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 Sort descending Year Description Geography Website
Dibaginjigaadeg Anishinaabe Ezhitwaad: A Tribal Climate Adaptation Menu

Tribal Adaptation Menu Team. 2019. Dibaginjigaadeg Anishinaabe Ezhitwaad: A Tribal Climate Adaptation Menu. Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, Odanah, Wisconsin. 54 p

Climate change has impacted and will continue to impact indigenous peoples, their lifeways and culture, and the natural world upon which they rely, in unpredictable and potentially devastating ways. Many climate adaptation planning tools fail to address the unique needs, values and cultures of indigenous communities. This Tribal Climate Adaptation Menu, which was developed by a diverse group of collaborators representing tribal, academic, intertribal and government entities in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, provides a framework to integrate indigenous and traditional knowledge, culture, language and history into
the climate adaptation planning process. Developed as part of the Climate Change Response Framework, the Tribal Climate Adaptation Menu is designed to work with the Northern Institute of Applied Climate
Science (NIACS) Adaptation Workbook, and as a stand-alone resource. The Menu is an extensive collection of climate change adaptation actions for natural resource management, organized into tiers of general and
more specific ideas. It also includes a companion Guiding Principles document, which describes detailed considerations for working with tribal communities. While this first version of the Menu was created based
on Ojibwe and Menominee perspectives, languages, concepts and values, it was intentionally designed to be adaptable to other indigenous communities, allowing for the incorporation of their language, knowledge
and culture. Primarily developed for the use of indigenous communities, tribal natural resource agencies and their non-indigenous partners, this Tribal Climate Adaptation Menu may be useful in bridging
communication barriers for non-tribal persons or organizations interested in indigenous approaches to climate adaptation and the needs and values of tribal communities.

Categories: climate change, adaptation, planning

Great Lakes Region Link
Fond Du Lac Integrated Resource Management Plan 2018

The purpose of the Fond Du Lac Band's Integrated Resource Management Plan is to manage the Band's resources effectively for future generations. The Integrated Resource Management Plan will be used to address current and future management options of the Band. The Integrated Resource Management Plan has been developed by a group of people dedicated to the protection, enhancement, and management of Fond Du Lac's resources. To download a PDF of the most recent Intigrated Resource Management Plan, click here.

Categories: climate change impacts, natural resources, adaptation, management

Lake Superior, Upper midwest and Great Lakes, Minnesota Link
Forest and Water Climate Adaptation: A Plan for the Nisqually Watershed 2020, 2014

The Nisqually River Basin is a vital part of the Washington landscape. Nestled between Tacoma and Olympia, it is the traditional home of the Nisqually Indian Tribe, and contains the small towns of Ashford, Elbe, Mineral, Eatonville, Yelm, Roy and McKenna. Despite close proximity to urban centers, the watershed remains in good environmental condition. Nearly 80% of the Nisqually River’s riparian areas are under permanent protection. It is also the only river in the United States to have its headwaters protected by a national park (Mount Rainier National Park) and its estuary protected by a national wildlife refuge (Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge). Community members place a strong priority on protecting valuable natural resources as shown by continued native salmon runs, 300,000 acres of forestland and high quality water. To dowload a PDF of the plan, click here.To read about and download a PDF of the 2020 third update of The Nisqually Watershed Stewardship Plan, click here.

Categories: adaption, watershed, mitigation, river, basin, wildlife, stewardship

Washington, Nisqually Watershed Link
Fort Belknap Indian Community Climate Change Adaptation Plan

Fort Belknap Indian Community is home to the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes (the Aaniiih and Nakoda Nations). The Gros Ventre call themselves “AH-AH-NE-NIN” meaning the White Clay People, and
the Assiniboine refer to themselves as “Nakoda” meaning the generous ones. For the purpose of this plan, we will be referring to the community as Fort Belknap Indian Community, or FBIC for short. The
Gros Ventre and Assiniboine peoples were nomadic hunters and warriors who followed the buffalo which provided them all the necessities of life.2 The reservation is located 43 miles south of the
Canadian Border and 20 miles north of the Missouri River, which is on the route of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Categories: tribal adaptation plan, climate change

