kissimmee river restoration project case study

Kissimmee River restoration: a case study

Affiliation.

• 1 South Florida Water Management District, West Palm Beach 33458, USA.
• PMID: 12171366

Channelization of the Kissimmee River transformed a 167 km meandering river into a 9 metre deep, 75 metre wide, 90 km drainage canal (C-38) that is compartmentalized with levees and water control structures into a series of five stagnant pools. Channelization dramatically changed water level and flow characteristics, drained 21,000 hectares of floodplain wetlands and severely impacted fish and wildlife populations. A $500 million dollar restoration project will restore the ecological integrity of the river-floodplain system by reconstructing the natural river channel and reestablishing hydrologic processes. Sixty expectations have been established to quantify the ecosystem's recovery. The first phase of reconstruction was completed in February 2001 and included movement of 9.2 million cubic metres of earth to backfill 12 km of C-38, the explosive demolition of one water control structure, construction of two sections (2.4 km) of new river channel, and reestablishment of 24 contiguous km of river. Numerous social, political, and technical challenges have been encountered during the project's evolution. Recommendations are provided for future restoration projects.

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Kissimmee River restoration: a case study

2002, Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research

Channelization of the Kissimmee River transformed a 167 km meandering river into a 9 metre deep, 75 metre wide, 90 km drainage canal (C-38) that is compartmentalized with levees and water control structures into a series of five stagnant pools. Channelization dramatically changed water level and flow characteristics, drained 21,000 hectares of floodplain wetlands and severely impacted fish and wildlife populations. A $500 million dollar restoration project will restore the ecological integrity of the river-floodplain system by reconstructing the natural river channel and reestablishing hydrologic processes. Sixty expectations have been established to quantify the ecosystem's recovery. The first phase of reconstruction was completed in February 2001 and included movement of 9.2 million cubic metres of earth to backfill 12 km of C-38, the explosive demolition of one water control structure, construction of two sections (2.4 km) of new river channel, and reestablishment of 24 conti...

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Florida has brought this dying river back to life – here’s how its biodiversity bounced back

The world’s biggest river restoration project has returned Florida’s Kissimmee River to good health. Image:  Unsplash/kellysikkema

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• The world’s biggest river restoration project has returned Florida’s Kissimmee River to good health.
• Flood-prevention engineering projects in the 1960s caused severe ecosystem damage and biodiversity loss to the more than 100-mile-long waterway.
• Undoing the damage to the river has seen bird, fish, insect and marine life populations thrive once again.
• Biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse is seen as the fourth-largest threat to humans in the next decade.

What happened to the birds, fish and marine wildlife that used to thrive in the wetland banks of Florida’s Kissimmee River?

Against all odds… they are returning.

Much of the Kissimmee’s original course and ecosystem have now been restored following a $1 billion restoration project that has been more than 20 years in the making. A rescue project has reversed decades of biodiversity decline caused by building canals and waterways to control flooding and hurricanes.

In the last 100 years, more than 90 percent of crop varieties have disappeared from farmers’ fields, and all of the world’s 17 main fishing grounds are now being fished at or above their sustainable limits.

These trends have reduced diversity in our diets, which is directly linked to diseases or health risk factors, such as diabetes, obesity and malnutrition. One initiative which is bringing a renewed focus on biological diversity is the Tropical Forest Alliance .

This global public-private partnership is working on removing deforestation from four global commodity supply chains – palm oil, beef, soy, and pulp and paper.

The Alliance includes businesses, governments, civil society, indigenous people and communities, and international organizations.

Enquire to become a member or partner of the Forum and help stop deforestation linked to supply chains.

Engineering an ecosystem collapse

The river meanders its way from the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in northern Florida, winding more than 100 miles through lush wetlands to Lake Okeechobee further south, where its waters feed into the Everglades ecosystem. At least, it used to.

Back in the 1960s, in an engineering effort to control the threat of severe storms and flooding, the US Army Corp of Engineers clipped the meandering river’s curves, turning it into a 30-foot deep, 300-foot wide, 56-mile long, straight-line drainage canal . The deep-water channel swiftly moved river water through the wetlands to Lake Okeechobee, then through newly-built canals out to the ocean.

