South Carolina
Charleston, SC 29407-7558
Get Involved
A fundamental tenet in our approach to conservation is engagement with our community – from private landowners wanting to improve endangered species habitat on their land to non-profits doing on-the-ground work.
Services
The South Carolina Field Office is heavily focused on imperiled-species conservation, while also supporting the conservation of other species for which the federal government has jurisdiction Our office’s work can be divided into three broad categories:
Endangered species
Our office coordinates and supports the recovery of federally threatened and endangered species, and species being considered for Endangered Species Act protection. This includes activities like supporting research, habitat restoration, captive propagation, and providing information to the public. It also includes grants and technical assistance for private landowners who want to improve habitat on their land. We compile and analyze data used when deciding what plants and animals receive Endangered Species Act protection.
Project planning and review
We work with other federal agencies to reduce or eliminate impacts to plants, fish, and wildlife from projects they fund or authorize. Good examples of our collaboration on projects include highway construction or maintenance, logging on national forests, or reservoir management by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Partnering Programs
Biologists for Coastal and Partners for Fish and Wildlife Programs provide technical and financial assistance to enhance and/or improve habitats for threatened, endangered, or at-risk species. The Coastal Program works with state natural resource agencies and private landowners where Partners for Fish and Wildlife work solely with private landowners. The field office provides services to private citizens, community groups, local governments, schools, conservation partners, and other federal and state agencies. Partnerships are fundamental to how we work, advancing rare species conservation and/or working to minimize impacts to imperiled species.
The field office provides services to private citizens, community groups, local governments, schools, conservation partners, and other federal and state agencies. Partnerships are fundamental to how we work, advancing rare species conservation and/or working to minimize impacts to imperiled species.
About
Established in 1973 the South Carolina Ecological Services Field Office (SCESFO) covers 46 counties, 31,000 square miles and 187 miles of general coast line. It works ;with 13 threatened or endangered animal species, 19 threatened or endangered plant species, and approximately 70 other plant/animal species deemed to be at-risk. The primary focus of SCESFO is on the protection and recovery of threatened and endangered species while supporting conservation of migratory birds, fish, and wetlands. A few inhabitants of the area are the Carolina heelsplitter, eastern ;black rail, red cockaded woodpecker, small-whorled pogonia, and many more threatened/endangered species.
Priorities:
- Conduct consultation, habitat conservation planning activities, and candidate conservation activities under the Endangered Species Act;
- Reduce impacts to fish, wildlife, and their habitats in the state from federally funded or authorized projects (e.g., Federal Energy Regulatory Commission activities);
- Restore habitat through the Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife and Coastal programs
- Manage natural resources through the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act;
- Conduct surveys on threatened, endangered, and at-risk species;
- Identify, reduce, and prevent contamination of fish and wildlife resources through technical assistance, investigations, monitoring, and technical reviews of environmental contaminant issues;
- Protect the ecological integrity of our National Wildlife Refuges and National Fish Hatcheries statewide;
- Conserve migratory birds; and
- Conduct education and outreach activities in support of fish and wildlife conservation.
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the SCESFO is working with others (federal, state, ;local, and private landowners) to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The primary governing tool is the Endangered Species Act; however, there are numerous laws that guide our service. See Laws and regulations form more information.