Montana Link
Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe-Climate Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Plan 2013

In order to promote climate resilience in their community, the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe has developed a Climate Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Plan. Drawing on an Environmental Protection Agency Indian General Assistance Program (IGAP) grant, and in collaboration with Adaptation International and Washington Sea Grant, the Tribe developed a plan that addresses sea level rise, ocean acidification, salmon health, natural disasters and shifts in species ranges. The plan drew on input from tribal leaders, elders and technical staff to ensure that tribal concerns were considered. The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe sees climate adaptation as a process, not an outcome; this plan is part of an ongoing effort by the Tribe to prepare for climate impacts on their community. Additional plan resources are available as listed below.To download a PDF of the 2013 Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe Climate Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Plan, click here.To download a PDF of the 2013 Climate Action Plan Key Area of Concern, click here.To download a PDF of the 2013 Adaptation Plan Addendum: Two Additional Key Areas of Concern, click here.To download a PDF of the 2013 Climate Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Plan Appendices, click here.

Categories: Tribal, Adaptation Plan, Climate Change, Vulnerability Assessment

Northwest Link
Karuk Climate Adaptation Plan 2019

"Within Karuk Aboriginal Territory on the mid Klamath, the effects of climate change including changes in precipitation patterns, decreased snowpack increasing droughts, increasing frequency and severity of wildfires, and disease and pest outbreaks are immediate and occuring now." To download a PDF of the plan, click here.

Categories: tribal adaptation plan, climate change, management, restoration, traditional knowledges

Northern California Link
Karuk Eco-Cultural Resources Management Plan 2010

The Department of Natural Resources Eco-Cultural Resources Management Plan (ECRMP) is intended to guide future management of natural resources within the Karuk Aboriginal Territory and beyond. The ECRMP is an integrated resource management plan (IRMP) developed under the authority of the National Indian Forest Resources Management Act. Though this Act limits the implementation of IRMP’s to Tribal Trust lands, the authority provided in 43 USC Chapter 35 Federal Land Policy and Management provides for the “Coordination of plans for National Forest System lands with Indian land use planning and management programs for the purposes of development and revision”.This should allow for coordination of the ECRMP with the Klamath and Six Rivers National Forests Land and Resource Management Plan revisions that will be occurring soon. With this coordination we should be able to once again manage the Aboriginal Territory in a manner consistent with our cultural and natural heritage. The Department of Natural Resources welcomes comments from the Tribal Membership and Descendants to help ensure that the final plan will provide lasting benefits for generations to come. We will be developing the draft provided below in consideration of the comments received to provide a final draft for council review, NEPA compliance, and approvals.To download a PDF of the plan, click here.

Categories: cultural resource management, natural resources

Northwest 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
Lummi Nation Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Plan: 2016-2026 2016

"The purpose of the Lummi Nation Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Plan: 2016-2026 (CCMAP) is to evaluate the potential impacts of anthropogenic climate change on the Lummi Indian Reservation (Reservation), Lummi Usual and Accustomed Grounds and Stations (U&A), and Lummi Traditional Territories and to present both mitigation strategies that may reduce the causes of climate change and adaptation strategies that may minimize climate change impacts that cannot be avoided." To download a PDF of the plan, click here.

Categories: climate change, adaptation, mitigation

Northwest Link
Makah National Fish Hatchery Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment 2019

This final report analyzes the sensitivity, exposure, impact, adaptive capacity, and vulnerability of Makah National Fish Hatchery. Some of the fish broodstock programs include Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and winter steelhead trout. The US Fish and Wildlife Service conducted these surveys to assess the vulnerability of these hatcheries in response to the changing climate. To download a PDF of the report, click here.

Categories: vulnerability assessment, natural resources, climate change

Makah 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
Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians Climage Change Adaptation Plan 2015

The Gun Lake Tribe currently holds over 838 acres of agricultural, forested, commercial, and residential properties. Many valuable cultural and natural resources exist within these properties. The Gun Lake Tribe realizes that these impacts are not solely within Tribal properties, but that these impacts will affect the entire Great Lakes Region and Mother Earth. The Gun Lake Tribe acknowledges the importance of actions to mitigate the causes of climate change. With this understanding, the Gun Lake Tribe has assessed the vulnerability and effects climate change will have on the following culturally significant natural resources. To download a PDF of the plan, click here.