While the short-term impact prevented some flooding, the fast flowing water robbed fish populations of oxygen and left pollutants in the water , instead of the wetlands absorbing them, according to South Florida Water Management District.

The damage to river ecosystems devastated surrounding wildlife and their habitats, decreasing waterfowl numbers by around 90% of previous levels, while the area’s bald eagle population fell by more than two-thirds. Some other bird, fish and mammal species disappeared from the river’s ecosystem.

Have you read?

Diving into water restoration what it takes to prime a project, why wetlands are a versatile climate and biodiversity hack, peatland restoration is crucial but how do we pay for it, restored wetland habitats.

Fast-forward to today and the Kissimmee wetlands are once again rich with marine life, birds and mammals.

The transformation is the result of a collaborative effort by the US Army Corp, state, federal and local partners to repair the environmental damage. Forty miles of wetlands – almost half of the river’s length – have been regenerated by filling in more than 20 miles of the channel with sediment, and excavating the river’s natural bends to reestablish its old course.

The results speak for themselves. As oxygen returns to the waters, fish, insect and bird populations are increasing and some of the species that disappeared have returned, such as ibis and sandpipers.

Data shows that the restoration meets or exceeds the expectations set at the beginning of the project , according to the Center For Environmental Studies, Charles E Schmidt College of Science in Florida.

A similar success story can be found in Chicago where, 50 years after the city's Clean Water Act, the river is said to be thriving – most recently proved by the appearance of a giant snapping turtle in its waters.

Kissimmee river: A blueprint for tackling biodiversity loss

The scale of biodiversity loss and environmental damage to the planet has not gone unnoticed.

Large-scale environmental damage ranks sixth on the top 10 list of threats faced by humanity in the coming two years, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2023.

Looking further ahead, biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse is seen as the fourth-largest threat to humans in the next decade, while incidents of large-scale environmental damage – similar to what happened to the Kissimmee River – also feature in the top 10.

As the largest river restoration project in the world, reviving the Kissimmee River and its wetlands ecosystem could provide a blueprint to reverse other environmental damage to rivers and waterways.

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• ENVIRONMENT

Deep in Florida, an ‘ecological disaster’ has been reversed—and wildlife is thriving

Much of Florida’s Kissimmee River has been restored to its natural state, a milestone worth celebrating—and learning from.

If you’ve been to Disney World in Orlando, you’ve been to the Northern Everglades. Much of the water within the famous “river of grass” originates in Central Florida and flows south via the Kissimmee River—one of the more important and lesser-known waterways nationwide.

Sixty years ago, the Kissimmee meandered for more than 100 miles from the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes to Lake Okeechobee, and its floodplains were home to seasonal wetlands rich with life. But in the 1940s, in response to flooding and hurricanes, the state asked the federal government to help build a sprawling network of canals and waterways to drain the land.

The Army Corps of Engineers complied and, beginning in the 1960s, turned the meandering Kissimmee into a 30-foot-deep, channelized canal. Within a few years, populations of waterfowl dropped by 90 percent, bald eagle numbers by 70 percent, and some fish, bird, and mammal species vanished. The channel acted like a pipe, moving water quickly off the landscape to Lake Okeechobee, and then to the ocean. While that helped prevent some flooding in the short term, it robbed the stream of oxygen, which decimated the fish community and gave nutrient pollution no time to settle and be absorbed by the wetlands.

The disrupted hydrology and ecological problems were so glaring that, beginning in the 1990s, the Army Corps and a variety of state, federal, and local partners cooperated to undo the damage. More than 20 years later, at a cost of over $1 billion, the physical restoration of the river is now complete: 40 square miles of wetlands have been reestablished and rehydrated.

Already the biological impact of the project has become clear. As the wetlands have come back, so have the birds. “That response was immediate and pretty impressive,” says Lawrence Glenn, director of water resources with the South Florida Water Management District.

‘Triumph of imagination’

In all, nearly half of the river has been restored to its original state. The project involved filling in 22 miles of the canal, re-carving sections of the old river, and restoring 44 miles of the waterway’s natural meandering paths, according to the Army Corps.

For Hungry Minds

“It's a triumph of imagination [and] of partnership between the federal government and the state” and other organizations coming together, says Shannon Estenoz , assistant secretary for fish and wildlife and parks with the Department of Interior, who formerly worked for several different environmental organizations in Florida.

