New Report on Makah Traditional Knowledge and Cultural Resource Assessment

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Current Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) Fellow Laura Nelson is an author on a new report about “Makah Traditional Knowledge and Cultural Resource Assessment: A preliminary framework to utilize traditional knowledge into climate change planning.” Many Indigenous communities are planning for the protection of their natural resources and cultures in the face of climate change. While outside assistance in adaptation planning can be helpful, not all communities have the financial resources or the desire to outsource the work. This report provides an example and potential framework for approaching adaptation from an Indigenous perspective, and for conducting a community-led process that incorporates Traditional Ecological Knowledge and community concerns and values throughout a climate adaption planning effort.

This work was funded by the Makah Tribe, the Department of Energy Office of Indian Energy, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center.

Read this Report

Registration is Now Open for the 10th Annual Northwest Climate Conference

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Registration is now open for the 10th Annual Northwest Climate Conference, which will be held at the historic Sentinel Hotel in Portland, Oregon on October 8-10, 2019. The Northwest Climate Conference brings together a diverse community of practitioners, scientists, tribal communities and decision-makers advancing climate resilience across the Northwest. The conference offers an opportunity share knowledge, ideas and best practices related to climate change science, impacts and adaptation in the Northwest. Topics include drought, wildfire, extreme events, coastal flooding, human health, ecosystem health and resilience planning. Early registration closes on September 6th.

Learn more and register

Snowy mountain and golden sunlight at Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier National Park
Source: University of Washington

Upcoming Webinar: Tribal Resources for Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments

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Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) Deputy Director Meade Krosby will present a webinar on “Tribal Resources for Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments” on Tuesday, June 11th at noon (PT), as part of the National Climate Adaptation Science Center’s 2019 “Science You Can Use” series. Similar to the NW CASC’s previous webinar introducing these resources, this webinar will highlight a new suite of Tribal Vulnerability Assessment Resources and discuss the collaborative process employed to ensure that they would be useful and used by tribes.

Tribes have been actively engaged in efforts to anticipate and respond to climate impacts on their natural and cultural resources. And yet, some tribes have faced difficulties initiating and completing the critical first step of the climate adaptation planning process: an assessment of locally-specific climate risks that accounts for the unique priorities, values, and concerns of individual tribes. The NW CASC supported the creation of a suite of resources designed to enhance the capacity of Northwest and Great Basin tribes for completing vulnerability assessments to inform climate adaptation planning. These resources, developed in close partnership with tribal partners, include a Tribal Vulnerability Assessment Resources website, an online Tribal Climate Tool, and a Tribal Climate Technical Support Desk. If you missed the NW CASC’s earlier webinar about these resources, be sure to join this webinar to learn more!

The University of Washington Climate Impacts Group, in close collaboration with tribal partners, developed the Tribal Vulnerability Assessment Resources through the NW CASC and GBLCC-funded project “Building Tribal Capacity to Assess Vulnerability to Climate Change.”

Register

 

NW CASC-Funded Research Explores Remote Sensing of Nitrogen in Dryland Ecosystems

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Former Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) Fellow Hamid Dashti is the lead author of a new paper that evaluates methods for measuring nitrogen in dryland ecosystems. As the climate warms, dryland ecosystems in the western United States are already experiencing change and becoming more susceptible to fire-prone, invasive species such as cheatgrass. However, the long-term ecological impacts of climate change and short-term impacts of restoration activities are still poorly understood. The goal of this research was to develop more reliable estimates of nitrogen to better understand the relationship between nitrogen, vegetation and climate change in dryland ecosystems.

Nitrogen plays an important role in many dryland ecosystem processes and has been linked to climate change and nutrient limitation. This NW CASC-funded research tested methods for measuring nitrogen in dryland ecosystems using hyperspectral remote sensing. Because soil and vegetation canopy structure can complicate estimates of nitrogen obtained through remote sensing, this study tested the assumption that removing the impact of canopy structure and soil would result in more reliable nitrogen estimates. However, after removing the influence of soil and canopy structure, the study’s empirical methods failed to predict nitrogen. This suggests that using empirical methods to estimate vegetation’s nitrogen content might be unreliable and requires careful consideration of scale and analysis. This research contributes to our understanding of how to study dryland ecosystems to help land management agencies tasked with protecting them as our climate changes.

