Climate Resiliency
The Climate Resiliency program was launched in 2020 to protect the Tribe’s community, environment, and economy from an ever-changing future. We work across departments to create climate resiliency strategies that use indigenous-led science and community-based decision making. Together, we can protect future generations, repair a broken system of relationships, and heal the land and ecosystems we depend on. Climate change affects everything and everyone. Each additional degree our earth warms adds greater risk to our water supply, food, security, health, infrastructure, ecosystems, and economy. That’s why it’s our priority to ensure Tribal policies and operations incorporate climate change, so that STOF is resilient now and into the future.
Mission
The Climate Resiliency Program aims to protect the Tribe’s culture, assets, and people through advancing indigenous science built on thoughtful partnerships, inclusive data creation, and community-led decision making.
Program Tasks
The Program fulfills its mission through several thematic areas, including climate change education, community engagement, peer learning, research and technical support, and communication materials. Being multifunctional is key to operational success within the EPO Core team and ensures that climate resiliency is woven into EPO Department policy.
Work Snapshots: Building a Climate Action Plan
The Climate Resiliency Program is in the process of writing a Climate Action Plan for the Tribe. This effort, funded by a BIA grant, will serve as a living guide for resiliency across operations. Click through the snapshots pages for more information on our core objectives! Aubrey Rion (Climate Resiliency Training Coordinator), Alyssa Osceola (Community Engagement Coordinator), and Carlise Bermudez (Department of Conservation Trainee) attended the Climate Camp, an intensive one-week program that fosters tribal exchange and climate education. Pictured with Steph Courtney, USET Community Resilience Liaison.
The Climate Resiliency Program hosted a series of workshops on all reservations to gauge community planning priorities when faced with climate change risks.
Hollywood Reservation meeting on the Climate Action Plan.
Energy resilience and sustainability initiatives are built by community input! The Climate Resiliency Program hosted Sandia National Laboratory for an energy workshop, where community members explored avenues for reliable energy reservation-wide. Mr. Paul Kobotie, of Indigenous Collaboration, leads the discussion on energy obstacles and implementation enablers on the Big Cypress reservation.
Captured in the photo to the left during the workshop.
The Climate Resiliency Program works across several departments to help build food sovereignty tribe wide. From hosting learning field trips to conducting health events, EPO strives to enhance food sovereignty to combat current and future climate change effects. The Climate Resiliency Program hosted a tour of the Welaka Fish Hatchery for Tribal Members and staff to learn more about sustainable fishing practices. Insight from this trip builds the programmatic expertise necessary for food sovereignty initiatives.
The Climate Program hosts the Mobile School Pantry in Big Cypress. As a food desert, the Big Cypress Reservation lacks an accessible grocery store. This program helps bring out fresh produce once a month without a 45+ minute drive.
A core objective of the Climate Action Plan is building climate-safe communities. The team contributes to risk reports, inventories relevant tools, and interprets climate trends for STOF leadership. Chickee at sunset in Naples after a storm.
With climate change, Extreme Heat days are on the rise. Proactive planning is needed to enhance community health across rural and urban reservations. In response, the Climate Resiliency Program has developed education materials to promote heat safety (example pictured).
Access Climate Resources
Stay Connected!
Follow the Climate Resiliency Program on Instagram to stay up to date on events and efforts!
Contacts
Cody Motlow
Climate Resiliency Engagement Coordinator codmotlow@semtribe.com
Climate Resiliency: Photos/Highlights
The inside of the Mobile Market, a grocery store on wheels that travels to the Big Cypress Reservation to provide fresh produce options.
The Climate Team was a part of a panel for a show of the documentary, "The Path of the Panther." Watch here.
Climate Resiliency Program assists the Department of Conservation build a community garden on the Big Cypress Reservation
Climate Resiliency Program does community outreach with JJ John, Community Engagement Specialist.
Robin Wall Kimmer shares on indigenizing science, listening to the plants, and storytelling with tribal youth.
Gardens and other natural flora on the Big Cypress Reservation.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OFFICE
Dr. Paul N. Backhouse
Environmental Resources Department
Whitney Sapienza | Director
Department of Conservation
Dr. Craig van der Heiden | Director
External Environmental Compliance
Stacy Myers | Director
Water Resources
Alfonso Tigertail | Director
PHONE
(954) 966-6300
ADDRESS
1601 NW 136th Avenue,
Suite A100, Sunrise, FL 33323