Populations of popular game fish, such as bass, have climbed, in part because the water is more oxygenated and invertebrates that demand such conditions, such as mayfly and caddisfly larvae, have returned. Populations of wading and waterbirds are already above intended targets; some species that disappeared during the days of the canal—including ibis, bitterns, avocets, and sandpipers—are back.

The restoration is a grand success story that “shows it’s possible to act at the landscape scale, and [it] demonstrates how quickly ecosystems can recover,” Estenoz adds. And it’s vitally important for water quality and the threatened species that live there, including limpkins, snail kites, and bald eagles, says Congressman Darren Soto, whose district abuts the river.

The Kissimmee will become part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, thanks to an act sponsored by Soto and signed into law as a part of the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act. The designation entails special protections and future funding for conservation work.  

On the water  

To see the fruits of the restoration myself, I take a late summer ride down the river with photographer and National Geographic Explorer Carlton Ward , Jr., and Adam Bass , vice president of Conservation Florida. The first stretch of the river, directly south of Lake Kissimmee, consists of the old canal—300 feet wide and 30 feet deep, straight as a runway, with almost no birds or wildlife to mention. This part was left as a canal in part to prevent flooding in the Orlando area.

Passing through a lock to get the restored part of the river, the difference is stark and obvious as the river begins its natural flow. The abrupt edges are replaced by thickets and grasses and sabal palms and oaks—and we start seeing birds: herons, egrets, limpkins, and more.   Surveys show that there are 50 species of fish in the Kissimmee, nearly 70 species of wetland-dependent birds, over 20 types of reptiles and amphibians, and four mammals that only live in the rehydrated marshes.

It's the rainy season and the wetlands are flooded, partially submerging vast fields of grasses and flowers. We pass dozens of alligators and bass fishermen. Though we are in crowded South Florida, there are long stretches where we see no people and hear only the sounds of frogs and waterbirds. This is still a wilderness. The river wiggles and bends and sometimes braids, leaving multiple pathways to choose from.

The next morning we wake before dawn and head out. As light creeps over the water nearly 10 snail kites—a subtropical species that’s considered endangered in the United States—fly overhead, many with apple snails in their beaks, large mollusks nearly the size of my fist.

These medium-sized hawks have striking red eyes and hooked beaks; the males are an almost bluish gray, with cream-and-slate undertails, the females a mottled chestnut and white.

Near the town of Lorida, we pull off at the Istokpoga Canal Boat Ramp—one of the only direct ways to access the restored part of the river, and meet Paul Gray, science coordinator with Audubon Florida. He also explains how the restoration project adds 100,000 acre-feet of water storage, which helps prevent flooding, and slows much of the water down, allowing nutrients to settle out.

One night, we make camp along the river, serenaded by tree frogs and katydids—and watch fireflies flash in an open field, mirrored by twinkles of lightning in a brooding storm cloud on the horizon. Camping in Florida in August is not for the faint of heart, though, as a self-regenerating swarm of mosquitos appears at dusk—the likes of which I’ve never experienced.

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When the channelization was completed in the 1970s, everybody realized it was a mistake. Locals had been against it from the beginning, explains Monrad Chandler, a longtime resident of the area, because “a lot of people used to make a living on the river.”

We’re sitting on a parcel of land he owns right next to the Kissimmee. His son-in-law, Matt Pearce, ranches on this land, where he practices rotational grazing—cattle are currently excluded from this area, allowing the plants to recover and grow back.

“When they channelized the river, there was no marsh no more … then no ducks, no snipe, [no] wading birds,” he says. “A lot of people had to change their livelihood.”

“It was an ecological disaster,” Gray agrees.

But now, those birds are coming back—and the restored section looks essentially the way it used to, Chandler says, fondly recalling hunting and fishing on the river as a youngster.

These restored wetlands provide corridors for larger wildlife such as Florida panthers and bears and habitat for endangered species, including grasshopper sparrows. By storing water, they also help prevent flooding during storms. ( Related: How America’s most endangered cat could help save Florida .)

