Species of Conservation Concern

The 2012 Planning Rule (36 CFR 219) defines a species of conservation concern (SCC) as:

"A species, other than a federally recognized threatened, endangered, proposed or candidate species, that is known to occur in the plan area and for which the regional forester has determined that the best available scientific information indicates substantial concern about the species’ capability to persist over the long-term in the plan area” (36 CFR 219.9).

Revised Land Management Plans must be designed to sustain or restore habitat for SCC populations and ensure, to the extent possible, that these species can remain on the landscape over the long term. Stated simply, Land Management Plans help us maintain conditions that provide SCCs with the habitat they need to persist in the Plan area. 

The Forest Service will consider all input received. When reviewing the feedback, the Forest Service will determine if input offers valid scientific information that has not yet been considered. If so, species may be removed or added from the list based on valid scientific information received. Such changes will be documented in the SCC list released either in the draft forest plans or the final forest plans. Learn more about public participation opportunities, including comment periods, here.

Potential Species of Conservation Concern Lists

Below you will find the lists of potential SCC that are being considered. This list changes throughout the planning process as best available science is considered.

• Preliminary Species of Conservation Concern - Tri-Forest

SCC Process during the Assessment Phase

The assessment phase has three primary SCC tasks that collectively inform the development of the Regional Forester’s SCC lists:

1. Prepare or gather Species Accounts that have the best available scientific information.
2. Determine which species on the list have substantial concern for long-term persistence on each planning unit and record that determination in a substantial concern rationale document, and
3. Develop species groups based on ecological conditions the species have in common, including habitat and stressors. 

What are Species Accounts?

Species accounts are intended to be focused on information that is directly related to the determination of substantial concern. Species accounts document information about population and habitat trends, distribution, life history, limiting factors, stressors, and threats (including the degree and extent), that inform determining substantial concern for long-term persistence of the species on the planning units. This information comes from the best available scientific information for each of the species. An existing partnership agreement with Oregon Biodiversity information Center (ORBIC) was utilized to produce most of the species accounts and a few were developed internally.  

Species Accounts reflect the BASI for all species meeting one or more of the categories for consideration described above. This includes reviewing the scientific information provided by any source, including other agencies, tribal entities and the public. The information is documented in a concise, transparent format that is publicly available upon completion. Species accounts cover habitat, distribution, abundance, population and habitat trends, threats, life history, and other information relevant to the population of the species using the plan area. 

What are Species Rationales? 

The species accounts provide the basis for the rationale statements that indicate best professional judgement regarding each species capability to persist over the long term in the plan area. The following factors are used in this determination:  

1. Significant threats, caused by stressors on and off the plan area, to populations or the ecological conditions they depend upon (including habitat).  These threats include climate change. 
2. Declining trends in populations or habitat in the plan area. 
3. Restricted ranges (with corresponding narrow endemics, disjunct populations, or species at the edge of their range). 
4. Low population numbers or restricted ecological conditions (habitat) within the plan area.
5. Other factors: taxonomy, diversity, and important ecological function of the species, where any of these factors are of importance in determining the likelihood of long-term persistence of the species in the plan area. 

Resources

• Preliminary Species of Conservation Concern - Tri-Forest
• Evaluations for Wildlife Species Considered for Species of Conservation Concern
• Evaluations for Plant and Fungus Species Considered for Species of Conservation Concern - Volume 1
• Evaluations for Plant and Fungus Species Considered for Species of Conservation Concern - Volume 2
• Species of Conservation Concern Identification Process
• Species of Conservation Concern Frequently Asked Questions
• Species of Conservation Concern Brochure
• Species of Conservation Concern - 2012 Planning Rule

Get in Touch!

We want to hear from you! You can sign up for our mailing list to receive periodic updates about the plan revision process. Have questions for us?  Send a message to our plan revision inbox or call 541-278-3716 and a team member will get back to you. Learn more about public participation opportunities here.