Building Tribal Capacity to Adapt and Respond to Climate Change in Southern Southeast Alaska

Climate adaptation planning provides a framework for Tribes to exercise sovereignty over wild resources important for the subsistence way of life and economic and cultural activities that are being impacted by climate change. The climate adaptation planning process includes identifying key resources that are currently being impacted by climate change, or that may be impacted in the future, as well as identifying practical and strategic steps that can be taken to mitigate or adapt to the changing circumstances. 

Through a partnership among the Ketchikan Indian Community, the Metlakatla Indian Community, OceansAlaska, and the University of Alaska Fairbanks this project will support Tribal- and Alaska Native-led climate adaptation planning efforts, will support Alaska Native-led research, and provide technical support for research linked to Alaska Native communities. Ketchikan Indian Community and Metlakatla Indian Community will complete climate adaptation plans that identify key resources that are currently being impacted, or will soon be impacted, by climate change and identify steps to mitigate or adapt to these changes.  

Additionally, in light of limited data and understanding of ocean acidification, the project team will monitor ocean acidification and evaluate the vulnerability of subsistence resources to this threat. Over the past decade ocean acidification has become a critical resource issue for Alaska, especially in Southeast Alaska, where communities are highly dependent on commercial fishing and subsistence ways of life.  

This project will build capacity for Alaska Native-led research and climate adaptation planning. Tribes and Alaska Native communities are directly involved in this project, starting at the planning stages, and serve as co-principal investigators and partners on the project. Anticipated products include the completion of climate adaptation plans, data on ocean acidification, information on the vulnerability of cultural and subsistence resources, and tools to build resilience and capacity to detect climate impacts and changes in these resources over time.