Indigenous Peoples
Indigenous Peoples
Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and other Indigenous peoples and communities are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The CASCs are working with Tribes and Indigenous communities to better understand their specific vulnerabilities to climate change and to help them adapt to these impacts. Browse our projects below.
Tribes and Tribal Organizations
Tribes and Tribal Organizations
The CASCs partner with Tribal Nations and Tribal organizations to better understand their specific vulnerabilities to climate change, to assist in their adaptation planning, and to identify and address their climate science needs.
Pacific Island Indigenous People
Pacific Island Indigenous People
The Pacific Island CASC partners with Indigenous communities throughout Hawai'i and the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands to support their specific climate adaptation efforts.
Alaska Natives and Corporations
Alaska Natives and Corporations
The Alaska and Northwest CASCs partner with Alaska Native Tribes, regional Tribal consortia, and for-profit corporations established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) to support their specific climate adaptation efforts.
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Future Streamflow Estimates for Tongue River to Enable Northern Cheyenne Data Driven Water Management and Planning
Atmospheric warming is driving a shift in precipitation from snow to rain, changing precipitation intensity and seasonality, and increasing atmospheric demand for moisture in mountain river watersheds across the western United States. These changes will likely alter the timing and quantity of streamflow in rivers draining from the mountains. The Tongue River flows from the Bighorn mountains in nor
Improving Water Resilience and Availability Through Culturally Prescribed Fires as a Management Tool on Yurok Tribal Lands
Climate Change is making our environment unpredictable. Increased persistence of drought is causing deaths of plants and animals across our landscapes. However, drought amongst the western United States is not a new thing. Native American populations have been living with drought since time immemorial and practiced culturally prescribed fire practices to foster the landscape for an environment tha
Incorporating Climate, Disease and Invasive Species into the Conservation of a First Food, Klamath Redband Trout
Climate change has the potential to magnify existing problems in conservation, such as invasive species and disease. This threat is particularly severe in the Klamath Basin, where the fish parasite Ceratonova shastais making national headlines for killing salmon, and invasive trout have extirpated populations of native trout. The Klamath Basin is slated for one of the largest restoration projects
Indigenous Perspectives on Lake Sturgeon and the Potential Impact of Climate Change
Lake sturgeon are a fish of strong subsistence, cultural, and spiritual importance for many Tribal nations. But lake sturgeon are especially vulnerable to climate change given their unique life history and historical mass declines. Therefore, there is a great need to incorporate Tribal perspectives on lake sturgeon shifts and information needs into adaptation planning to conserve these fish in a c
Integrating Stream Discharge and Temperature Monitoring for Tribal Partners in Southeast Alaska
Stream discharge and temperature patterns are being altered by climate change, but documenting these changes on the community level is challenging without community partners trained in suitable data collection techniques. The USGS Juneau Field Office is collaborating with the Yakutat Tlingit Tribe (YTT), the Southeast Alaska Tribal Ocean Research (SEATOR) network, and the Southeast Alaska Watershe
Native and Invasive Bivalves in the Pacific Northwest: Co-occurrence, Habitat Associations and Potential Competition in the Face of Climate Change
Native mussels are in precipitous decline across North America. As part of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation’s (CTUIR) First Foods management framework that places significant value on the cultural importance of traditional food resources, they have been identified as a top conservation priority in the Pacific Northwest. Freshwater mussels are a vital component of river ec
Shifting from Extractive to Self-determined: Enhancing Indigenous Research and Data Governance in Southwest Climate Adaptation Initiatives
Indigenous knowledge systems, such as traditional ecological knowledge, contain climate observations and adaptation strategies reaching back millennia. These include methods for caring for our natural resources and relations, such as through drought resilient agriculture, soil, and water management practices. Despite a growing global recognition among researchers and resource managers of the value
South Fork Nooksack River Engineered Logjam Effectiveness Project: Are Engineered Logjams Creating Cool-Water Refuges for Pacific Salmon on a Thermally Impaired River?
Pacific salmon need cold water and quality habitat to survive. As climate change continues to increase river temperatures, effective methods to restore cool-water refuges and logjam habitats need to be determined. Many salmon habitat restoration projects in the Pacific Northwest have built engineered logjams (ELJs) to create deep, cool pools and reconnect rivers to floodplains to replenish cool gr
The Impact of Climate Change on Culturally Significant Wetland Plants and Their Habitat in the Meduxnekeag River Watershed in Maine
Wetland plants are important to Wabanaki people in Maine and are central to Houlton Band of Maliseet Indian (HBMI) identity. HBMI peoples have harvested culturally important plants within the Meduxnekeag watershed for generations. Basket making and medicinal plant harvesting are forms of cultural preservation that are also important to Tribal economies. Projections for climate change in the no
The Importance of Forests for All People: Understanding Forest Recovery Priorities, Management Options, and Policy Needs for Tribes in Post-Fire Landscapes
Fires are becoming more extensive and severe in the West, and post-fire recovery is a challenge for communities as they adapt to a changing climate. Post-fire management can involve watershedrehabilitation, recovering valuable trees, and replanting to prevent forest loss and damage to watersheds. Land management agencies that make decisions may prioritize goals that differ from those of local popu
Understanding and Managing the Impacts of Climate Change and Land Loss on Native American Archaeological Sites in Coastal Louisiana
Since the 1930s, Louisiana has lost approximately 1,900 mi2 of land due to coastal erosion, land subsidence, and sea-level rise exacerbated by climate change, putting Native American archaeological sites along Louisiana’s Gulf Coast in danger of being destroyed. These cultural resources are crucial sources of information and represent the unique heritage of coastal Louisiana. Federal and State age
Understanding the Intersection of Climate Vulnerability and Resource Management in Rural Communities
Natural resource managers planning for increased incidence of droughts, floods, and other climate change impacts in the North Central region are in charge of management strategies that can impact the well-being of rural communities in the region. Gaining a better understanding of how resource management decisions may impact rural communities can allow for better consideration of the costs and bene