Climate & Environment

The Indigenous Foods Knowledges Network (IFKN) connects leaders, scholars, and communities across the Arctic and U.S. Southwest to strengthen food sovereignty and resilience. Grounded in Indigenous research processes and Knowledge systems, IFKN emphasizes relational accountability, story, and sovereignty in addressing environmental change. This collaboration highlights how community-driven approaches can revitalize lifeways while shaping respectful partnerships with mainstream researchers.

This study introduced a spatial-temporal modeling approach to estimate livestock exposure to uranium mine waste by incorporating animal behavior classifications into GPS tracking data. Conducted with a Tribal community in the Southwest, the research tracked sheep and goats near 52 abandoned uranium mines, showing that models accounting for grazing, resting, and traveling behaviors better aligned with community observations. The findings provide a more accurate framework for assessing livestock exposure and can inform remediation and policy decisions.

A tribal-university partnership with the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe examined climate change threats to ecosystems, water, and culturally significant species. Through community-driven workshops, participants identified local challenges, priorities, and adaptation strategies, leading to resources such as interpretive climate tools and videos. The project demonstrates how decolonizing, participatory research methods strengthen accountability to Indigenous protocols and produce practical, community-centered outcomes.

In the Dilkon Chapter of the Navajo Nation, over 40% of residents lack access to running water and rely on hauled supplies from regulated and unregulated sources. Testing of nine wells revealed uranium, arsenic, and total dissolved solids above recommended levels for various uses. This paper provides groundwater consumers with information on local sources, common contaminants, water quality regulations, and well maintenance practices.