As the Stillaguamish Tribe looks to the needs of current and future Tribal generations, the need to prepare for and adapt to the impacts of climate change has become imperative. This awareness is driven by mounting evidence that global and regional climate is changing as a result of rising greenhouse gases, as well as the understanding that substantive reductions in greenhouse gas emissions (i.e., climate mitigation) are unlikely to be made in time to avoid impacts on the health and well-being of Tribal members and culture. More importantly, this awareness is driven by the unique threat that climate change presents to a culture that is intricately connected to the landscape and its fish and wildlife. For example, changes in streamflow and water temperature will increase the severity of existing declines in salmon and other culturally important species (Jenni et al. 2013, Montag et al. 2014). In addition, sea level rise may result in permanent inundation of low-lying areas, species and habitats important to the Tribe may experience shifts in their distributions and abundances, and changes in the timing of biological events (e.g., flowering, migration) may result in mismatches with the traditional timing of certain harvest practices, ceremonies, or other actives linked to traditional ways of knowing. This close union of culture and environment makes the Tribe particularly vulnerable to climate change.

In 2016 the Stillaguamish Tribe Natural Resources Department, in partnership with the UW Climate Impacts Group, completed a climate change vulnerability assessment for 57 species and 10 habitats of importance to the Tribe. This adaptation plan takes the next major step in preparing for climate change by identifying 59 strategies and 190 actions the Department and its partners can take to sustain the traditional practices of the Tribe and the ecosystems on which they depend.

Photo credit Sounder Bruce, CC-by-SA 2.0

Most of the actions in this report focus on habitat resilience as a way to support a range of species simultaneously, while some actions are specific to particular species. Project staff at the Climate Impacts Group compiled more than 350 relevant adaptation actions from the existing literature; these potential actions were refined through a series of workshops with Tribal staff and external partners (e.g., federal agencies, neighboring Tribes and tribal organizations) A prioritization survey was then used to identify key actions Tribal staff wanted to concentrate on in the near term (i.e., five years). Finally, staff identified key steps that would support the implementation of each action.

Photo credit Stillaguamish Natural Resources Department

The Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians Natural Resources Climate Change Adaptation Plan completes the next major step in preparing for climate change. Developed by Natural Resources Department staff with support from CIG, the plan identifies 190 actions, organized by habitat type and inclusive of outreach and education, that are expected to help species and habitats important to the Stillaguamish Tribe become more resilient to the impacts of climate change. These actions span a range of activities consistent with the current work of the Natural Resources Department, including planning, restoration, data collection, monitoring, consultation, and outreach and engagement. The plan also includes new activities not currently reflected in the Natural Resources Department’s scope of work that will be needed to meet the plan’s goal and objectives. Partnerships will play a critical role in implementing these activities within the Stillaguamish Watershed and, when relevant, the area ceded by the Tribe under the Treaty of Point Elliot.