December 3-4, 2015 - LCDC Salem <br />Agenda Item 4, Attachment H <br />OAR 660-038-0160(c): Establishment of a Study Area to Evaluate Land for <br />Inclusion in the UGB <br />Establishing a study area is the "first screen" for evaluating resources for inclusion in the <br />UGB. ODFW supports the language for addressing Goals 16, 17 and 18. ODFW also <br />supports the language that allows a city to consider excluding big game winter habitat or <br />habitat for listed wildlife species. Most county acknowledged comprehensive plans <br />include Goal 5 protections for big game habitat, which includes minimum lot size <br />protections to maintain habitat connectivity and viability of the population. For example, <br />Jackson County Comprehensive Plan includes the following language related to big <br />game protections (i.e. minimum lot sizes), " Specifically the consensus of professional <br />biologists within the Department of Fish and Wildlife is that residential development in <br />big game habitat has a direct and measurable impact on the carrying capacity of winter <br />habitat to sustain high density populations of animals during severe winter conditions" <br />and that "these protection measures represent the minimal accepted standards that <br />ODFW can recommend while still maintaining its statutory mission to protect wildlife <br />herds for future generations of Oregonians." <br />Big game winter habitat and migration corridors are a subset of the ODFW big game <br />habitat maps. In 2013, ODFW published an updated map of Big Game Winter Habitat <br />for Eastern Oregon. ODFW also published an accompanying white paper that explains <br />and documents both the development of the winter habitat map and the rationale for <br />why these mapped big game winter habitats are categorized as Category 2 Habitats <br />under the ODFW Fish and Wildlife Habitat Mitigation Policy (OAR 635-415). Winter <br />habitat includes areas identified and mapped as providing essential and limited function <br />and values (e.g., thermal cover, security from predation and harassment, forage <br />quantity, adequate nutritional quality, escape from disturbance) for certain big game <br />species December through April. Winter habitat includes mapped areas of winter range <br />for predominately migratory mule deer and Rocky Mountain elk, but also includes <br />mapped areas of occupied habitat for predominately non-migratory bighorn sheep <br />December through April. These winter habitats are considered essential for the long- <br />term conservation and persistence of these populations. ODFW is currently completing <br />a similar white paper for Big Game Habitat for Western Oregon, which will include <br />mapping of winter concentration areas. <br />Other examples include Greater Sage-Grouse habitat (recently protected in OAR 660- <br />023-0115) and occupied habitat for Washington Ground Squirrel (WGS). WGS are <br />listed as Endangered under the Oregon Threatened, Endangered and Candidate Fish <br />and Wildlife Species List, and are currently a Candidate species for listing under the <br />Federal Endangered Species Act. Occupied habitat with active WGS colonies is <br />considered Habitat Category 1, under the ODFW Fish and Wildlife Habitat Mitigation <br />Policy. Habitat Category 1 is irreplaceable and essential habitat for a fish or wildlife <br />species and the mitigation goal for Category 1 habitat is no loss of either habitat <br />quantity or quality. <br />ODFW HB 2254 corrunents for RAC, 10.28.15 Page 2 <br />