The Tribal Climate Change Guide is part of the Pacific Northwest Tribal Climate Change Project (TCCP). The TCCP is part of the L.I.G.H.T. Foundation (LF), is an independent, Indigenous-led, conservation 501(c)(3) nonprofit established on the Colville Indian Reservation in the traditional territory of the Nespelem Tribe in present-day north central Washington State. LF supports the restoration and cultivation of native Plant and Pollinator Relatives and the culturally respectful conservation of habitats and ecosystems which are climate resilient and adaptive. For more information about LF, visit: https://thepnwlf.org/. For more information about the Tribal Climate Change Project, visit: https://tribalclimate.uoregon.edu/. If you would like to add information to this guide, please email kathy.lynn.or@gmail.com.

 

Events

July 9, 2025. 10:00 am Pacific. Monitoring Ecological Effects at PacWave: Oregon’s Wave Energy Testing Facility. Join us for a webinar exploring the ongoing environmental research at PacWave, an open-ocean wave energy test facility off the Oregon coast. Dr. Sarah Henkel is a benthic ecologist at Oregon State University and leads the environmental studies at PacWave. Her research focuses on site characterization and monitoring of seafloor species to assess potential ecological impacts of wave energy devices, including effects of electromagnetic fields (EMFs). Dr. Henkel will share key findings and describe the methods used to monitor ecological changes at the PacWave test sites. Find more information here: https://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/renewable-ocean-energy/webinars. Register for the webinar here: https://oregonstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/E3-pVxGFRt-WXd2E_VIOzQ#/registration

July 10, 2025. 11:00 am Pacific. Webinar: Indigenous Leadership in Transboundary Collaboration. The Cascadia Partner Forum (CPF) is hosting a free webinar on Indigenous Leadership in Transboundary Collaboration.  The webinar will focus on the Transboundary Mining Conference, being planned by Upper Columbia United Tribes and its partners, which addresses related mining issues in the Cascadia Region. Guest speakers include Chief Heidi Gravelle and Marc Gauthier. Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/E5iUXgu7R_quiTSgE9mFtw#/registration

July 14, 2025. 11:00 am Pacific. Washington Coastal Resilience and Adaptation Funding for Tribes (WA-CRAFT) Application workshop I.  https://washington.zoom.us/meeting/register/v4Rukq8CT0GiWaTZEKkGLQ#/registration

July 28, 2025. 11:00 am Pacific. Washington Coastal Resilience and Adaptation Funding for Tribes (WA-CRAFT) Application workshop II. https://washington.zoom.us/meeting/register/M5obp8wLQAS2xxJOyWjtWg#/registration

July 16-17, 2025. 11:00 am - 2:00 pm Pacific. Virtual Course: An Intro to AI in Tribal Environmental Programs. The ITEP Waste & Response team, along with colleagues from Choctaw Nation and Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, is offering a two-day virtual course for Tribal environmental staff on how AI tools can be used to assist them in their work. The objectives of this course are to create a safe space for Tribal environmental staff to discuss how AI tools might help them in their work; consider concerns about protecting culture, traditions, language and data; introduce some common tools and provide opportunities to use them; and learn some useful tips from colleagues experienced in using AI tools. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZOLr7eshT-bjb79HBD_aw8q_pbUiM1UvrDEFhPJPk0tM53Q/viewform

July 23, 2025. 10:30 am Pacific. Caring for Our Relatives - Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) Technical Assistance Program - Open Office Hours.  Open office hours are designed to provide Tribes with flexible, accessible Technical Assistance (TA) as you move from climate adaptation planning to implementation. Whether you’re working on funding proposals, scoping a project, or navigating the next steps in building climate resilience, our team is here to support you. Office hours will be hosted every fourth Wednesday of the month at 10:30 am Pacific. The first session will be on June 25, 2025. Please visit our website for updates, resources, and information. https://sites.google.com/view/caringforourrelatives/home

July 31, 2025. 12:00 - 1:00 pm PT. Webinar: NOAA Disaster Preparedness Program. An overview of the Disaster Preparedness Program and Regional breakout sessions to meet your Preparedness Coordinators, discuss regional priorities and ask questions. Register here.

August 5, 2025. 11:00 am Pacific. SW CASC Tribal Climate Resilience Webinar Series: Tribal Climate Resilience Success Stories. https://arizona.zoom.us/meeting/register/OHLlSFDnTPi4c-ket8Vhvg#/registration

August 10-16, 2025. 2025 Tribal Youth Water Summit & Journeys in Creativity Pre-College Residency. This event will empower Indigenous youth by providing them with professional development tools and opportunities to amplify their voices on tribal water issues. By fostering creativity and leadership, this youth event will support the next generation of Indigenous leaders in advocating for the health and sustainability of their communities’ water resources. https://www.changingcurrents.net/youth-summit

August 18-21, 2025. Tribal Lands and Environment Forum. https://www7.nau.edu/itep/main/Conferences/confr_tlef

August 20, 2025. 10:00 am Pacific. Understanding Marine Mammal and Seabird Distribution to Inform Offshore Wind Energy Development: The MOSAIC Projecthttps://oregonstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/9ScIMSFiRkmz9NLtugofyw#/registration

September 21-26, 2025. White Earth Nation - Tribal Climate Camp. Waubun, Minnesota. A dedicated, immersive learning experience to support Tribal Nations and Indigenous organizations in advancing climate adaptation planning and building climate resilience.  https://www.tribalclimatecamp.com/

December 9-10, 2025.  International Invasive Species and Climate Change Conferencehttps://www.risccnetwork.org/iisccc-2025