Youtube X-twitter Facebook-f Instagram Linkedin
Calendar
Donate

Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals

Listening to Tribes and understanding Tribal priorities drives our programs and services we offer.

Tribal Wellbeing for Seven Generations Program

Topics - Alaska

Tribal Wellbeing for Seven Generations Program (TW7G)
Back to Topics

Alaska

Caribou

Photo Credit: Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Caribou, sometimes referred to as reindeer, are endangered mammals in North America, largely due to habitat loss as a result of human development and climate change.1 Caribou prefer the treeless tundra of Northern Alaska and migrate south in the winter to the boreal forests. There are approximately 750,000 wild caribou in Alaska, and population changes are unpredictable given disease, climate, and predation factors.2

Native Alaskans have depended on caribou for sustenance for thousands of years. For some Native Alaskans, caribou are a part of their diet, similar to any other game, fish, or foraged plants. However, other Native Alaskans are inextricably linked to the caribou, and rely on caribou for every aspect of their life, including, but not limited to, shelter, clothing, and food.3

As the climate warms, caribou will be more susceptible to new diseases and need to adapt to the changes in their habitat. Their migration patterns may change, or they may stop migrating altogether, as is expected with other migratory animals under a changing climate. Should caribou populations begin to decline more than presently, Native Alaskans who have lived with the caribou and relied on them for millennia will likely be placed under hunting restrictions which could be detrimental to their way of life.

Sources:

  1. Conservation Northwest. (2020). Mountain Caribou. Conservation Northwest. Available online from: https://conservationnw.org/our-work/wildlife/mountain-caribou/ [accessed July 25, 2023].
  2. Alaska Department of Fish and Game. (N.D.). Caribou. Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Available online from: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=caribou.main [accessed July 25, 2023].
  3. NPS. (November 2021). Nunamiut: The Caribou People. NPS. Available online from: https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/nunamiut-the-caribou-people.htm [accessed July 25, 2023].

CONNECT WITH US

Nikki Cooley
Co-Director
Nikki.Cooley@nau.edu

Karen Cozzetto
Manager
Karen.Cozzetto@nau.edu

TW7G Team
Advisory Committee
Newsletter
TW7G Calendar
DONATE

Your tax deductible donation supports ITEP’s programming efforts.
Please contact us if you would like to contribute to our endowment or for any additional information regarding donations.

Rebecca Stevens

Chair

Coeur d’Alene Tribe – Idaho

Program Manager/Restoration Coordinator
Working with the Tribe since: 2005

Rebecca is the Program Manager for the Tribe’s Natural Resources Department-Hazardous Waste Management Program. She also serves the role as the Restoration Coordinator with the Restoration Partnership. Rebecca has been working on water quality related issues for over 19 years. She represents the Tribe in the Bunker Hill Mining and Metallurgical Complex Superfund Site working with EPA while implementing their remedy for the Basin. She is also the Tribe’s Restoration Coordinator for the Restoration Partnership for which all Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) claims have been settled and on the ground restoration work has been underway since 2019. Rebecca continues to work with other Tribes on NRDA issues while coordinating with the US DOI, USDA, and the State of Idaho.

Rebecca is a proud member of the Tribal Waste and Response Steering Committee where she also serves on the Tribal Superfund Work Group and Advisory Council. Rebecca enjoys x-country skiing in the winter, summertime water sports, Frisbee golf, and spending time with her friends, family, and blue heeler. Rebecca is very honored to work for the Coeur d’Alene Tribe and is proud to be a part of restoring natural resources in the Coeur d’Alene Basin.

Rebecca can be reached by e-mail at rstevens@cdatribe-nsn.gov.

National Tribal Forum on Air Quality

The National Tribal Forum on Air Quality (NTFAQ) aims to support tribal programs by fostering information-sharing and networking opportunities that are focused on building tribal capacity in air quality management. The event’s agenda is driven by tribal input and priorities, with a focus on increasing tribal engagement in air quality initiatives that are relevant to tribal communities across the nation.