Francis Marion and Sumter National Forests' Land Ownership Adjustment Strategy

The Forest Service (FS) uses land acquisition and conveyance tools to: achieve optimal ownership patterns to promote efficient administration of National Forest System (NFS) lands; protect critical ecological/ cultural values; enhance public benefits; provide access to forest resources; balance land uses, and manage encumbrances and special uses. Activities are carried out in collaboration with other federal, state and local partners, adjacent landowners and other stakeholders.

The Francis Marion and Sumter National Forests (forests) in South Carolina are demonstrated leaders and innovators around landownership adjustment. Since the turn of the 21st century, the forests have acquired nearly 16,000 acres using purchase, donation and partner contributions to augment over $32,000,000 in Land and Water Conservation Funds (LWCF). One land-for-land exchange and three land-for-timber exchanges have netted an additional 2,750 acres, with more underway. Through these land adjustments, management efficiencies have been improved through consolidated ownership, reduced boundary lines and increased access to NFS land.

In 2013, the forests pioneered a Conservation Land Use Agreement (CLUA) with the US Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) that allowed restoration on existing forest lands and transfer of restored private lands for long term management in accordance with the forest plan. The CLUA enabled multiple permittee-responsible compensatory mitigation transactions with private and non-profit partners that will deliver conservation outcomes. Projects that have already been approved by ACOE include Duke Energy, Boeing, City of Charleston and the SC State Ports Authority. New partnerships and transactions will evolve as the forests continue collaborative efforts using this new tool.

With this Land Ownership Adjustment Strategy (LOAS), the forests will build on existing successes to facilitate landscape-scale protection and restoration. Implementation of this strategy carefully considers community interests, best available scientific information and FS management objectives through a transparent, decision-based, sustained partner involvement process.