National Climate Adaption Science Center

While the National CASC has only two activities included in the Data Sheet (table 1), it plays the roles of conducting research on cross-regional and national science priorities, serving as the national office for the CASC network, and providing management assistance to the regional CASCs. In addition to the two activities specified in the Data Sheet, the National CASC has also been involved as a partner in activities undertaken by regional CASCs. Of the two activities included, one is categorized in the Project Purpose column of the Data Sheet as “assessing science needs” and one as “increasing capacity” (fig. 2). In the Project Type column of the Data Sheet (table 3), the activities are grouped under training (one) and online tools and resources (one). Although one of the activities is grouped as a training project, there is no specific information on how many individual trainings are included in this project and when the trainings will occur. Regardless of the number of trainings, the events can be categorized in the Focus column of the Data Sheet as adaptation planning trainings (hands-on work on specific plan) and in the Level column of the Data Sheet as “oriented towards technical staff.”

Alaska Climate Adaption Science Center

The size, remoteness, and geographic isolation of Alaska has made partnerships, collaboration, and knowledge sharing essential components of the research projects and capacity-building activities undertaken by the Alaska CASC. Additionally, the scarcity of long-term climate-science data throughout many parts of the state makes local or traditional knowledge and community observations an integral part of the research, assessments, and adaptation planning efforts supported by the CASC (Shasby and others, 2017). For this reason, the Alaska CASC collaborates with local partners and communities to link climate research, resource management, and community resilience in the context of localized climate impacts (Shasby and others, 2017). Education, outreach, and community involvement are all crucial elements to carrying out an effective science plan in Alaska.

Throughout these trainings and projects, the Alaska CASC has routinely collaborated and leveraged resources (including data and equipment) with other Federal agencies, universities, and Tribal communities and organizations (specifically, the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, Chugachmiut Tribal Consortium, Chilkoot Indian Association, and Quartz Valley Indian Reservation). Additional partners include the Northwest CASC, North Pacific Landscape Conservation Cooperative, Alaska Center for Climate and Arctic Policy, and a number of local community partners (Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Arctic Village Traditional Council, Gwichyaa Zhee Gwich’in Tribal Council, Venetie Village Council, and Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association).

As shown in table 1, the Alaska CASC has five activities included in the Data Sheet, with three of the activities categorized in the Project Purpose column of the Data Sheet as “incorporating traditional knowledge into adaptation planning” (fig. 2). In the Project Type column of the Data Sheet, three activities are categorized as research projects, one as outreach, and one as training (table 3). All five of the activities include individual trainings (table 2), four of which are grouped in the Focus column of the Data Sheet as adaptation planning and one which is classified as a vulnerability assessment (fig. 6). In the Level and Focus column of the Data Sheets (fig. 7), four of the trainings are categorized as “no prior expertise” (Level) and adaptation planning (Focus) and the one remaining training is categorized as “oriented towards technical staff” (Level) and vulnerability assessment (Focus). Based on this information, the Alaska CASC has offered mostly “Climate 101” trainings for adaptation planning with the exception of one “Technical training” for vulnerability assessments. In table 4, which shows the number of individual trainings offered by each CASC per year, four of the trainings offered by the Alaska CASC occurred in 2019 and one occurred in 2016, showing an increase in the number of trainings through time.

The Alaska CASC has one activity included in the Data Sheet categorized as “targeted at youth” in the Level column of the Data Sheet (row 9). This activity set out to enhance collaboration in the Klamath Basin through Tribal youth internships to increase the Basin’s future capacity to respond to climate change by engaging Tribal youth. Even with only one activity included in the Data Sheet, the center has been involved in supporting training, research, and education programs targeted towards Native and non-Native undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral students, and early career professionals (Shasby and others, 2017).

Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center

With 13 activities, the Northwest CASC has the third highest number of activities included in the data sheet (table 1). Most of the activities in the Project Purpose column of the Data Sheet are categorized either as “increasing capacity” (five) or “incorporating Indigenous knowledge into adaptation planning” (five), and they are carried out through involvement in a variety of capacity-building activities (fig. 2). The Northwest CASC is one of only three CASCs having activities in all five of the categories included in table 3 or the Project Type column of the Data Sheet, the most common being research (four), followed by online resources and tools (three), conference/summit (three), outreach (two), and training (one). Some of the most frequent Northwest CASC partnerships seen throughout the Data Sheet are with the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, North Pacific Landscape Conservation Cooperative, Alaska CASC, National CASC and a number of different Tribes and Tribal organizations, including Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals, Pacific Northwest Tribal Climate Change Network, Institute for Tribal Government, Tribal Leadership Forum (Rolland and others, 2016).

Although the Northwest CASC has only one training project categorized in Project Purpose, there are six individual trainings included in the Data Sheet as shown in table 2. In the Focus column of the Data Sheet, five trainings are categorized as vulnerability assessments and one as adaptation planning (fig. 6). Looking at a combination of Level (fig. 7) and Focus, four of the trainings categorized as “oriented towards technical staff” (Level) are also grouped as vulnerability assessments and adaptation planning (Focus), and the remaining two trainings fall into the categories of “requires substantial prior exposure to climate concepts or TEK” (Level) and vulnerability assessment (Focus). Therefore, the trainings offered by the Northwest CASC are “Climate 201” trainings for vulnerability assessments and “Technical trainings” for vulnerability assessments or adaptation planning. Table 4 shows the highest number of trainings occurred in 2018, with three trainings. Of the remaining three, two occurred in 2013 and one in 2019.

The Northwest CASC does not have activities in the Level column of the Data Sheet categorized as “targeted at youth,” but it is included as a partner under the Alaska CASC project (row 9). Even though the center does not have any projects or trainings in this category, the Northwest CASC provides training and support for early career climate scientists, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers through the many science projects it funds. Additionally, the CASC presented a compilation of education and training activities and plans for development of a priority education and training agenda to the National CASC Education and Training Working Group for incorporation.

Southwest Climate Adaption Science Center

In addition to complex and highly variable climatic, ecological, and hydrologic systems in the Southwest CASC region, there is a general lack of available funding and resources to adequately support adaptation planning for the large number of Tribes across their landholdings in the Southwest, making this a priority area for the Southwest CASC (Redsteer and others, 2013). Through its involvement in climate change assessments, scenario planning activities and trainings, and support for adaptation planning, the Southwest CASC has taken on the initiative to increase the capacity of Tribal communities and organizations in the region. Additionally, the Southwest CASC has leveraged resources through the establishment of strong partnerships with the Native Nations Climate Adaptation Program, the Center for Climate Adaptation Science and Solutions, Native Nations Climate Adaptation Program, Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals, and regional Tribes (Leenhouts and others, 2017).

The Southwest CASC has seven activities included in the Data Sheet (table 1), of which three are categorized as “increasing capacity” in the Project Purpose column of the Data Sheet (table 3. In the Project Type column of the Data Sheet and table 3, these activities are categorized as outreach (four) and training (three). Among the seven activities, there have been four individual trainings (table 4) which are grouped in the Focus category and displayed in figure 6 as data skills (two), vulnerability assessments (one), and adaptation planning (one). In the Level (fig. 7) and Focus column of the Data Sheets, three of the trainings are categorized as “requires substantial prior exposure to climate concepts or TEK” (Level) and adaptation planning and data skills (Focus), and one training is categorized as “oriented towards technical staff” (Level) and vulnerability assessment (Focus). Based on this information, the Southwest CASC has offered a mix of “Climate 201” trainings for adaptation planning or data skills and “Technical trainings” for vulnerability assessments. As shown in table 4, one of the trainings occurred in 2013, two in 2015, and one in 2019. Lastly, one activity in the Level column of the Data Sheet was “targeted at youth,” a Tribal Climate Change Action Camp to provide youth with training, tools, and support to work with their own communities on local climate change concerns.