Categories: Great Lakes, fish, climate change, mitigation, natural resources

Great Lakes Region Link
Metlakatla Indian Community Climate Change Adaptation Plan 2017

The Metlakatla Indian Community Climate Change Adaptation Plan was composed to provide support to the Metlakatla Indian Community as they are impacted by a changing climate on the Annette Islands Reserve (AIR). Throughout this document the Metlakatla Indian Community will be referred to as “the Tribe”, this term will be used to describe the entire Metlakatla Indian Community. The Tribe acknowledges the changing climate and advocates addressing the potential effects through the integration of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and scientific evidence. This document will include the background on the AIR, local interviews on TEK, resource analysis, vulnerability assessment, and potential adaptation strategies to assist the Tribe in preparation for a changing climate. To download a PDF of the plan, click here.

Categories: Tribal Adaptation Plan, climate change, TEK, vulnerability assessment, adaptation

Alaska (Southeast) Link
Michigan Tribal Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Planning: Project Report 2016

Michigan Tribes are currently experiencing the impacts of climate change: warmer average annual air and surface water temperatures, more volatile weather characterized by extreme precipiation events, decreases in duration and extremity of winter temperatures, and increases in duration of summer temperatures. These changes impact Michigan Tribes in numerous ways both directly and indirectly. Tribes are concerned with climate change and how to plan for potential and undefined impacts on natural features, traditional ways, public health, and infrastructure. This planning document is the result of a cooperative effort among the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan, Inc., and nine federally recognized Tribes in Michigan (participating Tribes): Bay Mills Indian Community, Lac Vieux Desert Band of Ottawa Indians, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Potawatomi (Gun Lake Tribe), Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, and Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.To download a PDF of the plan, click here.

Categories: Public health, climate adaptation planning, traditional knowledge, tribal resources

Upper midwest and Great Lakes, Michigan Link
Mitigi idash Nibi: A Climate Adaptation Plan for the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians 2014

In 2014, the Model Forest Policy Program (MFPP), Climate Solutions University (CSU), and the Red Lake Department of Natural Resources (RLDNR) came together to create a climate adaptation plan for the forest and water systems of the Red Lake Indian Reservation in Minnesota. Development of the plan came about because all parties, led by MFPP, recognized the critical need for local community resilience against the impacts of climate change by protecting forest and water resources. This climate adaptation plan for the Red Lake Reservation presents the results of a team effort, deep and broad information gathering, critical analysis and thoughtful planning. To download a PDF of the plan, click here.

Categories: Tribal Adaptation Plan, forests, water, development, resilience, climate change, adaptation

Minnesota Link
National Inuit Climate Change Strategy 2019

"The National Inuit Climate Change Strategy identifiesthe coordinated actionsthat are necessary within five priority areas to meet our adaptation, mitigation and resilience-building needs in the face of rapid climate change, and a quickly evolving climate policy environment. The Strategy lays out practical objectives to advance Inuit-driven climate actions, and guidance on how to work with us to protect our way of life and support the sustainability of our communities in the face of our changing climate reality. Case studies illustrating the kinds of Inuit-led climate initiatives and partnerships we are seeking are highlighted throughout the Strategy." To download a PDF of the plan, click here.

Categories: climate change adaptation, mitigation, resilience, sustainability, community

Inuvialuit Settlement Region Link
Native Village of Georgetown Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment 2017

This climate change vulnerability assessment documents climate change impacts and trends that have been observed along the Kuskokwim River. It was commissioned by the Georgetown Tribal Council to help inform their efforts to re-settle the Native Village of Georgetown, and to provide a starting place for working with neighboring communities to plan for climate change. Information was collected through a variety of methods, including interviews with elders and the collection of Traditional Knowledge, mapping and graphing of environmental data, review of published literature, and interviews with local scientists and natural resource managers. This climate change vulnerability assessment was created to inform future development of the Native Village of Georgetown. Much of the information contained in this report, as well as the companion Climate Science Primer 1 specific to the area, can be used to inform efforts to prepare for climate impacts in neighboring villages and throughout the region. To download a PDF of the plan, click here.

