How the Alaska CASC supports Tribes and communities
Our researchers and staff partner with Tribes and communities on project planning and implementation
AK CASC staff include Tribal liaisons and climate adaptation catalysts who work with communities, Tribes and partners across the state. They share relevant climate adaptation science in a way that promotes use, facilitates capacity building, and creates a bridge between university researchers and local decision-makers. AK CASC researchers have partnered with communities and organizations to answer research questions on subjects like climate adaptation planning in the Southeast Alaska village of Kake and understanding the effects of climate change on the distribution of the Porcupine caribou herd in the Arctic.
Our team listens and learns to provide the best available science to Tribes and communities that answer questions related to climate adaptation planning. By working together, future projects can create more useful and responsive science.
Past Tribal and community partners in AK CASC-funded research have included the Northern Latitudes Partnerships, the Sustainable Southeast Partnership, Chugach Regional Resources Commission, Metlakatla Indian Community, the Organized Village of Kake, Chugachmiut Tribal Consortium, and more.
We are home to the Alaska Tribal Resilience Learning Network
Established in 2020 the Alaska Tribal Resilience Learning Network is a community of learning, sharing, technical assistance, training, and support for Alaska Tribes, leadership, and Indigenous communities as they respond and adapt to the current and future impacts of climate change. Through the network, Alaska Native organizations can share information with one another about successful adaptation approaches or communicate directly with the rest of the network about priorities and research needs. Researchers can also connect to the network to deliver the best available science to Alaska Native communities for use in planning, proposals, and public comments.
By listening, we do our work better
Listening, sharing, and exchanging knowledge with Tribes led to the development of Northern Climate Reports. This climate data tool integrates information from the Alaska Native Language Center to provide traditional place names on every data query for named points in Alaska. The tool provides climate summaries over different regions, Native corporation lands, and First Nations traditional territories and protected areas.The consistent engagement and relationship-building done by the AK CASC team helps us serve our audiences better and build more accessible science products.