Download Climate Change in Southeast Alaska

Observations of Environmental and
Climate Change in Southeast Alaska
Dr. Linda Kruger, Social Scientist, USFS
Dr. Jim Powell, Research Fellow, UAF
Scenarios Network
for Alaska and Arctic Planning
FEDERAL TRUST RESPONSIBILITY
The U.S. Government has a unique relationship
with Federally-recognized tribal entities.
Federal agencies consult with Tribes on policies and
programs including research activities.
ACKNOWLEDGE
 Todd Brinkman, PhD – UAF, SNAP
 Scott Rupp, PhD - UAF, Dir. SNAP
 Lauren Sill, ADF&G, Division of Subsistence
 Yakutat Tlingit Tribe, City of Thorne Bay,
 Angoon Community Association, Klawock Cooperative
Association, Kassan City Council
 Dan Monteith, PhD - UAS
 Ivan Show, PhD - ADF&G, Com. Fish
 Ellen Frankenstein, MS. Visual Anthropology,
film maker, Artchangeinc.org
 Eran Hood, PhD, UAS
ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE
Tribes have locally relevant knowledge that
can help us understand traditional
approaches to land and resource
management, environmental changes and
human response to change.
A survey of tribes identified the integration
of traditional knowledge with western
science as a tribal priority (Beatty & Leighton
2012).
FOREST SERVICE DIRECTION
US Forest Service Tribal Relations Strategic
Plan – provides a framework for the Forest
Service Tribal Relations Program.
Goal 1 – American Indian and Alaska Native Rights
Goal 2 - Partnerships
Goal 3 – Program Development
RESEARCH TRIBAL ENGAGEMENT ROADMAP
R & D Objectives
Build new and enhance existing partnerships.
Institutionalize Tribal trust responsibilities and
engagement within R&D.
Increase and advance Tribal and indigenous values,
knowledge and perspectives within USFS R&D, including
in operational and research activities.
Network & cooperate across FS to increase response
to needs
Conduct joint research with Tribes.
OBSERVING AND EXPERIENCING
CHANGE
Across the Pacific Northwest and Alaska
climate change is affecting hunting, fishing,
gathering, economic infrastructure, water,
forest and agricultural resources and human
health. Alaska Natives, American Indians and
First Nations are on the frontline of this
change.
INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND
CONNECTION TO PLACE
Native cultures and identity are directly tied
to the places people have lived for
generations through observations, stories,
dances, art, music and traditions. It is this
connection that makes climate change much
more personal and impactful to Native
people.
RURAL SOUTHEAST ALASKA
What changes have local residents noticed and
how are they responding?
How can we learn from observations and
experiences and share and apply what we learn?
What information and tools are needed to help in
adapting to change?
PRESENTATION
SE Region - 3 Areas
Assumptions - subsistence gatherers
Study methods
Community stories
Integration – local and scientific knowledge
Next Steps
Collaborations
• Tribal Groups
• Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game
Household Surveys, 2 Questions added
Correlated responses
• UAS – School of Management / MPA
•
UA - EPSCoR and UAS Southeast Test Case
SE Alaska Thumbnail Demographics
- 33 communities
- How we make a living –fish, gov., mining,
timber,
- Cultural diversity– lots
- Rural and non rural
- Isolation – closeness
Southeast Alaska
Study Areas
Yakutat
Angoon
Thorne
Bay
Klawock
Craig
Kassan
Interviews 2013
Community
Population
Percent of
AK Natives
Number of
interviews
Expert or
Elders Groups
Angoon
466
76 %
33
1
Yakutat
646
36 %
25
2
Thorne
Bay
496
2.1 %
25
1
Craig
1240
20 %
2
0
Kassan
67
95 %
2
0
Klawock
777
48 %
3
0
Totals
90
4
Study Questions
1. Top 5 issues for your community?
2. What kinds of environmental changes have you
noticed in your community?
3. What environmental changes have you
experienced or heard Elders or others in your
community talk about?
4. How might these changes affect your community?
5. Are there any environmental changes that would
threaten or strengthen your community?
Study Questions
6. What long standing activities (traditional or
cultural) might be affected and how?