“The Kissimmee River accomplished an amazing feat last summer when Hurricane Ian slammed Florida,” Ward says. “It filled to the 100-year flood level and did its job naturally absorbing billions of gallons of water, with no loss of property, because of the restoration efforts.”

Yet there’s still much work to be done. About half of the Kissimmee consists of a canal, and there’s a big backlog of hydrological and research projects. One vital and imminent project involves raising the water level in Lake Kissimmee—and thus increasing water storage.

Gray explains that various areas of Florida—including Orlando—are running out of easily accessible water, draining the state’s aquifers. “These water projects are going to become more and more important for the future of Florida,” Gray says.

“This project is going to be saving water, going to be slowing it down—not only is that a benefit to wildlife, but to water management, and our ability to meet [our] water needs.”

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P.J. Whalen , L.A. Toth , J.W. Koebel , P.K. Strayer; Kissimmee River restoration: a case study. Water Sci Technol 1 June 2002; 45 (11): 55–62. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2002.0379

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Channelization of the Kissimmee River transformed a 167 km meandering river into a 9 metre deep, 75 metre wide, 90 km drainage canal (C-38) that is compartmentalized with levees and water control structures into a series of five stagnant pools. Channelization dramatically changed water level and flow characteristics, drained 21,000 hectares of floodplain wetlands and severely impacted fish and wildlife populations. A $500 million dollar restoration project will restore the ecological integrity of the river-floodplain system by reconstructing the natural river channel and reestablishing hydrologic processes. Sixty expectations have been established to quantify the ecosystem's recovery. The first phase of reconstruction was completed in February 2001 and included movement of 9.2 million cubic metres of earth to backfill 12 km of C-38, the explosive demolition of one water control structure, construction of two sections (2.4 km) of new river channel, and reestablishment of 24 contiguous km of river. Numerous social, political, and technical challenges have been encountered during the project's evolution. Recommendations are provided for future restoration projects.

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Decades-Long Restoration Effort Has Returned Wetlands To Florida's Kissimmee River

Florida's Kissimmee River was channelized and dredged for flood control, but after a decades-long restoration effort, headwaters of the Everglades have returned to a more natural wetlands ecosystem.

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Pacific northwest.

Undamming the Klamath, Tribal nations are restoring the river while reclaiming and revitalizing their cultural heritage By: Nika Bartoo-Smith Indian Country Today May 2, 2024 Key words: Karuk, Yurok, Karuk, Shasta Indian Nation, Klamath River, dams, restoration, salmon, steelhead, Pacific lamprey, Klamath Water Users Association https://ictnews.org/news/undamming-the-klamath-?utm_source=ICT&utm_campaign=69faaa93ae-The+Weekly%2C+2%2F16_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5e3432615c-69faaa93ae-361103872 Collaborative work is occurring to restore the river and subsequently the fish and wildlife associated with it. Re-connection is occurring between the tribes and these places. As work begins on the largest US dam removal project, tribes look to a future of growth By: Adam Beam Virginian-Pilot July 31, 2023 Key words: Dam removal, ecosystem restoration, Klamath River, Chinook salmon, Karuk Tribe https://www.pilotonline.com/2023/07/31/as-work-begins-on-the-largest-us-dam-removal-project-tribes-look-to-a-future-of-growth/ Tribes are using their Indigenous knowledge to restore plants to the areas exposed along the river as the water level drops from the dam removal. The effort will prevent invasive species from taking over these areas. The dam removal will connect the river, so that Chinook salmon can freely migrate upstream to spawn. Podcast – Episode 22: This indigenous practice fights fire with fire Host: Elin Chen Overheard at National Geographic June 14, 2022 Key words: Karuk Tribe, Yurok Tribe, Hoopa Tribe, Klamath Basin, Northern California, Indigenous culture, cultural burns, climate change, inter-relational practices, holism, reciprocity, firelighters, Indigenous Peoples Burn Network https://www.nationalgeographic.com/podcasts/article/episode-22-this-indigenous-practice-fights-fire-with-fire Cultural burns were practiced for generations by Indigenous peoples living in the Klamath Basin. These burns not only effectively prevented massive forest fires, they also had many other ecological benefits from new seed growth to salmon migration. While the U.S. government stopped this practice for the past one hundred years or so, there is now recognition cultural burns are needed. Indigenous firefighter training teaches traditional Native practices in woodlands management By: Brian Bull KLCC March 12, 2022 Key words: Chiloquin, Oregon, Klamath Tribes, Ute Nation, Lakota Nation, Burns Paiute Tribe, Modoc Tribe, Siletz Tribe, Maqlaqs Gee’tkni, Long Tom Watershed Council, Oregon Department of Forestry, U.S. Forest Service, land management, cultural burns, staged burns, forest resiliency https://www.klcc.org/2022-03-12/indigenous-firefighter-training-teaches-traditional-native-practices-in-woodlands-management Firefighter trainees learn how to stage controlled burns. Many Native peoples once practiced ‘cultural burns’. After decades of suppressing this practice, federal and state governments are accepting the importance preventing massive wildfires. Now tribal and non-tribal governments are creating interdisciplinary teams to fight fires. Collaborative Fire Management Case Studies from the Colville National Forest By: Monique Wynecoop Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center May 27, 2021 Key words:  Colville National Forest, Confederated Colville Tribes, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, traditional ecological knowledge, fire management goals, cultural burns, collaboration https://vimeo.com/556389068 Monique Wynecoop, USFS fire ecologist and tribal liaison, presents collaborative projects conducted in the Colville National Forest that has led to better fire management. Building trust with tribal communities by incorporating diverse values and knowledge systems to meet varying goals leads to successful, cross-cultural partnership.

