An evaluation of tribal climate risk and adaptation to climate change (for forests and forest operations)
TASK I
Overview Climate change has become an increasingly important issue in Indian forestry since IFMAT III. Evidence, both scientific and experiential, has amassed to show how the changing climate is affecting the growth, mortality, and composition of forests and the ecosystem attributes and services upon which people depend. The range and scale of impacts have grown greatly. Changing weather patterns are imposing new threats to important species of trees and other plants, wildlife, and cultural resources. Drought, flooding, insects, diseases, and wildfire are affecting Indian timberlands and woodlands. Tribes are adjusting forest plans and practices to deal with climate changes and the additional costs, logistical constraints, and other management challenges for forest ecosystems and forestry programs. While Federal responses to climate change have reshaped agency priorities and created new programs and institutional arrangements (see Tasks A, E, G, H, J and K), questions have arisen about how federal trust obligations to tribes are being implemented. Improvements in availability, effectiveness, and flexibility of federal financial and technical assistance as well as access to rapidly evolving science-based guidance will be necessary to assure that tribes can successfully adapt to climate impacts and
Ponderosa pine seedling planted in Creek Fire scar as part of a reforestation project at San Carlos Apache PHOTO CREDIT: SERRA HOAGLAND
capture opportunities during this transition. Much of the response and preparedness assistance for climate change has and will continue to reach tribes through existing programs and authorities which must themselves adapt to growing speed and breadth of climate’s impacts on forests and forest management. Substantial
new federal investments in climate response will occur through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Public Law No. 117-58 (2021) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Public Law 117-169 (2022). At this writing, multiple agencies have begun to implement provisions of the BIL and IRA providing millions of dollars to tribes for climate-related actions,
Task Findings and Recommendations 161
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