Who We Are
About the Indigenous Climate Resilience Network
The Indigenous Climate Resilience Network (ICRN) engages numerous Tribes, inter-Tribal organizations, and scientific partners who generously support climate resilience work with respect to Indigenous peoples. The geographic scope of the network is expanding and currently emphasizes the Northeast, Southeast, and Midwest regions of the United States. An Advisory Council guides the activities of ICRN, and the ICRN webpage, regular meetings, and email communications are administered by the College of Menominee Nation's Sustainable Development Institute (CMN-SDI).
Our Purpose
Diverse, unique, and self-determining Indigenous peoples continue to exercise their rights to cultural integrity and political sovereignty around the world. As peoples with ancient heritages and ongoing practices of protecting and sustaining relationships between human and non-human relatives, Indigenous peoples are leaders in climate resilience. Indigenous peoples have the right to contribute to and build upon the body of work known as climate science and to to access, understand, and use all forms of climate science in their efforts to enhance climate resilience. The purpose of ICRN is to ensure that climate resilience information, tools, and resources are available and accessible to Indigenous peoples and to elevate Indigenous leadership, perspectives, experiences, and understandings in climate resilience efforts.
Our Mission
ICRN is a communications network and information clearinghouse that supports and elevates Indigenous climate resilience efforts and leadership. Our network includes knowledge holders, scientists, practitioners, students, and community members from Tribal Nations, Indigenous-led organizations, Indigenous communities, and diverse allies from government, non-profit, academic, and other affiliations. Through network meetings, email newsletters, and our website, our mission is to share information and resources and foster communication and collaboration related to Indigenous climate resilience. Guidance from our Advisory Council and administrative support from the College of Menominee Nation’s Sustainable Development Institute underpin these efforts.
Image by Emerald Otradovec
Sustainable Development Institute building at the College of Menominee Nation photo credit: Nicholas Schwitzer (SDI Media specialist)Hosted at the Sustainable Development Institute
The College of Menominee Nation's Sustainable Development Institute (CMN-SDI) has a twofold mission of reflection and sharing based on the Menominee Theoretical Model of Sustainability. Through the model, CMN-SDI seeks to engage within the Menominee community and with larger networks of Indigenous peoples to support planning and preparation for sustainable development - of which Indigenous climate resilience is a key issue.
CMN-SDI leads the college's participation as a consortium member with the Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (Midwest CASC). CMN-SDI also hosts the Tribal Climate Resilience Liaisons for the Midwest CASC, who administer the activities of ICRN and compile relevant resources to share with the network.
CMN-SDI supports effective and ethical engagement between Indigenous peoples (including students, harvesters, scientists, and others) and federal, non-profit, and academic organizations that are focused on climate science research and climate change decision-support. CMN-SDI’s strategy involves Indigenous frameworks for interpreting and guiding scientific processes and addressing Tribal cultural, social, environmental, and economic issues related to climate resilience. ICRN embodies the cumulative work of CMN-SDI and its partners in addressing climate resilience issues and represents a step forward in supporting broader engagement for Indigenous peoples and Tribal Nations.
In Collaboration with Climate Adaptation Science Centers
The U.S. Department of the Interior's Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASCs) is a partnership-driven program that teams scientists with natural and cultural resource managers and local communities to help fish, wildlife, water, land, and people adapt to a changing climate. The CASC network is comprised of the National CASC and nine regional CASCs. Each regional CASC is based out of a host university in their region and is comprised of multi-institution consortia including university and non-university partners. Currently, ICRN collaborates with the Northeast CASC, Midwest CASC, and Southeast CASC in support of Indigenous climate resilience, especially through the involvement of the Tribal Climate Resilience Liaisons.
Established in 2012, the Northeast CASC provides regionally-relevant scientific information, tools, and techniques to resource managers and communities in Virginia, Kentucky, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
Established in 2021, the Midwest CASC provides regionally-relevant scientific information, tools, and techniques to resource managers and communities in Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio.
Established in 2010, the Southeast CASC provides regionally-relevant scientific information, tools, and techniques to resource managers and communities in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Tennessee, Arkansas, and the U.S. Caribbean.