North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center

An emphasis on developing relationships and applying social science expertise has profoundly influenced the North Central CASC’s success in terms of partnerships, especially those with Tribal stakeholders in the region (Shipp and others, 2017). Partnerships included in the Data Sheet include the National Conservation Training Center, AmericaView, Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals, National Drought Mitigation Center, and the Shoshone and Arapaho Tribes Office of the Tribal Water Engineer. Established relationships beyond those included in the Data Sheet are with the Intertribal Council on Utility Policy, Inter-Tribal Buffalo Council, Wind River Reservation, Haskell Indian Nations University, Indigenous Peoples Climate Change Working Group, and Rising Voices: Collaborative Science with Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Solutions.

The North Central CASC has five activities included in the Data Sheet (table 1). In the Project Purpose column of the Data Sheet, four of the activities are categorized as “increasing capacity” (fig. 2). Under the Project Type column of the Data Sheet, activities are categorized as training (three), followed by outreach (one), and research (one) (table 3). Even with a low number of activities, the North Central CASC has the second highest number of individual trainings (17) included in the Data Sheet, following the South Central CASC (table 2). In figure 6, a high number of trainings in the Focus column of the Data Sheet are categorized as data skills (nine), followed by vulnerability assessments (six) and adaptation planning (two). In the Level (fig. 7) and Focus columns of the Data Sheet, all 17 individual trainings are categorized as “oriented towards technical staff” (Level) and data skills, vulnerability assessment, or adaptation planning (Focus). Therefore, all the trainings are considered “Technical trainings” for either data skills, vulnerability assessments, or adaptation planning, making North Central the center with the highest number of “Technical trainings.” According to table 4, the North Central CASC has offered trainings every year except for 2013, with the most trainings (six) having been offered in 2015 and the least trainings (one) offered in 2016.

South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center

The South Central CASC has prioritized working with Tribes and is the only center in the network with sovereign Tribal nations included in their consortium. Additionally, in as early as 2014, the center published a Tribal Engagement Strategy outlining the framework for building partnerships between Tribes and scientists and increasing capacity in climate-related areas through trainings and outreach activities (Andrews and others, 2014). Through involvement in numerous training and skill-development activities, the South Central CASC has proven to be a useful resource for Tribes and Tribal organizations, not only in their region, but in other regions as well (Bumgarner and others, 2018).

The South Central CASC has the highest number of activities (19) included in the Data Sheet (table 1) and also has a long record of offering Tribal trainings. In both the Project Purpose and Project Type column of the Data Sheet, the number of activities in the categories “increasing capacity” (fig. 2) and training (table 3) are higher than any other CASC, with 16 grouped in the Project Purpose column of the Data Sheet as “increasing capacity” and 14 in the Project Type column of the Data Sheet as training. The remaining five activities in table 3 or the Project Type column of the Data Sheet are split between the categories of conference/summit (two), online tools and resources (two), and outreach (one). There are 36 individual trainings included in the Data Sheet for the South Central CASC (table 2) because they were either funded by the USGS South Central CASC or instruction was provided directly by the South Central CASC team.

When grouped in the Focus column of the Data Sheet, most individual trainings carried out by the South Central CASC are categorized as basic climate literacy (16) or skills (12) trainings (fig. 6). The high number of trainings within these categories is unique, because the South Central CASC is the only center having individual trainings in either of these categories. Of the remaining eight trainings, five are categorized as vulnerability assessments, two as data skills, and one as adaptation planning. The categorization of individual trainings in the Level (fig. 7) and Focus columns of the Data Sheet are varied, with 16 of the trainings grouped as “requires no prior expertise” (Level) and either basic climate literacy or skills trainings (Focus), 15 trainings grouped as “oriented towards technical staff” (Level) and adaptation planning, [other] skills, data skills, and vulnerability assessments (Focus), and the remaining five trainings are grouped as “requires substantial prior exposure to climate concepts or TEK” (Level) and skills (Focus). This makes the South Central CASC one of only two centers to offer a full range of “Climate 101” (for basic climate literacy), “Climate 201” (for skills), and “Technical” (for adaptation planning, skills, data skills, or vulnerability assessments) training courses.