Categories: climate change vulnerability assessment, adaptation

Alaska Link
Navajo Nation Climate-Change Vulnerability Assessment for Priority Wildlife Species 2013

Vulnerability assessment for priority wildlife and plant species and habitats on the Navajo landscape. Golden Eagle, Mule Deer, Desert Bighorn Sheep, Mountain Lion, and American Black Bear. Pinyon Pine, Yucca spp., Mesa Verde Cactus, Navajo Sage, and Salt Cedar (Tamarisk). Navajo Nation Dept. of Fish and Wildlife and H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics and the Environment, 2013To download a PDF of the plan, click here.

Categories: Tribal, Adaptation Plan

Southwest, Arizona, United States Link
Nome Tribal Climate Adaptation Plan 2017

The Nome Eskimo Community (NEC), in collaboration with the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy (ACCAP), developed a climate adaptation plan with the Nome-based tribes. This includes tribal members of NEC, Village of Solomon, Native Village of Council, and King Island Native Community. The project goals were to familiarize tribal members with climate science and local knowledge, provide an opportunity to identify and discuss climate impacts and adaptation strategies, develop a plan, and share information with other rural Alaska and Native communities. This project was funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Community values for the Nome-based tribes, which provided a basis for the climate adaptation strategies, centered on maintaining cultural activities, fostering community and relationships, and ensuring healthy people and ecosystems. To download a PDF of the plan, click here.

Categories: climate change adaptation plan

Alaska Link
Nooksack Indian Tribe Natural Resources Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment 2017

The climate of the Nooksack River watershed is changing, and is projected to continue to change throughout the 21st century. In addition to rising temperatures and exaggerated patterns of seasonal precipitation, the watershed is likely to experience greater wildfire risk, more severe winter flooding, rising sea levels, and increasing ocean acidification. These changes will have profound impacts on the watershed’s plants, animals, and ecosystems, including changes in species distributions, abundances, and productivity; shifts in the timing of life cycle events such as flowering, breeding, and migration; and changes in the distribution and composition of ecological communities. Understanding which species and habitats are expected to be vulnerable to climate change, and why, is a critical first step toward identifying strategies and actions for maintaining priority species and habitats in the face of change. The University of Washington Climate Impacts Group worked collaboratively with the Nooksack Indian Tribe’s Natural Resource Department to evaluate the climate change vulnerability of priority species and habitats for the Tribe. This report describes the approach taken to assess vulnerability and summarizes key findings from the assessment’s results. The report also includes an appendix of fact sheets describing individual assessment details for each of the species and habitat types evaluated; these fact sheets highlight each species’ key climate sensitivities as well as data gaps of importance for understanding their vulnerability. Together, the information provided in this assessment offers a rigorous foundation for future climate adaptation efforts aimed at addressing climate risks to the Nooksack Tribe’s priority species and habitats.To download a PDF of the plan, click here.

Categories: tribal adaptation plan, assessment, climate change, flooding, rising sea levels, rising temperatures, ecosystems

Washington Link
Oyate Omniciye’ Oglala Lakota Plan - The Official Regional Sustainable Development Plan of the Oglala Sioux Tribe 2011

The path towards creating a Regional Plan for Sustainable Development began with leaders of the Oglala Sioux Tribe in March 2011 passing Resolution 11-26XB, to promote and protect the health, welfare and culture of the Tribe. They affirmed all participants in the Oyate Omniciyé | Oglala Lakota planning process will be working toward cultural preservation, sustainable development, enhancement of environmental programs, etc., including climate change adaptation to maintain Tribal lifeways. This journey continues as the planning team hosts community meetings and interviews with program directors and other stakeholders. To download a PDF of the plan, click here.

Categories: climate change, adaptation, traditional knowledges, cultural preservation, sustainable development

Plains, Midwest Link
Relocation Report: Newtok to Mertarvik 2011

Strategic Management Planfor the relocation of the village of Newtok to a new site at Mertarvik. Newtok is a growing 350-person coastal village fronting on the Ninglick River in western Alaska. The Ninglick River is rapidly eroding and consuming community land and facilities as it advances. 2011. To download a PDF of the report, click here.