Read This Paper

(If you have trouble accessing Hamid’s new paper, please email nwcasc@uw.edu)

Hamid Dashti conducting field work
Former NW CASC Fellow Hamid Dashti conducting field work in a sagebrush steppe ecosystem of the Great Basin.
Source: Hamid Dashti

Call for Abstracts: Tribes & First Nations Climate Change Summit 2019

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The 2019 Tribes & First Nations Climate Change Summit will be held in Spokane, Washington on July 30-31st. This Summit will convene leaders from Tribes and First Nations throughout North America to advance tribal climate change policy and action. It will focus on tribal climate change resiliency, protecting and applying Traditional Knowledges in climate change initiatives, and implementing a unified tribal climate change policy agenda.

Tribes and First Nations in the Pacific Northwest have made great progress in observing and documenting environmental change on their homelands, but climate change is increasing at a pace that challenges important ways of life. This Summit provides an opportunity for Tribes and First Nations across the region to learn from past work and discuss how to continue climate change studies to provide the support that communities need to adapt and thrive for generations to come. Tribal elected and appointed leaders, resource managers, health specialists, traditional elders, scientists, students and practitioners will discuss current issues along three primary Summit Tracks: Traditional Knowledges, Tribal Climate Resiliency and Advancing Policy. The deadline for submitting abstracts and for requesting a scholarship to attend the Summit is June 1st, 2019.

Learn More & Register 

 

Abstract Submission Period Open for 10th Annual Northwest Climate Conference

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Abstracts are being accepted until June 14th, 2019, for the 10th Annual Northwest Climate Conference. This year’s conference will be held in Portland, Oregon from October 8-10, 2019.

The Northwest Climate Conference provides an opportunity to connect with a diverse community of practitioners, scientists, tribal communities and decision-makers working to build climate resilience in the Northwest. Topics include drought, wildfire, extreme events, coastal flooding, human and ecosystem health, and resiliency planning. Don’t miss the chance to share knowledge, ideas and best practices related to climate change impacts and adaptation in the Pacific Northwest!

Learn More and Submit an Abstract

Upcoming Panel Event on Creating Actionable Science through Community Collaboration

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Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) University Deputy Director Meade Krosby will join a group of researchers from the University of Washington (UW) during an upcoming panel event about “Creating Fruitful Collaborations: Leaving the Deficit Model for the Engagement Model.” During this event, the panelists will discuss the importance of engaging with and building relationships with communities and stakeholders to develop actionable science that is used to meet real-world needs.

When: Thursday, May 16th, 2019 | 5:00 – 6:30 pm
Where: University of Washington’s Vista Café, Foege Genome Sciences

Panelists:

  • Gordon Holtgrieve, Assistant Professor, Aquatic and Fishery Sciences
  • Meade Krosby, Senior Scientist, Climate Impacts Group & Deputy Director, Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center
  • Kate Litle, Assistant Director for Programs, Washington Sea Grant
  • Moderated by Ben Packard, Executive Director, EarthLab

RSVP to attend

 

 

NW CASC Welcomes USGS Director Nicole DeCrappeo!

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Nicole DeCrappeo rafts down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon
NW CASC’s USGS Director Nicole DeCrappeo on a recent rafting trip through the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River. She brought along a paper John Wesley Powell, an explorer and the 2nd director of the USGS, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of his historic trip down the Colorado River.
Source: Nicole DeCrappeo

The Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) is thrilled to welcome Nicole DeCrappeo as our U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Director! Nicole brings a strong research background, proven leadership skills and a deep commitment to advancing climate adaptation in our region. Nicole’s many years working in the Climate Adaptation Science Center network have provided her with a thorough understanding of the processes necessary to make an impact on-the-ground. Prior to her new position, Nicole served as the Acting Director of the NW CASC, Deputy Director of the Alaska CASC, Deputy Director of the NW CASC and Research Coordinator of the NW CASC. Nicole will continue to be based in Corvallis, Oregon.

Nicole’s research experience includes ten years with the USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, where she studied the links between native and exotic invasive plants, soil biological communities and nutrient cycling in arid lands of the western U.S. She has also worked on topics ranging from biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in tallgrass prairies to climate change effects on soil communities in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica. Nicole has a Ph.D. in Soil Science from Oregon State University, an M.S. in Ecology from Colorado State University and a B.A. in Environmental Studies from American University.

We are certain that Nicole’s experience, energy and strong vision will help advance our mission to safeguard the Northwest’s natural and cultural resources by providing accessible science on climate change impacts and adaptation actions for local managers and decision-makers. Congratulations and welcome, Nicole!

