Preparing for and responding to the impacts of climate change are critical to the future wellbeing of tribal communities. Recognizing this, federal, academic and tribal institutions have increased efforts to support the capacity of tribes to manage climate change risks. In many cases, the first critical step of the adaptation planning process is a climate change vulnerability assessment: an analysis of how climate change may affect the things we care about. However, many tribes continue to experience difficulty initiating and completing a climate change vulnerability assessment. This difficulty can be attributed to real and perceived limitations in the staffing, technical and financial capacities of many tribes. In many cases, determining how to access and scale climate data and assessment approaches to fit tribal needs and capacities become impediments to action. This project helps address gaps in tribal capacity to conduct vulnerability assessments by providing guidance and data tailored to the needs and capacities of Northwest and Great Basin tribes.

This project employed a suite of complementary approaches to support tribes in assessing the climate vulnerability of natural and cultural resources. Specifically, the project:

- Makes the vulnerability assessment process more accessible to tribal staff by providing online guidance materials targeted to tribal needs and capacities.
- Addresses the demand for climate data at the scale of tribal decision-making by providing downscaled climate data and climate change summaries for tribes.
- Supports tribal staff through the vulnerability assessment process via workshops and webinars to provide training on the use of project resources and datasets, and by staffing a Tribal Climate Technical Support Desk to provide rapid response to relevant queries.

These objectives were accomplished in consultation with a Tribal Advisory Group consisting of representatives from regional tribes and tribal organizations, and through extensive tribal outreach and engagement. The project team also worked with existing tribal knowledge-sharing networks to connect project products and training opportunities to a broad range of tribal communities. Together, these activities continue to help support Northwest and Great Basin tribes in their efforts to respond to climate-related threats, enhancing tribal and regional resilience to change.

Nooksack Indian Tribe Natural Resources Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment: The climate of the Nooksack River watershed is changing, and is projected to continue to change throughout the 21st century. 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 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.

Assessing the Climate Vulnerability of Key Species and Habitats for the Stillaguamish Tribe: Climate change is projected to significantly impact ecosystems, habitats, and species of importance to the Stillaguamish Tribe, via changes in species distributions; the productivity, composition, and distribution of vegetation communities; and the timing of biological events (e.g., flowering, breeding, and migration). The Climate Impacts Group completed a detailed climate change vulnerability assessment of priority species and habitats for the Stillaguamish Tribe.

Yes! magazine: How Tribes Are Harnessing Cutting-Edge Data to Plan for Climate Change
Climate change is already damaging Indigenous ways of life. But tribes are adapting.

Hakai magazine: Tribes Use Western and Indigenous Science to Prepare for Climate Change
Northwestern tribes and the University of Washington climate group have joined forces to help protect salmon, roots, trees, and other important resources.