Progress 10/01/19 to 09/30/20
Outputs Target Audience:The audiences reached in the reporting period are: 1. Rural Indigenous communities in Alaska were targeted through collaborations with the BIA Tribal Climate Liaison, for the DOI Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center. Other Tribal groups were engaged as part of post-doctoral fellow's work related to workforce development. Additionally the community of Kake, Alaska was heavily involved in efforts related to water monitoring. 2. The wildfire and land management community in Alaska were targeted through existing relationships with the Alaska Fire Science Consortium (AFSC). Specific agencies involved include federal (BLM Alaska Fire Service, National Park Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, BLM Lands, Bureau of Indian Affairs, US Forest Service, US Geological Survey) and state (Department of Natural Resource, Division of Forestry, Alaska Department of Fish & Game). Native Non-Profit Organizations including Chugatchmiut, the Association of Village Council Presidents, and Tanana Chiefs Conference are also key wildland fire constituents, as is the Alaska Wildland Fire Coordinating Group and their sub-committees such as the Research Development and Application Committee and the Fire Behavior and Modeling Group. 3. UAF graduate and undergraduate students are a target audience. In this reporting period we worked with students in the Natural Resource Management and Northern Studies programs. We also continued dialog with the Rural Development department which serves Alaska Native students. Changes/Problems:Covid-19 has restricted travel both to rural communities and to local, regional, national, and international conferences and gatherings. Work has continued virtually when possible but some gatherings and presentations have been postponed until in-person events are again feasible. It has beenextremely difficult to manage project funds and plan for graduate student and post-doctoral projects because we did not know whether funds could be carried over until the very end of the fiscal year. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?2020 Juneau Innovation Summit: Business in a Changing Climate On invitation from the Director of the Juneau Economic Development Council, Trainor and others played a prominent role leading the 'Business in a Changing Climate' track of the Juneau Business Innovation Summit-February 2020. Based in the state capital, the summit hosted a diverse array of talks, work sessions, and experiences designed to foster relationships and inspire new perspectives. Sarah Trainor worked extensively with summit organizers to organize the climate change track, facilitate an "ask an expert '' deep dive session, and lead an exercise to help businesses think about climate impacts and possible innovative responses. Learning from one another The Business Innovation Summit provided a venue for participants to learn from experts, as well as each other. The Summit was a success in raising awareness within the Juneau business community of the myriad of research and resources ongoing at the University of Alaska and the resources the University has to offer. The response to the "ask the expert" deep dive session was overwhelmingly positive and it is hoped will foster more engagement and connections with business leaders and the economic sector in Southeast Alaska. Trainor et al. were invited to give subsequent talks but in-person engagement has been put on hold due to the COVID-19 situation. Overall this was a valuable relationship building experience and Trainor intend to continue engaging future Summits and with participants we connected with during the conference. Workforce Development Adelheid Herrmann, post-doctoral fellow began work on building the capacity of rural communities to respond and adapt to climate change. Many of the Tribes in rural Alaska have been working on an adaptation, resilience, and mitigation planning process, and this project addresses the capacity of these Tribes to carry out and implement their planning processes. The major themes examined in the context of climate resilience are: 1. Tribal economic and workforce development, 2. Tribal governance, and 3. Protocols related to research in rural communities. In Alaska, there are often many individuals, research groups, NonGovernmental Organizations (NGOs), Tribes, and Tribal organizations working independently on issues of climate change, but they do not communicate with one another. We refer to this as the 'silo effect.' Within the themes noted above, Herrmann will examine and offer solutions to the 'silo effect' within organizations working on climate change and adaptation methods in order to help support Tribes planning for their future. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Postdoctoral Fellow E. Figus has met and presented more than 6 times with project partners in Kake Alaska to share information and coproduce research objectives and methods. She continues to work closely with project partners to make sure all information is shared and accessed in a fair and equatible manner. Additionally she has presented to school groups in Kake and at the Alaska Marine Science Symposium (AMSS). Postdoctoral fellow A. Herrmann is an active participant in many Indigenous working groups. She continues to collect information and synthesis and share with the various region, statewide, and international working groups she is part of. Indigenous PhD student M. Rudolph continues to lead a successful Traditional Ecological Knowledge webinar series where information on co-production is shared across the University of Alaska system as well as to a broader public and agency audience. Her work on the process of co-production is ongoing and will be shared at a later date. Indigenous MS student E. Burk meets on an on-going basis with tribal leadership and community members about her research and projects. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Work will continue as possible under current covid-19 restrictions and guidelines.
