Climate Change Planning Tool Aids Development of Pioneering Forest Plan
The Francis Marion National Forest is the first in the nation to release a draft forest plan under the 2012 Planning Rule—the U.S. Forest Service’s guide for land management planning which requires consideration of climate change effects on national forests and grasslands. Working with the Template for Assessing Climate Change Impacts and Management Options (TACCIMO), a climate change planning tool developed by the Eastern Threat Center, Francis Marion National Forest planners outlined an integrated approach for responding to climate change through adaptive management. TACCIMO provided best-available climate change science from peer-reviewed studies to aid forest planners during the development of the plan assessment—the first phase of the process—which served as the information basis for development of the draft forest plan. During the next phase, TACCIMO provided additional insight into the key characteristics of climate change impacts on specific forest resources. Finally, TACCIMO aided forest planners with the development of a monitoring plan to collect the information needed to respond to changing climate and other conditions on the forest. A network of new management and research partners, including Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, the South Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative, and the Southeast Climate Science Center, collaborated to develop the forest management and monitoring responses to climate change documented in the draft plan, and will be key contributors during forest plan implementation. The Climate Change Resource Center and the US Climate Resilience Toolkit are following this effort and have detailed case studies available.
Right: Pitcher plants grow at the edge of a longleaf pine stand on the Francis Marion National Forest, South Carolina. Photo by 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: Emrys Treasure
