An increased risk of wildfires, flooding and drought due to climate change may threaten tribal natural resources and restrict access to culturally important sites. These same factors are expected to increase costs of infrastructure and challenge the ability of irrigation systems to support key agricultural lands. Meanwhile, extreme heat events, wildfire smoke, and a longer pollen season may pose health risks to community members.

A wide range of programs are already in effect across the Yakama Nation to rebuild and maintain a sustainable relationship with the land. In many cases, these programs also act to develop climate change resiliency. The Climate Adaptation Plan for the Yakama Nation provides a strong foundation for the Tribe to move forward in adapting to a rapidly changing climate that may disrupt long-held traditional cycles.

Addressing climate change in the territories of the Yakama Nation will require a concerted effort between tribal, local, state and federal governments. The development of the Plan recognizes this need for partnership and collaboration, draws upon newly available research as well as existing tribal programs that consider climate change, and emphasizes the engagement of tribal members and natural and community resource programs.

Oversight and administration of the Plan was provided by the Department of Natural Resources, while the Tribal and General Councils and contracted services from the Climate Impacts Group and Cascadia Consulting provided management and technical oversight. A series of seven technical and planning workshops were held in May and September of 2015 which program managers from all tribal departments were encouraged to attend. Additional input was solicited through interviews, and departments also provided feedback on drafts of the Plan.

The Plan is the first of three phases of a broader strategy for addressing climate change impacts on Yakama territories over the next seven generations. In 2016 and 2017, Yakama Nation staff carried out the second phase by working with tribal, local and regional experts to develop a more detailed assessment of vulnerabilities and risks. The third phase will focus on implementing adaptation actions prioritized in Phases 1 and 2.

Tribal Adaptation Plans | The Yakama Nation Adaptation Plan is included on this list of tribal adaptation plans from the Native Nations Climate Adaptation Program at the University of Arizona
Climate Action: Tribal Approaches | The Yakama Nation Adaptation Plan is included on this comprehensive list of adaptation plans from the National Congress of American Indians
Conference Slides: Yakama Nation Climate Action Plan | Slides from the 2017 Yakima Basin Science and Management Conference 2017
Bitterroot Magazine: Northwest Tribes, Already Feeling the Impact of Climate Change, Are Taking Action | This 2019 article from Bitterroot Magazine centers the Yakama as leaders in tackling climate change

“Climate change affects our everyday life, because we are connected to all of these natural resources. What affects them affects us.”
- Workshop Participant

“We’ve seen the telltale signs of climate change for several years now. It will affect each and every living thing, including us. Everything depends on water for life – our foods, our salmon, our roots and berries. Many Tribes will be affected.”
- Gerald Lewis, Tribal Council

“It is difficult to explain some of the intricate things that we know of the past and of the present. I think this is going to be a great test upon all of us.”
- Workshop Participant

Climate Vulnerability Assessment for Meadows: The aim of this project was to further understanding of how climate change stands to impact meadows in the Yakama Nation. The briefs, report and dataset developed from this project and shared solely with staff and partners of Yakama Nation are intended to help Yakama Nation staff better understand how climate change stands to impact the meadows of their Reservation and focus restoration actions where they will contribute most to maintaining the ecological and cultural values of meadows into the future.

Photo credit September Autumnleaf