FWC approves guidelines revisions to support burrowing owl conservation
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On August 13. 2025, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved revisions to the Florida Burrowing Owl Species Conservation Measures and Permitting Guidelines at its August Commission meeting in Havana, Florida.
The goal of the update is to maximize conservation value of permitting actions, improve regulatory certainty, and streamline the permit review process for stakeholders and FWC staff. Key revisions included standardizing mitigation for projects involving significant habitat modification, expanding options for long-term permitting, and clarifying specific concepts, definitions and requirements.
Guidelines are designed to be a tool for landowners, consultants, agency partners and other interested parties on how to conserve State-designated Threatened species. Recommended conservation measures and survey methods are included to promote actions that benefit these species. These guidelines also include options for avoidance of take and options for permitting that minimize and mitigate unavoidable harm or harassment. Revisions were informed by feedback from stakeholders and agency partners during the update process.
Guidelines also have accompanying Species Action Plans, which outline species-specific actions that aim to minimize impacts from known threats, improve habitat, and strengthen conservation and recovery efforts. These two documents are supporting components of Florida’s Imperiled Species Management Plan.
Florida’s smallest owl species is primarily found in Peninsular Florida with isolated populations in the Panhandle and Keys. Burrowing owls can be found in open areas with short vegetation. The owls use burrows, which are typically 5-10 feet long, for nesting and shelter. The Florida burrowing owl was listed as a State-designated Threatened species in 2017. To learn more about burrowing owls, visit MyFWC.com/WildlifeHabitats, click on “Wildlife,” then “Species Profiles” and select “Burrowing Owl.”
Visit MyFWC.com/SpeciesGuidelines to learn more about the Guideline
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On August 13. 2025, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved revisions to the Florida Burrowing Owl Species Conservation Measures and Permitting Guidelines at its August Commission meeting in Havana, Florida.
The goal of the update is to maximize conservation value of permitting actions, improve regulatory certainty, and streamline the permit review process for stakeholders and FWC staff. Key revisions included standardizing mitigation for projects involving significant habitat modification, expanding options for long-term permitting, and clarifying specific concepts, definitions and requirements.
Guidelines are designed to be a tool for landowners, consultants, agency partners and other interested parties on how to conserve State-designated Threatened species. Recommended conservation measures and survey methods are included to promote actions that benefit these species. These guidelines also include options for avoidance of take and options for permitting that minimize and mitigate unavoidable harm or harassment. Revisions were informed by feedback from stakeholders and agency partners during the update process.
Guidelines also have accompanying Species Action Plans, which outline species-specific actions that aim to minimize impacts from known threats, improve habitat, and strengthen conservation and recovery efforts. These two documents are supporting components of Florida’s Imperiled Species Management Plan.
Florida’s smallest owl species is primarily found in Peninsular Florida with isolated populations in the Panhandle and Keys. Burrowing owls can be found in open areas with short vegetation. The owls use burrows, which are typically 5-10 feet long, for nesting and shelter. The Florida burrowing owl was listed as a State-designated Threatened species in 2017. To learn more about burrowing owls, visit MyFWC.com/WildlifeHabitats, click on “Wildlife,” then “Species Profiles” and select “Burrowing Owl.”
Visit MyFWC.com/SpeciesGuidelines to learn more about the Guideline
Photo courtesy of FWC