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Tribal Nations and Indigenous Communities have witnessed changes in the climate from time immemorial.  However, anthropogenic climate change and the Climate Crisis coupled with the impacts of colonization pose unique challenges for Tribal Nations.  Despite these challenges, Tribal Nations are leading the way in climate change adaptation planning and resilience.  This talk will provide an overview of climate change impacts and adaptation by Tribal Nations and Indigenous communities with an emphasis on the East Coast and coastal communities. It will then discuss opportunities to learn from Indigenous climate change adaptation while maintaining respect for Indigenous knowledge and Tribal sovereignty.

Dr. Casey Thornbrugh is a citizen of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and is a geographer with a background in climate science.  He has served as a Tribal Climate Science Liaison for United South and Eastern Tribes Inc. (USET) in coordination with the Bureau of Indian Affairs Tribal Climate Resilience Branch (BIA-TCR) and the Northeast and Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Centers (NE/SE CASC).  In this role, he worked with agencies and departments of Tribal Nations to provide climate science information, identify climate research needs and priorities, and offer climate adaptation planning support.  Casey served as a co-author on the Fifth National Climate Assessment – Northeast Chapter. He resides in Mashpee, Massachusetts with his wife, Sarah and their two children.

Presented in partnership with Lexington Climate Action Network and Native Americans of Lexington.  Funded by the Cary Library Foundation and the Lexington Garden Club.

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