8. How are you responding?
Yakutat
Weather
Fish, wildlife,
plants
Environmental
Cue
Culture and
Adaptation
Point
Gilbert
Yakutat Alaska
“Spring is cooler…seems to
take longer to get started,
plants and stuff”
“…from the time I used to troll and
commercial fish ocean currents are
moving faster”
Yakutat Airport
Snow
“We lived in a trailer and the
dogs lived on the roof ”
“Once the tide goes out your dinner table is set”
“coho run isn’t as strong
as use to be”
“we use to be the silver
salmon capital of the
world”.
“we go out further and
further for clams”
“seal population – holding good”
“The culture is as strong as ever”.
“The last couple of times I’ve
worked in the kitchen for
potlatches we scrambled for
berries”
“everybody was wondering what
happened to the berries. …
freeze, thaw, and freeze again.
Lucky if you could find a berry.”
A member of the Mount St. Elias
dancers participates in the Yakutat
Tern Festival.
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r10/learnin
g/history-culture/
“So none of us are going to change. We are going to
continue to strive to be more of who we are”
Members of the Mt. St. Elias Dancers from Yakutat perform at the UAF
Festival of Native Arts. Photo by Todd Paris
“we have a history of taking only what we can use and to make
sure that renewable resources like fish and seal would be there
for generations”
“Jar our fish rather then do the smoke strips”
“We eat more meat now then we used to eat
I put more dry fish up.”
Hubbard Glacier
ANGOON
Wildlife
Frogs / Toads
Herring
“before we had to concern yourself with
walking on frogs, there are no more frogs
around”
“hunting seems to be fine”
HERRING
“you use to use a flat stick, you’d put nails on it and
cut it off and rake them inside the boat”
“the water was boiling like a real heavy rain it was
load you could hear the boat motors running”
“There was so much
herring in the boat
harbor, bubbling up”
Thorne Bay
Weather
Wildlife
Thorne Bay
Weather around here are hit or
miss.
“Deer had tunnels through the
snow berms”
“I remember when the Bay was
froze across. So hard that it took
a tug coming from the Pulp-Mill to
break it open so planes could
land”
KASSAN
Weather
Adaptation
“winters are milder”
“ice not as thick,
more extreme tides”
Kassan Whale House
If the salmon don’t
show up we will look
for other species”
Craig Tidelands
“Storm are more intense and beaches
are starting to erode”
“Use to see rafts of ducks now you see rafts of otters”
Natural Science and Local Climate Change Integration
Area
Weather
Vegetation
Scientific Projections
Local Observations
• Temp. increase approx. 10°F by 2100.
•
Unpredictable
• Temp. increased as much as 3.6°F during the 20th century.
•
No longer used as guide
• Largest increase in winter months.
•
Colder, longer springs
• Rates of warming higher in later part of the 20th century
•
No more Ice in bays
Shrubs and trees will have colonized elevations
currently characterized as alpine or tundra habitat
•
Berries more variable
Forest Productivity will likely increase
•
Haven’t seen any change
•
Less Strawberries
•
Less Snow Cover
•
•
Precipitation
• Average winter snowfall at sea level in Juneau decreased
from 109 inches to 93 inches in the past 60 years
• The average winter increased by 2.6 inches or more
Natural Science and Local Climate Change Integration
Area
Marine
Sea level
Rise
Scientific Projections
•
Icefield
Ecological
Response
Isostatic rebound is likely to cancel relative sea
level rise. Leading to Relative sea level
decrease
Icefield will continue to thin & retreat (Juneau)
•
•
•
•
Many changes not be predictable and some
may be counterintuitive. Ex: yellow cedar trees
are freezing in spring as temp. warms due to a
loss of insulating snow cover.
Effects on salmon largely unknown
Wetland nursery areas for marine species
Plants & animals ability to adapt w/ rapid
changes
Local Observations
• Increase in whales
•
increase in sea otters
•
decrease in fish
•
seals holding good
•
No longer eels
•
•
Advancing – Yakutat
Retreating - Juneau
•
where have the frogs
gone?
•
Use to see rafts of
ducks, now its rafts of
sea otters
Bees, where have they
gone?
•
Next Steps:
Video editing
Institutional
Change in SE
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Forest Service Research Tribal Engagement
www.fs.fed.us/research/tribal-engagement
PNW Tribal Climate Change Network
http://tribalclimate.uoregon.edu/
Institute for Tribal Environment
Professionals
www4.nau.edu/tribalclimatechange/
THANK YOU
Linda Kruger – [email protected]
907-586-7814
Jim Powell - [email protected]
907-209-5676