Originally published in Denver Post, June 18, 2025

In the 1980s, rampant cutting of old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest led to the listing of the Northern Spotted Owl as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Here in Colorado, it is little known that the Mexican Spotted Owl, the southern cousin of the Northern Spotted Owl and also listed as federally threatened, makes its home in Colorado.

The northernmost populations of Mexican Spotted Owl are only a few hours’ drive from Denver in the Pike–San Isabel National Forest. The species habitat requirements include 30% to 45% of the forest to be large, mature trees of 12” diameter or greater, many large dead trees, and high volumes of fallen trees and woody debris, which is habitat for it’s prey – namely small and medium-sized rodents like mice, voles and even rabbits.

There is about 104,000 acres of designated critical habitat for the Mexican Spotted Owl in the South Platte Ranger District of the Pike National Forest. This is the same area where the Lower North South logging project is proposed to cut and clear out some 115,000 acres, including over 4,000 acres of mature and old-growth forest – the habitat of the Mexican Spotted Owl. The Forest Service readily admits the project will likely adversely affect the owl, but has failed to include the safeguards identified in the species recovery plan into the project.

While no one seems to be watching, this secretive, threatened species has its habitat on the chopping block. Are Coloradans OK with this?

Andrew Rothman, Denver