Species of Conservation Concern (SCC)
Species of conservation concern are those plant and animal species whose long-term persistence within a national forest or grassland is of known conservation concern. The 2012 Planning Rule requires that to be identified as an SCC, a species must be “known to occur in the plan area” and that the regional forester identify the species of conservation concern for which "the best available scientific information indicates substantial concern about the species’ capability to persist over the long term in the plan area."
The BPR Planning Program provides support to Regions as they identify SCCs as part of their planning process. After SCCs are identified the program also participates in review of Land Management Plan objection issues associated with Species of Conservation Concern (SCC) identification. The following resources may aid those working to identify SCC.
SCC Identification Resources:
- 2012 Planning Rule, §219.9(c)
- FSH 1909.12 – Land Management Planning Handbook, ch. 10, section 12.52
- SCC Deputy Chief Memos (file code 2670 and file code 1920): This set of June 2016 memos clarify that once a plan has been revised under the 2012 Rule, the sensitive species list no longer applies to that unit. They also provide further clarification to SCC identification policy.
- SCC Workshop notes and Key Considerations document: Summary notes from an agency July 2017 SCC workshop with attached SCC Key Considerations document.
- SCC Practitioners Reference Applying the 2012 Planning Rule to Conserve Species: This reference document (and shorter version) provide a technical and scientific reference to aid field practitioners applying the 2012 Rule.
- Examples from the Francis Marion NF: The Francis Marion SCC Objection Response and the attachment is the agency response to SCC objections and provides instructions to Regions. This was the first SCC objection process completed.
- Examples from the Flathead NF: The Flathead SCC Objection Response is the agency response to SCC objections and provides instructions to Regions. This was the second SCC objection process completed.