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Environmental Assessment -Mexican Spotted Owl Critical Habitat Designation January, 2001 provide for the needs of Mexican spotted owl prey species. For canyon habitat, the primary constituent elements include the following attributes: -cooler and often more humid conditions than the surrounding area; -clumps or stringers of trees and/or canyon wall containing crevices, ledges, or caves; -high percent of ground litter and woody debris; and - riparian or woody vegetation (although not at all sites). The forest habitat attributes listed above usually develop with increasing forest age, but their occurrence may vary by location, past forest management practices or natural disturbance events, forest type, and productivity. These characteristics may also develop in younger stands, especially when the stands contain remnant large trees or patches of large trees from earlier stands. Certain forest management practices may also enhance tree growth and mature stand characteristics where the older, larger trees are allowed to persist. Canyon habitats used for nesting and roosting are typically characterized by cooler conditions found in steep, narrow canyons, ofen containing crevices, ledges, and/or caves. These canyons frequently contain small clumps or stringers of ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, white fir, and/or piiion-juniper. Deciduous riparian and upland tree species may also be present. Adjacent uplands are usually vegetated by a variety of plant associations including pinon juniper woodland, desert scrub vegetation, ponderosa pine-Gambel oak, ponderosa pine, or mixed conifer. Owl habitat may also exhibit a combination of attributes between the forested and canyon types. 2.2.1 Designation as identified in the Final Rule Our preferred altemative is to finalize the designation of critical habitat as described in the final rule signed on January 16, 2001, and becoming effective 30 days following publication in the Federal Reeister. In developing this altemative, we reviewed the overall approach to the conservation of the species since the species' listing in 1993 (58 FR 14248); examined the critical habitat units identified in the previous proposed (59 FR 63162) and final critical habitat rules (60 FR 29914); considered new location data and habitat requirements for recovery and definitions described in the Recovery Plan (LTSDI 1995), and information received during the comment periods for the proposed rule (65 FR 45336; 65 FR 63047). All protected and restricted habitat as described in the Recovery Plan is designated as critical habitat. The critical habitat designation does not include tribal lands; FS lands within Arizona and New Mexico; Fort Carson, Colorado; and low-density areas. However, the critical habitat designation does include FS lands in Utah and Colorado, and other Federal lands in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah, used by currently known populations of Mexican spotted owls. In addition, we included areas where owls could occur based on the presence of the appropriate topography, elevation, and habitat types (protected and restricted habitat areas as defined in the Recovery Plan).