Quiet Fire By: Page Buono November 2, 2020 Nature Keywords:  Yurok Tribe, Karuk Tribe, Hoopa Tribe, Northern California, cultural burns, fire and land management, Native American Tradition, traditional ecological knowledge, TREX, prescribed burns https://www.nature.org/en-us/magazine/magazine-articles/indigenous-controlled-burns-california/?utm_source=Western+Cohesive+Strategy+News&utm_campaign=075c094767-Cohesive_Wildland_Fire_Strategy_Western_1_5_2018_C&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_46a4d00425-075c094767-208612505 There is better understanding these days that the Native American tradition of human-controlled burns is the best method to limit out of control wildfires. Over a century of fire suppression, urban development, and climate change has led to raging, uncontrolled fires that sweep through areas with massive amounts of underbrush. Now, many Northern Californian tribes have partnered with each other and with state and federal governmental agencies to reintroduce cultural burns to the land. In 2015, the Indigenous Peoples Burning Network (IPBN) was formed to revitalize cultural burns with the goal to support tribal self-determination and independence in their relationship to fire. The Fire We Need By: Page Buono April 24, 2020 High Country News Keywords: Yurok Tribe, Karuk Tribe, fire, cultural burning, proscribed burning https://www.hcn.org/articles/south-wildfire-the-fire-we-need Decades of fire suppression have contributed to the severity of wildfires and harmed cultural resources valued by Indigenous communities. The Indigenous Peoples Burning Network, in partnership with the Nature Conservancy, is bringing together Indigenous fire practitioners and Western-trained fire technicians. Responsible burning opens up wildlife habitat, encourages growth of culturally important resources and reduces the severity of wildfires. kúkuum yáv nukyâati peethívthaaneen We make the world good again Fighting Fire with Fire Storymap by: Karuk Tribe Department of Natural Resources February 21, 2020 Keywords: Fire, Karuk Tribe, traditional knowledge, fire suppression, salamander https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/bebd5ff6a9f748968790c31448f03a2e?utm_source=Western+Cohesive+Strategy+News&utm_campaign=f99339c896-Cohesive_Wildland_Fire_Strategy_Western_1_5_2018_C&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_46a4d00425-f99339c896-&utm_source=Western+Cohesive+Strategy+News&utm_campaign=f99339c896-Cohesive_Wildland_Fire_Strategy_Western_1_5_2018_C&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_46a4d00425-f99339c896-208612521 This storymap speaks to tribal efforts to restore lands with fire as they used to do before fire suppression policies. They are looking to the longterm benefit of re-introducing fire because results may not be apparent in their lifetimes. Makah Traditional Knowledge and Cultural Resources Assessment: A preliminary framework to utilize traditional knowledge in climate change planning By: Michael Chang, Haley Kennard, Laura Nelson, et al. Parks Stewardship Forum 36(1) 2020 Key words: Makah, climate adaptation, fisheries, traditional knowledge, cultural resources, community-based planning, historical baselines, western science, resilience https://escholarship.org/uc/item/88z8x502 For community resilience, the Makah tribe included traditional knowledge and community priorities into their climate adaptation process. Because tribal use of resources tends to be higher than the general public, the tribe chose to determine pre-contact historical baselines for resources to be the goals. While western science was an important component in the planning process, the tribes refocussed the discussions from scientific data, scenarios and models to people's emotions, daily activities, and lives as impacted by climate change. Why STEM Needs Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge: A Case Study of Ichishkíin Math By: Jennifer L Ruef, Stephany Runninghawk Johnson, Michelle M Jacob, Joana Jansen, and Virginia Beavert Jan. 2020 International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology Keywords: Yakama Nation, TEK, Mathematics, STEM education, Indigenous language http://genderandset.open.ac.uk/index.php/genderandset/article/view/662 Examines benefits of applying an Indigenous traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) framework to STEM fields. Shows how Tribal Elders are deeply engaged in STEM education and research including: Indigenous language documentation, natural resources management, and traditional Tribal stories that explain how all parts of ecology are relatives. What western states can learn from Native American wildfire management strategies By: Kari Marie Norgaard and Sara Worl, University of Oregon The Conversation October 29, 2019 Key words: Northern California, Southern Oregon, Karuk Tribe, food deserts, climate change, mega fires, fire supression, colonial violence, traditional foods, diversity https://theconversation.com/what-western-states-can-learn-from-native-american-wildfire-management-strategies-120731 This article confronts the notion that the mega fires that are happening in the west are caused by climate change and suggests that the change in fire regime from one of traditional land stewardship by tribes to one of fire supression could have more to do with the situation. Fire was a tool traditionally used to promote ecological diversity and reduce risk of catastrophic fires. Pacific Northwest Tribes Face Climate Change with Agricultural Ancient Practice By: Eilis O’Neill NPR Oct. 8, 2019 Keywords: Climate change, sea level rise, shellfish populations, clam gardens, Swinomish Tribe, Whidbey Island, Washington https://www.npr.org/2019/10/08/767896285/pacific-northwest-tribes-face-climate-change-with-agricultural-ancient-practice Pacific Northwest shellfish populations are declining, which is bad news for Swinomish Tribe members, for whom shellfish are a traditional subsistence resource. Clam gardens may help reduce ocean acidity, improving habitat for baby clams. Clam gardens have been used in the area for over 3000 years. Indian time: time, seasonality, and culture in Traditional Ecological Knowledge of climate change By: Samantha Chisholm Hatfield, Elizabeth Marino, Kyle Powys Whyte, Kathie D. Dello, and Philip W. Mote USGS July 9, 2018 Key words: cultural resources, tribes, vulnerability assessment, Nortwest, climate change, natural cycles, seasonal changes, Confederated Tribes of Salish and Kootenai, the Qinault Indian Nation, and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians https://casc.usgs.gov/projects/#/project/4f8c64d2e4b0546c0c397b46/52af603ce4b0978c01d10392 Scientists researched how three tribes' cultures and traditional ecological knowledge are affected by climate change.

