240 



S. Kim Nelson Test^imony on H.S.. 2866 7 



all remaining suitable habitat in the state will be important for 

 the survival and recovery of the species. The Headwaters Forest 

 Is occiroied by murrelets and is located in close proyiTni ty to the 

 coast. The lack of other suitable habitat In the area south and 

 east o£ Eureka increase its inroortance. In addition, this 

 forest, including the proposed wilderness Jind smaller old-growth 

 blocks, represents one of the three remaining population centers 

 in California. The other two include habitat in northern 

 Humboldt County (Redwood National Park, Jedediah-Smith State 

 Park, Humboldt -Redwoods State Park) , and Santa Cruz County (Big 

 Basin State Park) . Other areas contain very few (Mendocino 

 County) to no murrelets . 



Given that populations are declining with the cvirrent amount 

 of suitable habitat , further elimination of habitat could 

 extirpate the species from California. Hb other Federal or State 

 lands are available to this species, other than listed above. 

 Private lands, therefore, will play a key role in Che species 

 survival and recovery in California (see the Report of the Forest 

 Ecosystem Management Assessment Team (1993) regarding the 

 importance of private lands to murrelets) . 



The preservation of this forest will also be in^jortant to 

 other old-growth associated species, and will help to maintain a 

 remnant of the older forest ecosystem that used to stretch across 

 northern California. 



Species should be maintained throughout tbpJT historic and 

 natural ranges. Larger populations of murrelets in British . 

 Coliimbia and Alaska shoiild not preclude preserving murrelet 

 populations in Gallfomia or elsewhere. Despite the larger 

 numbers of murrelets in British Columbia and Alaska, evidence of 

 population declines is evident in these areas as well (see 

 discussion under Species Status) . Currently there are no known 

 stable populations of murrelets that could sustain the species in 

 perpetuity . 



Conclusion 



The Marbled Murrelet is a threatened species. In 

 California, little siiitable habitat remains within the historic 

 range of the species. The Headwaters Forest and other older-aged 

 forests in northern California are inroortant to the murrelet. 

 The preservation of these rare forests will be Icey to the 

 survival and recovery ox this unique species. 



