Adaptation Plans

Tribes throughout the United States are developing and implementing tribal climate change adaptation plans and climate vulnerability assessments. Search this list for examples of tribal climate change adaptation plans, as well as other plans and planning resources that may be useful reference guides.

Title Year Description Geography Website
Shoalwater Bay Tribe Tribal Hazard Mitigation Plan 2019, 2014

The Disaster Mitigation Act (DMA; Public Law 106-390) is the latest federal legislation enacted to encourage and promote proactive, pre-disaster planning as a condition of receiving financial assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Act. The DMA emphasizes planning for disasters before they occur. Under the DMA, a pre-disaster hazard mitigation program and new requirements for the national post-disaster hazard mitigation grant program were established.

Categories: adaption, management, mitigation

Washington Link
Karuk Tribe Climate Vulnerability Assessment Assessing Vulnerabilities From the Increased Frequency of High Severity Fire 2016

Ongoing and future ecological outcomes of climate change in the Mid Klamath region of California include changes in precipitation patterns, increasing droughts, increasing frequency and severity of wildfires, and more significant disease and pest outbreaks (Butz et al. 2015, Garfin et al. 2014, Mote et al. 2014). Among the most pressing of the local dimensions of climate change taking place within Karuk ancestral territory is the increased risk of high severity fire (Lenihan et al. 2008). For the last thousand years, forested areas have become adapted to frequent occurrence of relatively low intensity fire from human and natural ignitions (Perry et al. 2011). These fire adapted forests burned in smaller overall areas in mosaic patterns that contained patches of high intensity fire (Mohr et al. 2000, Skinner et al. 2006, Perry et al. 2011).To download a PDF of the plan, click here.

Categories: adaption plan, Klamath, droughts, wildfire

Northern California Link
Makah Tribe’s Climate Resilience, Adaptation, and Mitigation Planning 2018

To look at slides from the 2017 Makah Tribe’s Climate Resilience, Adaptation, and Mitigation Planning presentation, click here.To look at slides from the 2018 Makah Tribe’s Climate Adaptation & Outreach Efforts presentation, click here.

Categories: adaptation, resilience, mitigation, assessment, funding, climate change

Makah Link
Tribal Climate Adaptation Guidebook

The Oregon Climate Change Research Institute, along with Adaptation International, created the Tribal Climate Adaptation Guidebook, which provides a framework for climate change adaptation planning in the context of existing tribal priorities. The Guidebook builds on the on-going climate-related work in tribal communities, directly considers the unique issues facing Indigenous communities, and identifies opportunities and guidance for incorporating Traditional Knowledges based on the Climate and Traditional Knowledges Workgroup’s Guidelines for Considering Traditional Knowledges (TKs) in Climate Change Initiatives. The Tribal Climate Adaptation Guidebook is designed to be useful for tribes at any stage of adaptation planning and with varying degrees of funding and staff capacity. The Guidebook is designed so that tribes can work through any applicable section and skip sections that are not applicable. The development of the guidebook was overseen by a group of advisors who supported the writing staff by refining the goals and objectives for the Guidebook and by providing regular reviews throughout the development process. The project was funded by a grant from the North Pacific Landscape Conservation Cooperative and received supplemental funding from the Pacific Northwest Climate Impacts Research Consortium and the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute.

Categories: adaptation, planning, resource, climate change

National, Northwest Link
Bad River Reservation Seventh Generation Climate Change Monitoring Plan 2016

This Seventh Generation Climate Monitoring Plan (the Plan) was developed by the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians (the Tribe) to detect potential climate change impacts to the ecosystems and natural resources found on the Bad River Indian Reservation (the Reservation). The purpose of the Plan is to monitor for what can sometimes be subtle changes associated with climate change that can occur over many years. To download the Project Summary, click here. To download a copy of the Climate Moderating Plan, click here.

Categories: adaptation, development, climate change impacts, natural resources, cultural resources

Upper midwest and Great Lakes, Wisconsin Link
Stillaguamish Tribe Natural Resources Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment 2016

This report describes an assessment of the climate change vulnerability of priority species and habitats for the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians. In addition to describing our approach and resulting sensitivity scores and vulnerability rankings, we provide an appendix of quick reference fact sheets for each of the assessed species and habitat types, highlighting their primary climate sensitivities and research needs. These estimates of climate vulnerability, underlying climate sensitivities, and key information gaps should help lay the foundation for the Tribe’s future climate adaptation and research efforts. To download a PDF of the plan, click here.

Categories: Adaptation Plan, natural resources, climate change

Northwest Link
Ute Mountain Climate Action Plan 2020

The information in this Climate Action Plan represents an important step in protecting the health and livelihoods of the community members in the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. The Tribe collaborated with Colorado State University and recieved funding from the BIA to develop the Climate Action Plan. An Adaption Planning Working Group was formed and focused on six planning areas including health and livelihoods, water resources, water ecosystems, rangelands and forests, terrestrial and aquatic wildlife, and energy. The plan proposes specific actions and funding sources for each area. This information is located in Section 5. The Climate Action Plan work is a testament to the determination of the Tribe to work towards climate resiliency. To download a PDF of the plan, click here.

Categories: Adaptation plan, Human Health and Livelihoods, Tourism, Agriculture, Food Security, Air Quality, Water Resources, Riparian and Wetland Systems, Rangelands, Forest Health, Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife, Energy, Greenhouse Gas Reduction

Southwest, Rocky Mountains Link
Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska Climate Change Adaptation Plan 2019

Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska Climate Change Adaptation Plan. The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (Tlingit & Haida) is a federally recognized Indian Tribe that serves 20 villages and communities stretching over 43,000 square miles within the Alaska Panhandle. The Tlingit and Haida membership is among the largest, most isolated, and most geographically dispersed of Native or Tribal populations nationwide. The region encompasses a 525-mile strip of coastline and interior waterways, bordered by Canada on the north, south, and east, with the Gulf of Alaska on the west. To download a copy of the Adaptation Plan, click here.

Categories: adaptation plan

Alaska Link