Enhancing Tribal Health and Food Security in the Klamath Basin of Oregon and California by Building a Sustainable Regional Food System By: J. Sowerwine National Institute of Food and Agriculture 2018 Key words: food security, poverty, traditional food, yurok, participatory action research, Karuk https://reeis.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/0230374-enhancing-tribal-health-and-food-security-in-the-klamath-basin-of-oregon-and-california-by-building-a-sustainable-regional-food-system.html Klamath Basin residents suffer from high rates of food insecurity and poverty—a sharp departure from the rich ecosystem it supported in the past. Researchers attempt to understand the current residents food needs with an emphasis on traditional foods, and address gaps in availability using a community approach. Tribes: Colville - Tribes & Climate Change and a Growing Wildfire Threat By: Dennis Wall, ITEP 2018 Key words: fire, beaver, camas, Colville Tribe, air, water, climate change http://www7.nau.edu/itep/main/tcc/Tribes/pn_colville This tribal profile discusses how the the Colville tribe is addressing climate change and wildfire impacts on its land. A Native Community Preserves its Food Traditions By: Allie Hostler Civil Eats 11.21.2017 Key words: Agroecology, climate, food justice, food policy https://civileats.com/2017/11/21/a-native-community-preserves-its-food-traditions/ Tolowa tribal members continue their food traditions from the land and the sea. The tribe is developing a harvest code using traditional ecological knowledge.

