Tuscarora: Drawing on Traditional Teaching to Confront a Changing Climate

The Tuscarora Nation is one of Six Nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, commonly referred to as the Iroquois, all based in New York state. Each Nation in the confederacy has taken steps to address climate change impacts and promote cultural solidity by tapping their traditional knowledge base. The Tuscarora began an Environmental program that has addressed an array of bio-cultural concerns through innovative programs that draw on traditional knowledge. Projects include protecting the community's traditional food base through a seed-banking program and community-based agriculture, conducting a comprehensive GIS analysis of the tribe's natural resources, land-restoration projects, a program to pass cultural knowledge and wisdom to the youth, and sustainability efforts.