Research Symposium: Culturally Significant Plants and Climate Change

The loss or decline of culturally significant plants is a major concern for many tribal managers. Culturally significant plants are essential to many aspects of life for tribal members, including medicine, ceremonial practices, and traditional food dishes. In many parts of the U.S., droughts, floods, and changes in the timing of frost events are stressing these plants and in some cases have led to decreases in their areas of suitable habitat or a reduction in their resistance to disease.

 

The goal of this project is to hold a research symposium that will bring together tribal resource managers and scientists from a range of disciplines in the South Central region to identify which culturally significant species are of most concern, how those species are being affected by climate change, and the potential application of climate adaptation planning tools. In the face of changing climate conditions, this symposium will develop a network for climate-related science focused on culturally significant plants, resulting in new collaborations geared towards addressing tribal climate science priorities.



For more information on the symposium, please see the following link: Culturally Significant Plants – South Central CASC (southcentralclimate.org).