Our climate is changing. Our climate has changed throughout time. That said, there is evidence to suggest that elements of our climate are changing at an unprecedented rate and thus our ability to maintain our ways of life, both economic and cultural, are being challenged. As greater extremes in temperature and precipitation are experienced, our existing infrastructure is also being challenged.
Through my association with the Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments Center, my research involves working with communities to understand the extent of the changes that have been already been observed, as well as the extent of changes that may be experienced through the consideration of plausible climate futures or scenarios. As part of this work, I have had the honor of working with Indigenous Tribal communities within the Great Lakes, communities that have a great deal to share about the relationship between climate and the environment based upon centuries of traditional ecological knowledge.