Climate Change Adaptation Planning

Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe

Environment Division

Angela BenedictSRMT Environment Division

An Adaptation Plan is a written document of our Environment,

ways of life and strategies to adapt to a changing climate.

WHAT IS AN ADAPTATION PLAN?

CHANGES?

Ability to recover readily from illness and/or depression

RESILIENCE

The permissible variation of an object or objects in some

characteristic such as hardiness weight or quantity.

TOLERANCE

WHAT CHANGES ARE YOU SEEING?

Apple trees are blooming earlierTree leaves are changing colors earlierEarlier frost warningsLeaves are dropping earlier

FALL

SnowfallIceExtreme eventsMore rain than snow

WINTER

CUMULATIVE FREEZING DAYS

1952

1955

1957

1959

1961

1963

1965

1967

1969

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

2013

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

1100

989.5 984.7950.7

914

969

Cumulitive Freezing Days (1952-2014)

Year

Tem

p (

C)

March 2012 High 81°F Low 1°F 2013 High 57°F Low 2°F 2014 High 47°F Low -23°F

Maple sap Flowers Lower snow pack less runoff but high

snow pack could mean flooding

SPRING

PREDICTIONS OF SUGAR MAPLE IN EASTERN NORTH AMERICA

present range

overlap

predicted new growth

predicted new growth

overlap

Distribution of Sugar Maple in Eastern North America will change due to an increase in temperature and a decrease in moisture shifting further north east.

Prediction based on Prediction based on increased increased temperature temperature and decrease

precipitation

TOTAL RAIN FALL

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

0.0010.0020.0030.0040.0050.0060.0070.0080.0090.00

Total Depth 00-13

Year

Inc

he

s

Extreme rain events More rain in shorter time

periods Hail storms, wind storms

SUMMER

Drought Conditions Well went dry Crops-Corn Water levels

Warm, Cold, Warm (Spring), Hot and Dry (Summer)

WATER TEMPERATURES

06/1

9/19

96

12/1

9/19

96

06/1

9/19

97

12/1

9/19

97

06/1

9/19

98

12/1

9/19

98

06/1

9/19

99

12/1

9/19

99

06/1

9/20

00

12/1

9/20

00

06/1

9/20

01

12/1

9/20

01

06/1

9/20

02

12/1

9/20

02

06/1

9/20

03

12/1

9/20

03

06/1

9/20

04

12/1

9/20

04

06/1

9/20

05

12/1

9/20

05

06/1

9/20

06

12/1

9/20

06

06/1

9/20

07

12/1

9/20

07

06/1

9/20

08

12/1

9/20

08

06/1

9/20

09

12/1

9/20

09

06/1

9/20

10

12/1

9/20

10

06/1

9/20

11

12/1

9/20

11

06/1

9/20

120.00

5.00

10.00

15.00

20.00

25.00

30.00

BLACK ASH SEEDS

One strategy the Akwesasne Task Force on the Environment is using to save the black ash tree is the collection of black ash seeds. Each year, healthy seeds are harvested in New York and parts of Canada, then carefully recorded, dried, and stored until planting.

ADAPTATION PLAN

Special Grant to create Adaptation Plans for all Nations in Region 2Created 2 plans

Saint Regis Mohawk TribeShinnecock Nation

Follows Thanksgiving Address

THANKSGIVING ADDRESS

The PeopleMother EarthThe WatersThe FishSmall Plants and

AnimalsThe BerriesThree SistersMedicine HerbsAnimals

TreesThe BirdsThe Four WindsThe ThunderersGrandmother MoonThe SunThe StarsThe Four BeingsThe Creator

GRAND MOTHER MOON

CURRENT CONDITIONS

FUTURE WITH CLIMATE CHANGE

ONGOING AND PLANNED CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION ACTIONS

GRAND MOTHER MOON

DIRECT LINK:HTTP://SRMTENV.ORG/WEB_DOCS/2013/09/SRMT_CCAP_08-30-13.PDF

http://srmtenv.org

Air Quality Program

Plan is listed under codes and regs

LINK TO ADAPTATION PLAN

CLOSING WORDS

“We have now arrived at the place where we end our words. Of all the things we have named, it was not our

intention to leave anything out. If something was forgotten, we leave it to each individual to send such

greetings and thanks in their own way.And now our minds are one.”