Categories: Tribal, Adaptation Plan

Alaska, Coastal Link
Resilience Dialogues- Final Synthesis Report Menominee Reservation, USA 2017

This report captures the key outcomes from the Menominee Reservation Resilience Dialogues process, which took place between May 15 and May 26, 2017. The resilience Dialogues partners with communities to explore their risks from climate variability and change. Using a professionally facilitated, online process to connect community leaders to a network of vetted national experts, the Resilience Dialogues helps them work together to understand risks and lay the groundwork for long-term resilience. The service connects communities with the most appropriate resources, whether from federal agencies, regional networks, or the private sector. To download a PDF of the report, click here.

Categories: climate change impacts, cultural resources, forest management, adaptation, development

Upper midwest and Great Lakes, Wisconsin Link
Samish Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Planning Framework 2019

The Samish Indian Nation Climate Change Resources link contains many reports and information on climate change issues. To download a PDF of the Samish Indian Nation Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment, click here. To download a PDF of the Samish Indian Nation Sea Level Rise Vulnberability Assessment, click here.

Categories: climate change, vulnerability assessment, sea level rise

Pacific Northwest Link
Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe Hazard Mitigation Plan 2020

The Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe initiated a pilot study to assess the impacts of anticipated climate changes to both tribal infrastructure and the Sauk river ecosystem that supports fish and wildlife critical to the tribe. The Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe’s homeland encompasses a broad area including the Sauk and Cascade River watersheds in northwestern Washington. The Tribe wanted to know whether the warming climate could worsen flood and erosion risks, and whether changes could adversely impact salmon habitat. This report focuses on flood an erosion risks and how they may be impacted by climate change. The objectives of this report are to: (1) describe the hydrology and geomorphology the Sauk River near the reservation, (2) evaluate available information on potential for climate change to affect future flood flows in the Sauk River basin, (2) document historical changes in river channel and floodplain characteristics of the Sauk-Suiattle Reach, and (3) evaluate the near-term and future threats to tribal infrastructure posed by Sauk River streambank erosion and flooding. To download a PDF of the 2014 Flood and Erosion Hazard Assessment for the Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe Phase 1 Report for the Sauk River Climate Impacts Study, click here.To download a PDF of the 2020 Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe Hazard Mitigation Plan Update, click here.

Categories: Assessment, climate change, planning, infrastructure, erosion, flood, habitat, hazard mitigation

Northwestern Washington Link
Shaktoolik, Alaska: Climate Change Adaptation for an At-Risk Community 2014

Adaptation plan outlines next steps for the community of Shaktoolik, AK, as it responds to threats, primarily erosion and flooding. 2014. To download a PDF of the plan, click here.

Categories: Tribal, Adaptation Plan

Alaska Link
Shinnecock Indian Nation Climate Vulnerability Assessment and Action Plan 2019, 2013

The Shinnecock Environmental Department and the Natural Resource Committee had begun researching climate change, and particularly the impacts on surface water and ocean acidification, because of tribal shellfish cultivation. The next large concern was the increasing shoreline erosion, which is contributing to the loss of trees. The staff began researching other climate change issues that were impacting the region as well. Climate change is included in the Shinnecock Nation’s strategic plan.To download a PDF of the most recent, 2019, Climate Vulnerability Assessment and Action Plan, click here.To download a PDF of the 2013 Shinnecock Indian Nation Climate Change Adaptation Plan, click here.

Categories: climate change, adaptation, mitigation, TEK, tradition, resources, marine resources, conservation, management, planning, policy, vulnerability assessment, action plan

New York, Northeast Link
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
Stillaguamish Tribe Natural Resources Climate Change Adaptation Plan 2017

This is the next major step in preparing for climate change after the completion of the 2016 Climate Vulnerability Assessment. The plan lists 190 actions that will help protect and adapt the habitat and species important to the Stillaguamish Tribe. To download a PDF of the plan, click here.

Categories: climate change, adaptation plan, natural resources

Northwest 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