The USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station, the University of Oregon's Environmental and Natural Resources Law Program, the Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics and Sustainable Northwest are hosting events this summer and fall aimed at building knowledge about climate change policy and fostering dialogue about the needs and opportunities for Native American tribes in the Pacific Northwest to engage in climate change policy, planning and action.

September 14-15, 2009 - Portland, Oregon - Tribal Climate Change Policy Training
The Tribal Climate Change Policy Training convened tribal decision-makers and staff from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Northern California who have an interest in learning about the technical aspects of climate change policy, as well as the opportunities that tribes have to engage in climate change policy and action at tribal, national, and international levels.  There was also an opportunity for people to participate via webinar. 

View meeting materials including a webcast of the meeting, the final agenda, participant list and presentations given at the training.

October 15-16, 2009 - Eugene, Oregon - Tribal Climate Change Forum
The Tribal Climate Change Forum will focus on dialogue about the challenges and implications that tribes will face in regards to climate change policy at tribal, regional, national and international levels, as well as opportunities tribes have to engage in climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. The purpose of the Forum is for participants to identify needs and begin to develop key products that will assist tribal leaders and program officials in addressing climate change policy, adaptation, and/or mitigation. The format of this event will focus on facilitated dialogue among tribal participants, as well as commentary by tribal and university experts. The Forum will be coordinated during a visit by the University of Oregon's inaugural Oregon Tribes Professorship law chair, Dr. Rebecca Tsosie.

Who should attend: Tribal leaders and policymakers with an interest in identifying opportunities to increase tribal input into climate change policy.

REGISTRATION PROCESS
There will be no registration fee for either event, and most travel and lodging expenses for tribal participants will be reimbursed by the convening organizations.  Click here to view registration materials.

HOTEL
October Tribal Climate Change Forum:
We have reserved a block of rooms at the Best Western New Oregon (1655 Franklin Blvd, Eugene, OR 97403-1982) for the October 15-16 forum.  You will need to call the hotel at 541-683-3669 and reserve a room in the Tribal Climate Change Forum room block.

 
ABOUT THE STEERING COMMITTEE

Members of the steering committee are working closely with the sponsoring organizations to shape the focus of both events and to assist in networking and recruitment of participants among tribes in the Northwest. Members of the steering committee include representatives of the following organizations and tribes:

• Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians
• Columbia Inter-Tribal Fish Commission
• Institute for Tribal Government, Portland State University
• Intertribal Timber Council
• Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission
• Coquille Indian Tribe
• Tulalip Tribes

ABOUT THE SPONSORS

The USDA Pacific Northwest Research Station is providing the primary funding to sponsor the Pacific Northwest Tribal Climate Change Initiative and these two events. Climate change is one of the key challenges for forest management identified by the Chief of the Forest Service. In response, Forest Service Research has developed a ten-year Global Change Research Strategy. The strategy balances research across a range of management, science, and technology transfer actions aimed at developing adaptation and mitigation approaches to sustain healthy trees and ecosystems.

The University of Oregon Environmental and Natural Resources Law Program and the Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics will host the October Tribal Climate Change Forum in Eugene, Oregon. The Environmental and Natural Resources Law Program pioneered the earliest academic curriculum in public interest environmental law and, for nearly a quarter century, has been working to advance Indian law and native issues. The Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics invites distinguished scholars and advocates to the University of Oregon to carry on the tradition of Wayne Morse. The theme of inquiry for the Center for 2009-2011 will be Climate Ethics and Climate Equity and aims to examine overarching ethical issues involved with climate change as well as solutions that focus on equity and environmental justice, both domestically and internationally.

The Sustainable Northwest Policy Program is hosting the September Tribal Climate Change Policy Training in Portland, Oregon. Sustainable Northwest helps people and communities restore and maintain ecological health, balance diverse interests, and promote economic opportunities. Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, Sustainable Northwest strives, through collaboration, to bridge rural and urban interests, encourage entrepreneurship, and build trust in sustainable natural resource management and utilization in the western U.S. This project helps fulfill the mission of Sustainable Northwest by promoting knowledge and learning about climate change among Native American tribes in the Pacific Northwest.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For more information about the Tribal Climate Change Training, contact Kathy Lynn (kathy@uoregon.edu, 541-346-5777) or Alaina Pomeroy (apomeroy@sustainablenorthwest.org, 503-221-6911x109). 

For more information about the Tribal Climate Change Forum, please email the UO School of Law.