Elders to bear witness on climate changes By: Justus Caudell The Tribal Tribune October 13, 2017 http://www.tribaltribune.com/news/article_d83fa26e-b024-11e7-989d-fbadfe5950df.html Elders from the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation are meeting with scientists from the University of Washington to discuss climate changes noted through traditional knowledge. Cultural Resources Specialist Report Project Overview: The Somes Bar Integrated Fire Management Project By: Bill Tripp, Alex Watts-Tobin, and Jennifer Dyer June 20, 2017 Key words: Karuk Tribe, Pacific Northwest, TEK, fire management, forest preservation https://www.karuk.us/images/docs/dnr/SBIFMP_CRSR.pdf This report discusses fire management techniques and applications used in Northern California. As known through their cultural stories, the Karuk Tribe managed the forest with fire. For this project, managers selected focal species that have cultural significance and needed preservation and used archaeological techniques to identify human use areas within the project site. The report also lists the direct and indirect effects fire will have on the woodland environment. Fisher Reintroduction Project By: North Cascades National Park May 24, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahuQ6d8EjMk Historically a common species in Washington, fishers were over-trapped to extinction due to their highly valuable fur. Even after decades of absence from the ecosystem, fisher habitat and their prey base remains intact and abundant, making them exceptional candidates for a population restoration project. Washington, with tribal partners and others, is now actively restoring the fisher population by translocating fishers from a healthy British Columbia population to the evergreen state’s landscape. Webinar: Scaling Up: Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe Presented by: Mike Durglo January 18, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC6lIUC8y9A&feature=youtu.be Presented as part of the NPS collaborative conservation working group, Scaling Up, this webinar focuses on landscape conservation efforts of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe in Montana, and includes use of TEK in climate change planning. It is presented by Mike Durglo, the Environmental Protection Division Manager for the Tribe’s Natural Resources Department, who was recognized on July 15, 2016 by the White House as a White House Champion of Change for Climate Equity. Student Collaboration Links Tribal History with Cultural Resources, Fire Regimes, Forest Management, and Ecological Habitats By: Frank K. Lake Pacific Southwest Research Station 2016 Key words: Pacific Southwest Research Station, the Yurok tribe, Humboldt State University, vegetation, soils, climate, fire https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/news/highlights/student-collaboration-links-tribal-history-cultural-resources-fire-regimes-forest Eldon Kinney is a Yurok tribal member and a student at Humboldt State University who researched vegetation diversity and soils. This research contributes to the Yurok tribe’s efforts towards developing a climate vulnerability assessment, part of a larger effort to reintroduce cultural burning practices. Anchor Forests: Sustainable Forest Ecosystems through Cross-Boundary, Landscape-Scale Collaborative Management By: Mark Corrao, Vincent Corrao, and Tera King Northwest Management, Inc. 2016 Key words: South Central, North Central, and Northeast sections of eastern Washington State, forests, fire, climate change https://www.nationalforests.org/assets/pdfs/CorraoMark-Handout-1.pdf This pilot program is designed to facilitate collaborative ecosystem restoration between federal government agencies, tribal governments, and others. The program was designed to address unhealthy forest conditions, made worse by modern fire regimes and climate change. Native Americans Adapting to Changes in What-Grows-Where by Bud Ward Yale Climate Connections September 21, 2016 http://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2016/09/native-americans-adapting-to-climate-changes/ University of Idaho brings a group of tribes together to discuss climate change relating to indigenous ecological knowledge. Threat of Salmon Extinction Turns Small Tribe Into Climate Researchers by Nathan Gilles Yes! Magazine September 6, 2016 http://www.yesmagazine.org/people-power/threat-of-salmon-extinction-turns-small-tribe-into-climate-researchers-20160906 The natural resources department of the Nooksack Indian Tribe is concerned about warming water effects on the Chinook