TACCIMO Supports First National Forest to Release Draft Forest Plan Under New Planning Rule
The Francis Marion National Forest is the first in the nation to release a draft forest plan revised under the 2012 Planning Rule, which contains an integrated approach to responding to climate change through adaptive management. Working with the Eastern Threat Center's Template for Assessing Climate Change Impacts and Management Options (TACCIMO), the forest planning team accessed the best-available science during the development of the plan and gained additional insight into the key characteristics of climate change for specific resources, allowing them to integrate climate change considerations directly into resource-specific plan direction. The TACCIMO tool also aided forest planners with the development of a monitoring plan which provides the information needed to respond to changing conditions, including climate change. The forest planning team and Eastern Threat Center TACCIMO support staff networked with new management and research partners to develop the climate change response within the plan. These partners, including Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, the South Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative, and the Southeast Climate Science Center, will also be key contributors during forest plan implementation. The Climate Change Resource Center and the US Climate Change Resilience Toolkit are following this collaborative effort and have published detailed case studies.
Pictured: Forest managers used the TACCIMO tool to identify potential climate changes like rising sea levels and larger storm surges that might impact key natural resources on the Francis Marion, such as the waterfowl habitat in the North Tibwin Waterfowl Impoundment. Photo by Francis Marion National Forest, U.S. Forest Service.
Forest Service Partners/Collaborators: Francis Marion and Sumter National Forests; Southern Region (Region 8)
External Partners/Collaborators: South Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative, Southeast Climate Science Center
Contact: Steve McNulty
