Integrating Cultural Resources into Adaptation Planning in Tribal and Marginalized Communities

Climate change threatens to damage historical sites and disrupt cultural practices in communities around the world, including the South-Central United States. Researchers are now paying greater attention to the impact of climate change on these cultural resources, but currently little guidance exists for decision makers who are interested in protecting them.



Because communities value and interact with cultural resources in different ways, effectively planning for their protection requires broad public participation. In the planning phase, this project will focus on (1) building relationships with researchers and professionals working to protect cultural resources, (2) identifying and engaging with tribal and marginalized communities in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and South Carolina who are interested in hosting deliberative public forums, and (3) reviewing current literature on how cultural resources have been defined for the purpose of climate adaptation planning.



This planning project will lay the foundation for conducting deliberative public forums in tribal and marginalized communities to facilitate conversations about climate threats to cultural resources and plan for their protection.