Events in Indian Country
4th Shifting Seasons Summit
September 30-October 4, Menominee Resort and Casino, WI. Shifting Seasons Summits are hosted periodically by the College of Menominee Nation's Sustainable Development Institute and partners. The multi-day meetings are intended to bring together Tribal decision makers, federal agencies, Indigenous practitioners, land resource stewards, and climate change scientists to share knowledge and resources to benefit climate change adaptation efforts by Tribal and non-Tribal entities. Reports and recordings from past Summits can be viewed on the Shifting Seasons Summit webpage.
This 4th installment of the Shifting Seasons Summit is a gathering that will focus on climate resilience and implementation within Tribal Nations, across Tribal ceded territories, and across borders in and outside of the Midwest Region. This summit will include network-building opportunities, experiential learning, and much more! The summit has been planned around the Menominee Theoretical Model of Sustainability (MTMS). Registration is open now, and a draft agenda will be posted soon!
Sustaining Ash Partners Network (SAP-Ne) Kick-Off Webinar
October 2, 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM ET, Virtual. You’re invited to register for the Forest Stewards Guild’s Sustaining Ash Partners Network (SAP-Ne) kick-off webinar event! Join the launch of our network to promote a collaborative approach to ash preservation in the Northeast, with a morning of learning and dialogue with experts across Tribal Nations, academic, governmental, and private organizations.
The preservation of ash in the face of emerald ash borer (EAB) is a growing concern. Contributing to this forest health challenge, it is often increasingly difficult to work across boundaries and respond at the scales needed to develop lasting solutions. To address this need, SAP-Ne supports a regional response to EAB through education, outreach, and engagement with diverse forest stewards across the Northeast (i.e., Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, and Massachusetts) by encouraging landscape level actions to sustain ash, sharing stories of hope, and amplifying the cultural significance of ash among Indigenous peoples.
Our kick-off webinar will:
- Announce our multi-year network goals;
- Explore western scientific and Indigenous perspectives on ash stewardship;
- Share experiences to inspire and engage forest stewards in ash preservation;
- Identify gaps in regional training and resources which SAP-Ne will aim to fill; and
- Serve as a call to action to address the ecological, social, and cultural impacts of EAB.
2024 AISES National Conference
October 3-5, San Antonio, TX. The Annual AISES National Conference is a unique, three-day event focusing on educational, professional, and workforce development for Indigenous peoples of North America and the Pacific Islands in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) studies and careers. This year’s theme is Rivers of Resilience: Sustaining Indigenous Innovation. Conference registration will close on September 20.
Ash Protection Across Wabanakik – Future of Brown Ash Meeting
October 8 – 9, Wells Conference Center, University of Maine, Orono, ME. Join the Ash Protection Collaboration Across Wabankik (APCAW) lab group and its many Tribal Nation and other partners for a two-day gathering at the University of Maine in Orono dedicated to the future of brown ash forests amidst Emerald Ash Borer invasion. This event is designed to bring together a diverse community of partners who share a passion for and commitment to the preservation and understanding of brown ash ecosystems and the cultural values and lifeways they support. Whether you are a researcher, a basketmaker, a Tribal citizen, or simply an advocate for these vital forests, this gathering is an invaluable opportunity to connect, learn, and collaborate.
Moving Toward Preparedness for Extreme Weather Events Webinar Series
October – November, Online. Join the National Adaptation Forum and partners for a 4-part virtual series exploring strategies to enhance the preparedness and resilience of communities before disasters strike, thereby minimizing the damages from extreme weather. The goal of this series is for audience members to learn more about innovative work and actionable strategies for disaster preparedness across the country and how this work is integrated into longer-term climate adaptation planning.
- October 8, 1:30 – 3:30 PM CT: Enhancing the preparedness and resilience of communities before disasters strike: the cases of Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico
- October 22, 1:30 – 3:30 PM CT: The Importance of small business continuity planning when preparing for extreme weather events
- November 7, 2:00 – 4:00 PM CT: More details coming soon
- Session 4: More details coming soon
TESNAR webinar series: Mapping and Geospatial Techniques and Tools Applied to Natural Resource, Cultural Preservation, and Emergency Management Programs
Every other Thursday through 2024, 11 AM – 1 PM ET, Online. This series is presented by USGS Technical Education in Support of Native American Relations (TESNAR) and hosted by this year’s Tribal Nation sponsor, the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah). Presenters represent staff from the USGS, other federal agencies and other organizations. Invited attendees may be Tribal members, Tribal government staff or Tribal students of any skill level with interest in learning geospatial analysis and data visualization techniques. Commercially available and open-source platforms will be discussed. To receive calendar and Teams invites, email Jason Sorenson at jsorenso@usgs.gov or Steph Courtney at scourtney@usetinc.org.
