This is an impressive-looking policy document for lynx habitat managed by Washington Department of Natural Resources. It contains some detailed and measurable criteria for managing lynx habitat (see below), although the wording of the criteria indicates that lynx will not have priority over logging and other uses in many cases. Also, this document has been criticized for taking an reductionist approach to lynx protections rather than directing more wholistic conservation actions, for failing to specify monitoring protocols to measure the effectiveness of the proposed guidelines, failure to analyze cumulative effects, etc. (see record, "Tanimoto 1998").

These excerpts and other management guidelines are found in pp. 3-71-84 of the document, and condensed in Appendix B as well (B-171-174):

Habitat Management

Connectivity

"A system of [lynx] travel routes will be maintained along major ridges, saddles, and streams to connect DNR-managed lands with neighboring lynx habitat to provide access to drainages thoughout the LMZ [Lynx Management Zone]... A special management zone (travel corridor) will straddle the route so that a > 330 feet (100 m) corridor (WDFW 1996) is available to lynx at all times..."

"If harvest activities must occur within the travel corridor along a ridge or saddle travel route, openings will be minimized (less than 330 feet or 100m wide), techniques to ensure regeneration will be employed, and forested areas will be left on lower slopes... to provide lynx with alternative travel routes..."

"If roads must be placed on ridges or saddles due to concerns such as slope stability or water quality, road width will be minimized, vegetative cover will be encouraged on both sides of the roads, sight distance will be reduced (330 feet or 100m), and/or the roads will be closed as soon as possible, or at least the frequent use of such roads will be discouraged."

"Connectivity within LMZ or DNR-managed lands will be maintained... forested strips >330 feet (100m) wide will be positioned to facilitatelynx travel through the area, and/or harvest units will be placed to promote connectivity..."

Habitat Ratios

"The following ratios of lynx habitat components will be maintained in each LAU on DNR-managed lands where DNR manages 20% or more of the LAU...

Lynx Habitat:
Forested Habitat 70% minimum
Temporary Non-lynx areas 30% maximum

Within Forested Habitat
Forage Habitat 20% maximum
Denning Habitat 10% minimum, 2 sites per square mile"

"Units will be designed so that Temporary Non-lynx Areas never exceed 200 contiguous acres (81 ha)..."

Denning Habitat

"To avoid isolation of Denning Habitat, more than 50% of the periphery of Denning Habitat will be bordered by Forested Habitat at all times."

"... Den sites will contain suitable denning structure, such as deadfall layered to provide structural diversity 1-4 feet (0.3-1.2 m) above ground. Larger deadfall diameters will be selected over smaller diameters (WDFW 1996)."

Access Management

"Human-related disturbance will be minimized with road and harvest plans... Examples include rehabilitation of non-essential roads after harvest, gate placement to limit vehicular access (including snowmobiles), and avoidance of loop roads."

 

Forage Habitat

"Forage Habitat will be connected to travel routes with Forested Habitat within the LAU and located near Denning Habitat (<3 miles or 4.8 km)."

Quality snowshoe hare browse and cover within Forage Habitat will be maintained by providing horizontal cover densities >40% for 3.3 feet (1m) above average snow level using a vegetation profile board, viewed from 15m in four directions, according to the procedure outlined by Nudds (1977, distance of 15 m to be verified during monitoring)."

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