Impacts What was accomplished under these goals?
Impacts Outcomes in this project reporting period are: Project Accomplishments Goal 1: increase our understanding of the processes and mechanisms that produce actionable science specific to climate change adaptation in Alaska. CLIMATE KNOWLEDGE CO-PRODUCTION WITH KAKE, AK The Tribe and community in Kake, Alaska, are concerned about how the surrounding ocean waters and marine ecosystems are impacted by global climate change in conjunction with local stressors. Elizabeth Figus, postdoctoral fellow, is carrying out a climate change case study using an Indigenous partnership co-production process. This summer, there is an unprecedented low marine traffic, especially cruise ship traffic, due to cancellations and travel restrictions put in place as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Project partners are taking advantage of this low level of marine traffic to document baseline data about ocean waters around Kake. ACCAP, the Organized Village of Kake, and Kake Tribal Corporation aim to document key climate and pollutant indicators (e.g., pH, salinity, temperature, nutrients, dissolved metals, fecal coliform) that may affect the cleanliness and safety of ocean waters and shellfish around Kake. Goal 3 part 2: Workforce Development Indigenous post-doctoral fellow, Adelheid Herrmann,began work on building the capacity of rural communities to respond and adapt to climate change. Many of the Tribes in rural Alaska have been working on an adaptation, resilience, and mitigation planning process, and this project addresses the capacity of these Tribes to carry out and implement their planning processes. The major themes examined in the context of climate resilience are: 1. Tribal economic and workforce development, 2. Tribal governance, and 3. Protocols related to research in rural communities. In Alaska, there are often many individuals, research groups, NonGovernmental Organizations (NGOs), Tribes, and Tribal organizations working independently on issues of climate change, but they do not communicate with one another. We refer to this as the 'silo effect.' Within the themes noted above, Herrmann will examine and offer solutions to the 'silo effect' within organizations working on climate change and adaptation methods in order to help support Tribes planning for their future. Goal 3: Indigenous Food Security, Health and Well-Being Indigenous graduate student Eva Burk expanded previous work on Indigenous village food soveriegnty and security, especially related to using biomass to provide heat for buildings and greenhouses, if applicable. COVID-19 played a part in delaying some work that was planned. Burk also spent the summer living onthe land at a remote site, building a traditional fishcamp and working with other members of her village community. Initial research questions were developed and research interviewees identified.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Kettle, N.P., Walsh, J.E., Heaney, L. et al. Integrating archival analysis, observational data, and climate projections to assess extreme event impacts in Alaska. Climatic Change (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-020-02907-y
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Postdoctoral fellow E. Figus presented at the Society of Applied Anthropology Meeting.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Under Review
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Brown, C., S.F. Trainor, C.N. Knapp, N. Kettle (Under Review) Alaskan wild food harvester information needs and adaptation strategies. Ecology and Society.
