Abstract

Elders and wisdom keepers from tribes of the Point No Point Treaty Council (northern and eastern Olympic Peninsula, WA) have expressed deep concerns about potential effects of climate change on selected plant species of key cultural significance (KCS). The concern is that climate change will diminish or eliminate key species from Usual and Accustomed gathering areas, which have static, legally defined borders. The potential loss of species of KCS is a pressing cultural issue.

This short-term project responded to concerns about the disappearance of culturally important plants in traditional gathering areas expressed by elders of the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe (PGST) (Olympic Peninsula, WA), both currently and in response to continuing climate change.

A formal Memorandum of Understanding was developed between Oregon State University and the PGST to guide this culturally sensitive research. We recommend this formal approach to researchers considering tribal partnerships in order to ensure expectations of all parties are clearly outlined.

During formal interviews and informal conversation, PGST elders mentioned 37 plants, of which eight terrestrial species and a group of marine taxa were of particular concern due to limited availabilities in 26 traditional gathering locations within the Usual and Accustomed (U&A) gathering area guaranteed by the 1855 Point No Point Treaty.

Landsat data were used to analyze recent changes in land cover within the U&A. Substantial changes in land cover were found between 1975 and 2010. Detailed analysis for 1990-2010 documented recent forest fragmentation, loss of freshwater wetlands, and both losses and gains of saltwater wetlands. Current regional distribution and autecological information for the eight focal terrestrial species were compiled using available databases, herbarium records, and literature. Field studies documented plant communities in which selected focal species are currently found.

Downscaled results from existing Pacific Northwest climate scenarios were adapted to the Olympic and Kitsap Peninsula, which house the U&A. These suggest somewhat hotter, drier summers and somewhat warmer, wetter conditions in other seasons by the late 21st century. Likely changes in seasonal precipitation were less clear, with uncertainty regarding the magnitude and even direction of change. Published information related to climate variables for the eight focal species was sparse, making even semi-quantitative projections of response to changing climates impossible. In addition, we created map of the U&A shoreline representing expected changes in shoreline due to changing climates combined with tectonic events.

In summary, this project established a baseline on which future studies of vulnerable traditional women’s plants can be built.