Funding Opportunity through Bureau of Indian Affairs Tribal Resilience Program

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The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has funding available through its Tribal Resilience Program for activities that support tribal resilience and/or coastal management planning as tribes prepare for the impacts of climate change. The BIA is currently accepting proposals for two funding opportunities:

Funding available for federally-recognized Tribes and Alaska Native communities to support tribal adaptation and resilience to extreme events and harmful environmental trends; capacity building to build this resilience; and ocean and coastal management planning. See the grants.gov announcement. The deadline to submit a proposal is June 10, 2019.

Funding is available for tribal organizations and tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCUs) to support tribal adaptation and resilience to extreme events and harmful environmental trends; and ocean and coastal management planning. See the grants.gov announcement. The deadline to submit a proposal is June 10, 2019.

Please see the BIA Tribal Resilience webpage for more information.

NW CASC Joins Adaptation Practitioners from Across the Country at the National Adaptation Forum

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On the heels of Earth Day, the National Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) will be participating at the 4th National Adaptation Forum this week in Madison, Wisconsin.

The Forum brings together climate adaptation practitioners from across the country to exchange knowledge and tools for incorporating climate change into their work, to network with others in the adaptation community, and to participate in professional development opportunities.

As managers at local, state, regional and federal levels begin to respond to climate change impacts, there is an urgently growing need for practical climate adaptation actions. Throughout the week, the National Adaptation Forum will highlight the range of climate adaptation activities across the country and around the world, sharing perspectives from different sectors, geographies and stakeholders to help move beyond adaptation planning and into adaptation action.

The NW CASC staff and researchers will be presenting on NW CASC-supported work throughout the week. If you’ll be joining us at the National Adaptation Forum, be sure to check out our presentations below, as well as presentations from across the CASC network!

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Finding and managing hydrologic refugia as drought patterns change
Presenter: Jennifer Cartwright, NW CASC Project PI; Meade Krosby, NW CASC
When: 2pm – 3:30pm, Concurrent Sessions 2
Where: Madison Ballroom C
Type: Symposium

Introduction to Indigenous Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Planning
Presenter: Chas Jones, NW CASC & Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians
When: 2pm – 3:30pm, Concurrent Sessions 2, Indigenuity Session 1
Where: Hall of Ideas I
Type: Symposium

Adapting to wildfire in non-fire adapted forest systems
Presenter: Crystal Raymond, NW CASC Project PI & UW Climate Impacts Group
When: 11am – 12:30pm, Concurrent Sessions 1
Where: Madison Ballroom C
Type: Symposium

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Sailing the Resilience Seas – Hands-on Training with New Tools for Every Step of the Resilience Journey 
Leader: Meade Krosby, NW CASC Project PI
When: 8am – 10:30am, Indigenuity Session 3
Where: Hall of Ideas F
Type: Training

A Decision Support Framework for Integrating Climate Vulnerability and Adaptation into Natural Resource Planning
Presenters: Jessi Kershner, EcoAdapt; Andrea Woodward, U.S. Geological Survey; Alicia Torregrosa, U.S. Geological Survey
When: 11am – 12:30pm, Concurrent Sessions 4
Where: Hall of Ideas J
Type: Symposium

Beyond the Literature Review: Putting Climate Adaptation Syntheses to Work for Managers
Presenters: Nicole DeCrappeo, NW CASC; Amy Snover, NW CASC & UW Climate Impacts Group; Rachel Gregg, EcoAdapt
When: 12:45pm – 1:45pm, Lunch Sessions
Where: Madison Ballroom C
Type: Working Group

Thursday, April 25th

Collaboration and Adaptation Across Worldviews: case studies in co-producing and implementing science for management 
Leaders: Aparna Bamzai, North Central CASC; Aranzazu Lascurain, Southeast CASC; Scott Laursen, Pacific Islands CASC; Amy Snover, NW CASC; Tamara Wall, Southwest CASC; Renee McPherson, South Central CASC
When: 2pm – 3:30pm, Concurrent Sessions 8
Where: Hall of Ideas H
Type: Symposium

Expressions of Native American cultural heritage in response to changes in environmental setting
Presenters: Gus Bisbal, National CASC Federal Scientist; Chas Jones, NW CASC & Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians
When: 2pm – 3:30pm, Concurrent Sessions 8
Where: Hall of Ideas J
Type: Symposium