In table 4, the South Central CASC is also the only center having trainings every year from 2013 to 2019. The highest number of trainings were offered in 2014 (nine), 2015 (seven), and 2013 (six), and the lowest number was offered in 2016 (two). While this seems to indicate the number of trainings is declining each year, there are some possible explanations for why this may be. First, some of the more recent trainings following 2015 may not have been included when information was collected for inclusion in the Data Sheet. Second, many of the earlier trainings found in the ScienceBase Catalog or provided by the South Central CASC team utilize a “train the trainers” model and include shareable resources, allowing organizations or communities to use them to conduct their own trainings which would not be captured in the Data Sheet.

The South Central CASC has one activity categorized as “targeted at youth” in the Level column of the Data Sheet (row 46), a Tribal College Conference Series on Climate Change, where selected Tribal leaders from north-central Oklahoma were invited to discuss their nations’ resource-management plans and to provide information on their plans for resource protection. Beyond this single activity, an essential part of the South Central CASC’s Tribal Engagement Strategy is conducting Tribal youth outreach programs and activities promoting Native scientists in climate-related fields and building capacity in the next generation of Tribal staff (Andrews and others, 2014). From 2013 to 2016, the South Central CASC team conducted 24 Tribal youth outreach activities and mentored about 16 Native undergraduate and graduate students (South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center, 2016). The information needed to include these activities in the Data Sheet could not be located, or these activities were not classifiable as a specific project or training. Despite the exclusion of these activities, it should be noted the South Central CASC has dedicated significant time and resources to engaging Native youth in climate-related activities.

Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center

The Northeast CASC has been involved in a number of networking and knowledge-sharing activities, conducted a number of site visits with Tribal nations in the U.S. Northeast region in order to gather input on local effects of issues related to climate change (for the purpose of community-based scenario planning), and helped to build a network which provides tools and resources for Indigenous peoples and scientists to work together to address climate-related issues (French and others, 2018). These activities all contribute to increasing the adaptive capacity of Tribes in the region by connecting Tribal partners and resources, identifying Tribal research needs and priorities, and providing technical support in the design and implementation of research projects and climate adaptation planning efforts (French and others, 2018). Additionally, the Northeast CASC has a strong record of partnerships with Federal, State, local, and Tribal programs in the region. Some of its most frequent partners are the Southeast CASC, regional Landscape Conservation Cooperatives, Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Midwest Fish and Wildlife Association, and various Tribes throughout the region. Additionally, there are two Tribal liaisons for the Northeast CASC, one of which is affiliated with the United South and Eastern Tribes and the other with the College of Menominee Nation Sustainable Development Institute, making these two organizations and institutions frequent partners.

As displayed in table 1, the Northeast CASC has 10 activities included in the Data Sheet, five of which are categorized in the Project Purpose column of the Data Sheet as “increasing capacity” (fig. 2). The most common categorization of activities in the Project Type column of the Data Sheet is conference/summit (four) and outreach (four), and the remaining two are trainings (table 3). Table 2 shows five individual trainings, all of which are grouped under the project Focus column of the Data Sheet as adaptation planning (fig. 6). There are three trainings categorized in the Level (fig. 7) and Focus column of the Data Sheet as “oriented towards technical staff” (Level) and adaptation planning (Focus), and two trainings categorized as “requires substantial prior exposure to climate concepts or TEK” (Level) and adaptation planning (Focus). This means the Northeast CASC has offered both “Climate 201” and “Technical” trainings for adaptation planning. One training was offered in 2015 and four in 2019, showing an increase in the number of individual trainings through time (table 4).

The Northeast CASC has two activities included in the Data Sheet categorized as “targeted at youth” in the Level column of the Data Sheet (rows 63 and 65). The first activity is the Indigenous Planning Summer Institute, which is a week-long educational camp for Indigenous students who are interested in careers in Indigenous planning and learning on Indigenous lands and with other Indigenous persons. The second activity is the Native Youth in Science Camp, which is a 4-week-long youth program focused on environmental science and designed to provide exposure to traditional knowledge of land stewardship. The camp is run by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe’s Natural Resources and Education Department.

Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center

Due to the large geographic scope of the Southeast CASC region, many of the capacity-building activities and training opportunities are carried out through virtual presentations, online resources, in-person visits, and place-based learning experiences (Rice and others, 2017). This has also made the establishment of strong partnerships an extremely important part of supporting Tribal and Indigenous communities in the region. Frequent partners include the Northeast CASC, United South and Eastern Tribes, Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals, and various Tribes and Indigenous communities throughout the region.

The Southeast CASC has seven activities included in the Data Sheet (table 1), the majority of which are categorized as “increasing capacity” (five) in the Project Purpose column of the Data Sheet (fig. 2). As shown in table 3, the categorization of activities in the Project Type column of the Data Sheet is split between training (two), online resources and tools (two), conference/summit (one), outreach (one) and research (one). Table 2 shows three individual trainings, all of which are categorized in the Focus column as adaptation planning (fig. 6) and are grouped in the Level column of the Data Sheet, either as “requires no prior expertise” (one) or “requires substantial prior exposure to climate concepts or TEK” (two) (fig. 7). Therefore, the Southeast CASC has offered both “Climate 101” and “Climate 201” trainings for adaptation planning. As can be seen in table 4, two of the trainings were offered in 2019 and one in 2018, showing an increase in the number of individual trainings in recent years.

Pacific Islands Climate Adaption Science Center

The Pacific Islands CASC has been involved in a variety of capacity-building activities, including research, webinars, trainings, conference forums, and assessments for future research and places a large emphasis on providing technical assistance for natural resource managers through geographic information system and remote sensing workshops (Biedron and others, 2018). A large portion of activities carried out by the Pacific Islands CASC are part of the Manager Climate Corps (MCC), a capacity-building program designed to connect a variety of user groups, including natural resource managers, researchers, community leaders and graduate students, through networking opportunities and coproduced research. This program is a crucial component to building local adaptive capacity though (1) supporting and developing long-term trust, (2) building on existing in-person professional networks, (3) coproducing knowledge, and (4) developing and valuing multiple ways of knowing (Biedron and others, 2018). Many projects undertaken by the Pacific Islands CASC are targeted towards natural resource and land managers, and while many of these managers are Indigenous, associated trainings and workshops do not specifically target Indigenous people.

The Pacific Islands CASC has the second highest number of activities included in the Data Sheet (16; table 1). The Pacific Islands CASC is the center with the second highest number of activities categorized in the Project Purpose column as “increasing capacity” (nine; fig. 2). The most common categorization of activities under the Project Type column of the Data Sheet are outreach, training, and research; there are four activities in each category (table 3). The remaining activities are grouped as conference/summit (two) and online resources and tools (two). There are six individual trainings (table 2), three of which are categorized as data skills in the Focus column and three as adaptation planning (fig. 6). In the Level (fig. 7) and Focus columns of the Data Sheet, one training is grouped as “no prior expertise” (Level) and adaptation planning (Focus), two of the trainings are “oriented towards technical staff” (Level) and data skills (Focus), and the remaining three trainings are classified as “requires substantial prior exposure to climate concepts or TEK” (Level) under data skills or adaptation planning (Focus). Based on this information, the Pacific Islands CASC is one of two centers to have offered a mix of “Climate 101” (for adaptation planning), “Climate 201” (for data skills or adaptation planning), and “Technical trainings” (for data skills).

The Pacific Islands CASC has two activities included in the Data Sheet categorized as “targeted at youth” in the Level column of the Data Sheet (rows 87 and 93). The first activity, “Culturally Relevant Educational Resources and Lesson Plans on Climate Science in Guam,” aims to address a gap in the existing trainings by making culturally relevant lesson plans more available to practitioners in Guam. To ensure applicability, these plans are developed with local knowledge, Common Core State Standards, and the Guam Department of Education Content Standards in mind. The second activity, the GIS@CIS program/project, is an undergraduate program established to support capacity building within the universities in Guam and Micronesia by providing regular trainings, hosting geospatial data, and providing technical assistance. Additionally, this program supports the use of GIS technology in research and for application development related to climate change resilience.