- October 10: ArcGIS online, Mapviewer, finding and accessing data, storymaps
- October 24: Topics TBA
- November 7: Field data collection platforms
- November 21: Streamstats, NHD, and LiDAR hydrography
- December 5: Mapping CWD, Tribal-led mapping, geospatial policy and data sovereignty
- December 19: Terrestrial LiDAR data collection, change detection, scanning total stations on Shinnecock lands
Climate Vulnerability Assessment Workshop
October 30, Citizen Potawatomi Nation South Hall, Shawnee, OK. Join staff from South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center (SC CASC) for a one-day workshop on vulnerability assessments. A vulnerability assessment is one of the first steps in developing a climate adaptation plan. The SC CASC will cover basics on how to start a vulnerability assessment; types of vulnerability assessments, various sectors (i.e., natural resources, culturally significant animals or plants, or infrastructure) and approaches that can be used to develop a vulnerability assessment. There will be a presentation on where to find tools that can help a Tribal Nation or community to gather data and options to find projections for your region. We will use that information to qualitatively measure Exposure, Sensitivity, and Adaptive Capacity. Travel assistance will be available for a limited amount of people.
NOAA Eastern Region Climate Services Monthly Webinars
Monthly, 8:30 – 9:30 AM CT, Virtual. NCEI's Eastern Region Climate Services provide data, tools, and information to help organizations, decision makers, and the general public address and mitigate the effects of climate variability and change to the NE US. Attendees must register for each webinar separately.
- October 31: New York State’s Extreme Heat Action Plan
- November 21: Use of NOAA Radar Data to Analyze Extreme Precipitation
- December 19: ENSO and Winter Outlook
2024 NDiSTEM Conference
October 31-November 2, Phoenix, AZ. The largest multidisciplinary and multicultural STEM diversity event in the country, the Society for Advancing Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science’s (SACNAS) premier conference is a gathering which serves to equip, empower, and energize participants for their academic and professional paths in STEM. Over the course of the event, college-level through professional attendees are immersed in cutting-edge STEM research, professional development sessions, motivational keynote speakers, and the Graduate School & Career Expo Hall, as well as multicultural celebrations and traditions, and an inclusive and welcoming community of peers, mentors, and role models. Simply put, the NDiSTEM Conference is a broadly inclusive space where you are encouraged and empowered to bring your whole self to STEM. Registration will open May 1.
2024 Tribal Climate & Health Adaptation Summit
November 6-7, Pala Casino, Spa, & Resort, CA. From hazardous air to uncertain water supply, U.S. Tribes have been increasingly and disproportionately affected by more intense wildfire, drought, and heat, resulting from a changing climate. Many Tribes are not just planning but acting in real time to protect the health and wellbeing of their community. This Summit brings together experts and practitioners in Tribal health and climate adaptation to explore emerging and successful strategies that address the physical, mental, socioeconomic, and cultural and spiritual health and wellbeing of Tribes. Building upon knowledge gained during the 2022 and 2023 Summits, which aimed to help Tribes identify their unique climate and health vulnerabilities (see Summit recordings), and develop plans (see Summit recordings), this year’s Summit turns our attention to the next step in adaptation: taking action, with a focus specifically on wildfire, drought, and heat.
Northeast Regional Ocean Council (NROC) Meeting
November 12 – 13, Portsmouth, NH. The first day will feature breakout meetings and workshops hosted by NROC's Ocean Planning, Ocean and Coastal Ecosystem Health, and Coastal Hazards Resilience Committees. On the second day, NROC will hold a regular full day meeting with updates and opportunities for collaboration from NROC members and partners, as well as NROC Committee related topics and discussion. The meeting will also include opportunities for Tribal discussions and engagement with Tribal youth. A meeting agenda and registration system will be available soon on the NROC website.
2025 Coastal GeoTools Conference
January 27-30, 2025, Wilmington, NC. The Coastal GeoTools conference is typically held every two years and focuses on geospatial data, tools, technology, and information for coastal resource management professionals. This year’s theme is Enhancing Resilience through Relationships, Information, and Technology, and is the second year with a large emphasis on Tribal and Indigenous resilience. Coastal professionals from many different sectors find the networking opportunities of the conference unique and important for furthering the goals of their organizations. Innovation, knowledge sharing, the effective use of geospatial technologies, and partnerships are what it takes to make the coast more resilient, and that’s what you will find at Coastal GeoTools 2.0.