California Spotted Owls thrive in the dense, multi-layered canopies and hushed shade of century-old pine and Douglas-fir forests—at least the 1,200 or so owls that are left today seem to. That’s why U.S. Forest Service and other land managers have worked for decades to prevent forest fire in the stands where they nest and roost: in hopes of preserving the elusive raptors. Now recent research suggests that some of the very steps taken to protect the iconic species may actually be contributing to its well-documented decline. Suppressing fire, thinning green trees, and logging after wildfires—management activities intended to reduce fire danger—may not actually be helping the owls. In fact, according to studies published by independent scientists last year and earlier, they may be harming them more than no activity. Their findings are so convincing that the California Spotted Owl is being considered for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and...