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Abdel-Fattah, Dina. 2020. Stakeholder Needs and Information Use in Cryospheric Hazard Planning and Response: Case Studies from Alaska. University of Alaska, Fairbanks. https://search.proquest.com/openview/b40d3b4c3d216b27440551caa3d26907/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
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Progress 03/11/19 to 09/30/19
Outputs Target Audience:Theaudiences reached in the reporting period March 11, 2019 to Sept 30, 2019 are: Rural Indigenous communities in Alaska were targeted through collaborations withthe BIA Tribal Climate Liaison, for theDOI Alaska ClimateAdaptation and Science Center. The wildfire and land management community in Alaskawere targeted through existing relationships with the Alaska Fire Science Consortium(AFSC). Specific agencies involved include federal (BLM Alaska Fire Service, National Park Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, BLM Lands, Bureau of Indian Affairs, US Forest Service, US Geological Survey) and state (Department of Natural Resource, Division of Forestry, Alaska Department of Fish & Game). Native Non-Profit Organizations including Chugatchmiut, the Association of Village Council Presidents, and Tanana Chiefs Conference are also key wildland fire constituents, as is the Alaska Wildland Fire Coordinating Group and their sub-committees such as the Research Development and Application Committee and the Fire Behavior and Modeling Group. UAF graduate and undergraduate students are a target audience. In this reporting period we worked withstudents in the Natural Resource Management and Northern Studies programs. We also initiated dialog with theRural Development department which serves Alaska Native students. Changes/Problems:This reporting period was the first six months of the project (March 11, 2019 - Sept 30, 2020). Hiring students and post-doctoral fellows was slow to get off the ground because postings for the position came out in late spring, when many students and graduates have already secured positions. I have students and post-docs on board now so things will be moving forward from here. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?In collaboration with the Alaska Fire Science Consortium (AFSC) a workshop was presentedfor wildland fire and land managers (state, federal, Native) in Alaska to make the most up-to-date and relevant fire science relevant and applicable in their work. (March 27, 2019, Fairbanks, Alaska). This workshop focused on risk assessment methods, tools andcurrent projectsincluded presentations and discussionon: spatial and temporal tools for fire risk assessment, Chugach risk assessment process and HVRA (Highly Valued Resources and Assets) assessment, STARFire budgeting and its shortcomings in risk assessment, resiliency and vulnerability of boreal forest habitat to the interaction of climate and fire disturbance, rapid assessment using UAS for habitat and fire risk, and managing fire hazard, potential and risk. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?In collaboration with the Alaska Fire Science Consortium (AFSC) a workshop was presentedfor wildland fire and land managers (state, federal, Native) in Alaska to make the most up-to-date and relevant fire science relevant and applicable in their work. (March 27, 2019, Fairbanks, Alaska). This workshop focused on risk assessment methods, tools andcurrent projectsincluded presentations and discussionon: spatial and temporal tools for fire risk assessment, Chugach risk assessment process and HVRA (Highly Valued Resources and Assets) assessment, STARFire budgeting and its shortcomings in risk assessment, resiliency and vulnerability of boreal forest habitat to the interaction of climate and fire disturbance, rapid assessment using UAS for habitat and fire risk, and managing fire hazard, potential and risk. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?This reporting period was the first six months of the project. Since Sept 30, 2019, two post-doctoral research fellows, a Ph.D. student, a masters student and one additional undergraduate have been hired. These personnell are working to accomplish project goals in research and community development. Specifically, they are investigating evidence for boundary spanning and science communication as a driver of landscape change, how to conduct and evaluate knowledge co-production on climate related research in partnership with Alaska Native tribes, bridging scientific and local traditional knowledge in climate change adaptation planning in rural Alaska villages, the process of creating a local climate action plan in an urban setting (lessons learned, challenges/barriers, coalitions, communication strategies). Project goals in education will be acheived in the fall semester 2020 with a hands-on project-based curricullum for NRM 647 - Global to Local Sustainability taught at UAF.
Impacts What was accomplished under these goals?
Impacts Outcomes in this project reportingperiod are based on the workshop with fire managers held March 27, 2019 in collaboration with the Alaska Fire Science Consortium(AFSC). These outcomesinclude increased awareness of available products, increased awareness among scientists of current management needs, and increased awareness among both scientists and managers of opportunities for collaboration and of funding sources relevant to fire science. Project Accomplishments Research. Addressing Goals (1) & (2)above:In this reporting period the project lead published a peer-reviewed article analyzing the history, process and mechanisms by which translational ecology, also known as knowledge co-production, are achieved in bridging the wildfire management and science communities. The publication analyzes the actions, activities, skills and processes that promote use-inspired science as well as thebarriers experienced and overcome.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Colavito, M., S.F. Trainor, N. Kettle, A. York (2019) Making the Transition from Science Delivery to Knowledge Co-Production in Boundary Spanning: A Case Study of the Alaska Fire Science Consortium. Weather, Climate, and Society. DOI: 10.1175/WCAS-D-19-0009.1
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