salmon; therefore, employees are undertaking riparian and instream projects to help keep the water cool. A Native Perspective OSU (Oregon State University) Stories January 29, 2016 Climate change is impacting use of and availability of traditional foods and the ceremonies surrounding them. Learning Together, Burning Together By: Will Harling Wildfire Magazine 2015 Key words: Forest Service, Happy Camp, Somes Bar, Orleans, CALFIRE, Karuk Tribe, Klamath Mountains, fire http://wildfiremagazine.org/2015/01/learning-together-burning-together/ The Klamath River Prescribed Fire Training Exchange (TREX) partners with the Karuk tribe for prescribed burns around the Western Klamath Mountains. These on-the-ground applications represent co-management techniques often used within traditional lands. Understanding the Pacific's Earthquakes Through Indigenous Stories by Ann Finkbeiner The Atlantic September 14, 2015 https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/09/understanding-the-pacifics-earthquakes-through-indigenous-stories/405199/ Ancient clam gardens nurtured food security Simon Fraser University News March 20, 2014 https://phys.org/news/2014-03-ancient-clam-gardens-nurture-food.html Rock-walled beach terraces were used by coastal communities to farm and harvest clams for food security. Tribal Wisdom & Western Science: A Holistic Approach to Conservation By: Amanda Fortin (USFWS) &John Mankowski (NPLCC) http://usfwspacific.tumblr.com/post/65785087613/tribal-wisdom-western-science-a-holistic The U.S. Fish &Wildlife Service and North Pacific Landscape Conservation Cooperative are learning how Traditional Ecological Knowledge can inform our collective understanding of climate change –and how communities in the Pacific Northwest can adapt. Exploring the Role of Traditional Ecological Knowledge in Climate Change Initiatives Kirsten Vinyeta and Kathy Lynn Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-879. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 37p. 2013 https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/43431 Climate change is impacting Indigenous communities disproportionately. These communities are attempting to use TEK in their climate change planning.| Subsistence Research Subsistence Harvest Monitoring and Traditional Knowledge Alaska Department of Fish and Game http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=marinemammalprogram.subsistence_harvest_monitoring Subsistence hunters voluntarily report harvest of harbor seals, sea lions and other marine mammals. Integrating traditional and local ecological knowledge into forest biodiversity conservation in the Pacific Northwest by Susan Charnley et al . Forest Ecology and Management, doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2007.03.047 2007 https://ecoshare.info/uploads/ccamp/synthesis_paper_tools/huckleberry/Charnley_et_al.__2007.__Integrating_TEK_into_biodiversity_conservation.pdf While the potential benefits to incorporating TEK and local ecological knowledge (LEK) in conservation have been explored at length, practical application of it has proven to be difficult. This article explores attitudes towards biodiversity, current management practices, and effective integration models for including TEK and local knowledge in forest conservation in the Pacific Northwest. Salal Harvester Local Ecological Knowledge, Harvest Practices and Understory Management on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington By: Heidi L. Ballard and Lynn Huntsinger August 2006 Human Ecology Keywords: Forest management, nontimber forest products, salal, Pacific Northwest https://www.researchgate.net/publication/225328248_Salal_Harvester_Local_Ecological_Knowledge_Harvest_Practices_and_Understory_Management_on_the_Olympic_Peninsula_Washington Discusses the ecological knowledge of migrant and immigrant harvesters of nontimber forest products and positions that knowledge as TEK. Analyzes interviews of harvesters of salal, a plant used in the floral industry. Concludes that migrant and immigrant harvesters do possess knowledge useful to land managers. Case Study: Restoring Indian-Set Fires to Prairie Ecosystems on the Olympic Peninsula by Jacilee Wray and M. Kat Anderson Ecological Restoration, 21:296-301;doi:10.3368/er.21.4.296 December 2003 https://er.uwpress.org/content/21/4/296 Case Study: Restoring Ethnographic Landscapes and Natural Elements in Redwood National Park by Stephen Underwood, Leonel Arguello, and Nelson Siefkin Ecological Restoration, 21:278-283;doi:10.3368/er.21.4.278 December 2003 https://er.uwpress.org/content/21/4/278

Last updated: May 8, 2024