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EASTERN OREGON Eastern Oregon tribes preparing for climate change impact on First Foods Comment By George Plaven East Oregonian MailTribune.com By George Plaven East Oregonian Posted Jul. 25, 2015 at 3:32 PM By George Plaven East Oregonian Posted Jul. 25, 2015 at 3:32 PM » Social News Against the backdrop of a region-wide drought, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation are bracing for the potentially harmful long-term effects of climate change. The tribes have secured hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to study climate change in the Pacific Northwest and come up with an action plan to protect the reservation’s natural resources, including traditional First Foods. Native salmon and steelhead are having an especially tough summer, as intense heat and record-low snowpack have lowered most rivers to a fraction of their normal flows. Wildfires, such as the Blue Creek fire east of Walla Walla, also threaten tribal lands where members hunt and gather. Data suggests the problem is getting worse, said Patrick Mills with the CTUIR Department of Science & Engineering. Forecasts show the Northwest will be getting hotter in the decades to come. “Seasons are going to change,” Mills said. “Generally speaking, we’ll be hotter and wetter.” Mills is project manager for the tribes’ climate change vulnerability assessment, examining the risks imposed by climate change on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The report, which will be released publicly before the end of the year, was paid for through a 250,000 grant for the action and implementation plans, which will involve input and collaboration from most CTUIR government departments, Mills said. “With climate change, there’s limitless ways it can impact folks,” Mills said. “But I think we have identified the most important things to this point.” Finally, the tribes’ Department of Natural Resources is using Mills’ vulnerability assessment to create an online tool mapping climate information across the reservation. Mills compared the website to Google Earth, but said it will feature layers of climate-related data. That technology was possible through yet another BIA grant, for $150,000, through the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission and will be used by the tribes to research future projects and management. The effects of climate change are becoming more apparent, Mills said, and with these investments the tribes are keeping pace with the science. “Of course, the tribes are going to be concerned about changing environments and ecosystems,” he said. Both Mills and Sams said they expect additional funding from the federal government to see the entire planning process through to fruition. “It’s adaptation. It’s planning for the worst, and being prepared for it,” he said. “Everybody is saying climate change is going to keep happening, and it’s going to be very adverse to all our ecosystems.” By George Plaven East Oregonian MailTribune.com By George Plaven East Oregonian Posted Jul. 25, 2015 at 3:32 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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