of juniper encroachment, non-sagebrush shrub land, and grassland and should be managed to increase available habitat within greater sage-grouse range.

(3) Objective: Maintain and enhance existing sagebrush habitats and enhance potential habitats that have been disturbed such that there is a net conservation gain of sagebrush habitat in the following regions:

(a) Baker Resource Area BLM: 82% sagebrush and 18% disturbed habitats.

(b) Vale District BLM (excluding Baker Resource Area): 70% sagebrush and 30% disturbed habitats.

(c) Burns District BLM: 68% sagebrush and 32% disturbed habitats.

(d) Lakeview District BLM: 72% sagebrush and 28% disturbed habitats.

(e) Prineville District BLM: 47% sagebrush and 53% disturbed habitats.

Notes

Or. Admin. Code § 635-140-0010

DFW 94-2005, f. & cert. ef. 8-19-05; DFW 37-2011, f. & cert. ef. 5-4-11; DFW 123-2015, f. & cert. ef. 9/1/2015

Stat. Auth.: ORS 496.012, 496.138, 496.146 & 496.162

Stats. Implemented: ORS 496.012, 496.138, 496.146 & 496.162