Project Theory-Climate Change and Traditional Ecological Knowledge Adaption in the Klamath Basin

Transcription

1 Project Theory-Climate Change and Traditional Ecological Knowledge Adaption in the Klamath Basin Frank K. Lake Lead Science and TEK Mentor for project Education 1995 B.S. University of California, Davis Ph.D. Oregon State University USDA Forest Service-PSW, Orleans/Redding, Ca. Fire and Fuels Program Klamath Basin Tribal Youth Program: Climate Change and TEK project: June 16 August21, 2014 Funding and support from the North Pacific Landscape Conservation Cooperative, Northwest Climate Science Center, Quartz Valley Indian Reservation, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Karuk Tribe, Yurok Tribe, Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation, US Forest Service (R5 & PSW Flagship), NASA, USGS, Humboldt State University, Southern Oregon University, Mid Klamath Watershed Council, and Salmon

2 Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Climate Change in the Klamath Basin The goal was to expose the students to a range of natural resource and climate change relate issues confronting tribes, organizations, agencies, and communities of the Klamath Basin Incorporate personal stories with available scientific information

3 What are the Tribally Valued Resources and Habitats? Resources: Tangible and Intangible elements of the environment Landscapes (Areas), Sites, Objects, State of Mind Past, Present and Future cultural knowledge and related practices Natural and Cultural Resources utilized to perpetuate tribal customs, practices and knowledge systems. Habitats: Landscapes or places that support tribal ceremonial, subsistence and commercial practices Bio-physically or Socio-Culturally defined site characteristics Places that support or potentially support a single or multiple resources of tribal value

4 Developing a Climate-TEK Research and Assessment Framework At which scale to study the effects of Climate Change on tribally valued habitats and resources? Tribal, Ecological, Political? How to identify and understand the impacts of ecological processes and related disturbances? Drought (temperature and precipitation) Pests, Pathogens, and Diseases Fire, Flood or Extreme weather events How to identify at what scale are the most applicable things to study? Use of Traditional Ecological Knowledge

5 Which Climate Change Models Are Applicable and how can Tribal TEK Provide Local Scale Information? Bio-physical Utilize regional down scaled Climate Change Assessment Reports. Identify which ecosystems and habitats are to be affected. Understand the mechanisms of change on habitats or species. Synergistic impacts affecting habitats and populations of valued species? Socio-cultural Understand and interpret forecast of model projections. Translate science results into identifiable factors. Evaluate how the magnitude of change impacts tribal ceremonial and subsistence practices. What factors increase health and safety risks?

6 How to Evaluate and Forecast Effects to Tribal Valued Habitats and Cultural Resources Forecasting Effects: What processes and mechanisms are affecting tribally valued forests and river resources? Pests, Pathogens, and Diseases Drought and Fire At what Socio-economic scale? Family-Tribe-Community At what Ecological scale? Species, population, habitat, ecosystem, regionally. How do such changes affect or impact the access to, condition of and cultural uses?

7 How to Evaluate and Forecast Effects to Tribal Valued Habitats and Cultural Resources Evaluation: What tribally valued resources are at risk from Climate Change and associated disturbances? Ceremonial, Subsistence, and Commercial uses At what scale? Individual, Family, etc. Identification of and understanding pathways or mechanisms of disturbance. Synergistic increases in magnitude. Drought, Pests, and Fire on Forests Dams, Water quality, and Fisheries What evaluation and assessment processes are used? TEK and Western Science? What metrics are used? [Tribal indicators?] Science vs. Cultural-are they similar?

8 Week 1: June 16-19, 2014 Meeting with Humboldt State University and US Fish and Wildlife Service Meeting with federal managers and scientists Six Rivers National Forest PSW Arcata Lab Meeting with Tribes Yurok, Hoopa Valley and Karuk Meeting with Mid Klamath Watershed Council Dams, Drought, Fire, and Fish!

9 Week 2: June 23 to June 27 Meeting with US Fish and Wildlife Service Yreka Office Trip to Iron Gate Dam Trip to Mt. Ashland Discussion of climate refugia Discussions with tribal educators at Southern Oregon University Field tour with Lomakatsi Restoration Project Fuels and Fire Treatments Klamath Tribe presentations Culture, Research Lab, and Forestry.

10 Week 3: July 2-3 NASA Trip to NASA AMES research lab Technology Meeting other student interns there to compare projects

11 Week 4: July 7-11 Six Rivers and Klamath National Forests- Orleans and Ukonom Ranger Districts field review Looking for plots to validate LiDAR Forest and Food security Creek mouth enhancement and fisheries restoration projects with Mid Klamath Watershed Council and Salmon River Restoration Council Youth program Fisheries and riparian projects Fuels reduction and prescribed fire Effects of wildfire on fisheries

12 Week 5: July Six Rivers and Klamath National Forest-Orleans and Ukonom Ranger Districts Klamath Mountain Restoration Partnership Zones of Agreement LiDAR foot print and forestryvegetation-fuels plots Fuels reduction and prescribed fire to promote food resources Siskiyou Wilderness, Sacred High Country and 2008 fire effects How drought, hotter temperatures and wildfires affect traditional practices and what higher elevation species are at risk

13 Week 6: July Sycan Marsh stream and riparian monitoring with US Fish and Wildlife Service and US Geological Survey UAV for data collection Students learn of the upper most Klamath Basin resource issues

14 Week 7: July 28-Aug. 1 The students worked on narrowing down their research topics, conducted literature reviews and research on their topics. The students were hosted by Quartz Valley Indian Reservation and conducted water quality monitoring.

15 Week 8: August 4-8 The students rafted the Trinity River Warrior Institute: Health, Diet, Foods Fire effects on forests and fish Stopped at Redwood National Park Bald Hills prescribed burns Old growth Redwood Forest Visited Ah-Pah Village and Blue Creek Snorkeling on lower Blue Creek Salmon dinner and smoke house food preparation Tribal elders and practitioners share TEK Stories of land, forests, rivers, cultural practices and higher education

16 Weeks 9 and 10: August Students worked on their research projects Follow-up interviews with managers and tribal community members Preparing/revising papers and presentations Reflecting on the all the experiences