The changes provide an overall objective of maintaining or restoring lynx habitat connectivity. They also provide standards and guidelines for all management projects in lynx habitat, reports the Wildlife Management Institute. The management direction applies to land use in lynx habitat on the Arapaho-Roosevelt, Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, Gunnison, Pike-San Isabel, Rio Grande, Routt, San Juan, and White River national forests in Colorado and the Medicine Bow National Forest in Wyoming.

"With the majority of lynx habitat occurring on National Forest System lands, it is essential that there is consistent direction across the southern Rockies geographic area that will contribute to the conservation and recovery of the lynx while preserving the overall multiple-use direction in existing land management plans," commented Tony Dixon, Deputy Regional Forester for Natural Resources, in a press release. "This amendment, which is the culmination of over seven years of study, collaboration, and planning by Forest Service staff, researchers, partner agencies, special interest organizations, and members of the general public, provides this direction."

The Canada lynx was listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act in 2000. It is found in dense subalpine forests between 8,000 and 10,000 feet elevation, which is the primary habitat of snowshoe hare, its favored prey species. While lynx populations are relatively stable in the northern part of the Rocky Mountains, Alaska and western Canada, the southern Rocky Mountain population has struggled due to habitat degradation.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) has coordinated a reintroduction project in southwestern Colorado, releasing 218 lynx in the state since 1999. Reproduction was first documented in 2003, and the DOW has recorded the birth of 116 kittens since the beginning of the reintroduction. However, for the last two years, the DOW has not found new kittens, likely due to a decline in the snowshoe hare population.

"The cats are finding enough to eat. We're very pleased with their body condition and the survival rate," commented Tanya Shenk, field research leader for the DOW's reintroduction program. "We are now dealing with a wild population. It's very challenging to track and trap animals. We have documented reproduction by reintroduced animals and we've had reproduction by animals born in Colorado. We know they can function fully in our environment. Fluctuation of hares and lynx is a classic biological predator-prey interaction. The natural system will usually readjust itself."

The standards and guidelines included in the Forest Service's management direction focus on vegetation and livestock management, human use such as recreation, energy development or road construction, and providing linkage areas. Under this decision, standards are applied only to vegetation management activities that have the potential to affect snowshoe hare prey directly and thus may impact lynx at the population level. Other activities that may have possible adverse effects on individual lynx are subject to guidelines. The direction also provides management flexibility to address lodgepole pine mortality caused by the large-scale mountain pine beetle epidemic in the region?1.5 million acres of the roughly 2 million acres expected to die will affect lynx habitat.

The notice of availability of the final environmental impact statement was published on November 7. After a 45-day comment period, the management direction will be finalized. (jas)