Alaskan Climate Affairs

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Circle of Knowledge Climate, Weather, and
Environmental Change
An exploratory community-based research
project
Shannon McNeeley Environmental and Societal
Impacts Group National Center for Atmospheric
Research 303-497-8122 phone [phone]
fax Shannon_at_atd.ucar.edu
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Project Goal
To co-develop a research plan for documenting
Native observations of changes in the weather,
climate and related environmental changes
examine impacts, coping mechanisms and
adaptations and exchanging complementary
information and knowledge on climate, weather and
environmental changes between Natives and
scientists.
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Project Background
Alaskan Climate Affairs

• Alaskan Climate Affairs
• Huslia Weather Workshop
• SGER Proposal

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Alaskan Climate Affairs
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Alaskan Climate Affairs
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First stop Hughes Insert map here
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Next stop Galena
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Next stop Koyukuk MAP
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Community Participatory Research
Researcher is a collaborator who works with local
participants to define research questions,
describe experiences in their own terms, and use
the research results to effect change
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Community Participatory Research
Co-develop with interested communities along the
Koyukuk River (Huslia, Hughes, Koyukuk, Alatna,
Allakaket) and scientists who study Arctic and
global climate change in order to better
understand the changes that are happening, plan
for coping with future changes and create
opportunities for education that combines
elements of Native Knowledge and western science.
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Principles of Community Participatory Research

• Process of mutual inquiry and problem solving
• Community has control and ownership of
  intellectual property concerning them
• Involve all who are interested in participating
• Build capacity within the community for self
  sufficiency
• Develop local researchers
• Outside researcher gives back to community

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• Milder temperatures
• Changes in wind patterns
• Changes in precipitation patterns heavier rains
  in summer, but less snow in winter
• Shorter winters
• Lakes drying up
• Changes in ice conditions
• Overflow on the ice restricting travel
• Open water on the Yukon
• 2002 Beluga whale swam up the Koyukuk River

Alaskan Climate Affairs
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Possible Research Questions
What unusual changes (anomalies) are being seen
related to weather and climate such as timing of
seasons, extreme weather events, freezing and
thaws, etc.? What are some of the feedbacks or
indirect impacts being seen, for example,
what are hunters seeing in wildlife that seem to
be manifestations of climate change? How are
expectations of how the weather behaves still
tied to the past and how does this result in
negative impacts in terms of subsistence
activities, food availability, health and safety,
etc.? How have tribes along the Koyukuk adapted
to these changes they are experiencing? What
future impacts might require planning for coping
or adapting into the future, for example, if
there is less snow.
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Possible Research Questions continued
What can traditional knowledge tell us about
changes in the interior that western science
cannot? How can TK help climate modelers think
about their data collection, analysis, and model
structure? What scientific knowledge on climate
and weather is useful to Natives in the
villages? Where are the gaps in knowledge that
neither TK nor western science can explain at
this stage? How far back in time can TK be
useful to provide records of changes in climate
and weather? What do local expressions about the
weather mean, for example, terms like Sun Dog,
two summers and two winters, weather is getting
old, etc.?
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Timeline 2004
Action Item Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug
Meetings with tribal council(s) X X X
Identification of project developers X X X
Meetings with village participants X X
Letters of support X
Visit scientists at UAF X X X
Extensive literature review X X X X X
Research Design X X X X X X
Approval from Communities X
Report Preparation X X
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Alaskan Climate Affairs