About Us

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 Sustainable Development Institute (SDI) at the College of Menominee Nation (CMN).

Our Purpose

ICRN serves a network of individuals and organizations that include Tribal government leaders, Tribal conservation professionals and managers, Indigenous students and knowledge-keepers, climate justice activists, and scientists. By acting as an information clearinghouse, ICRN (1) shares opportunities to influence federally-funded climate science applications and research from an Indigenous perspective, and (2) provides timely information about federal and non-profit climate science programs that can benefit Tribal nations and communities. Regular meetings and email communications hosted through CMN-SDI and partners sustain ICRN.

Our Mission

Diverse, unique, and self-determining Indigenous peoples continue to exercise their rights to cultural integrity and political sovereignty in the United States. As peoples with ancient heritages and ongoing practices of environmental conservation, stewardship, and governance, Indigenous peoples have the right to access, understand, and use climate science resources in their efforts to enhance climate resilience. ICRN works to promote these principles and address equity issues by developing representation from across Turtle Island, facilitating the sharing of Tribal experiences and understandings, and distributing information regarding climate change science and adaptation. ICRN harnesses the expertise of Advisory Council members to ensure that Tribes can take advantage of climate science knowledge and opportunities in their climate resilience work.​

Administered by the Sustainable Development Institute

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Sustainable Development Institute building at the College of Menominee Nation
The Sustainable Development Institute (SDI) at the College of Menominee Nation (CMN) has a twofold mission of reflection and sharing based on the Menominee Theoretical Model of Sustainability. Through the model, 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.
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A key way that SDI accomplishes this work is by organizing and hosting workshops and exchanges that connect diverse peoples. Climate change is becoming an umbrella for understanding many environmental and sustainability issues that affect Indigenous peoples. With this lens, SDI is committed to supporting efforts to plan and prepare for sustainable development by connecting Indigenous communities as well as institutions such as climate science organizations and universities.
​To this end, SDI seeks to provide resources for increasing 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. 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 SDI and its partners in addressing climate resilience issues and represents a step forward in supporting broader engagement for Indigenous peoples and Tribal Nations.
Currently, SDI supports four primary work activities for ICRN: 
  1. SDI facilitates a Tribal Advisory Council to help guide joint action and dialogue between SDI and its approach to sustainable development. SDI and the Council track Indigenous and scientific literature on the climate change impacts that Tribes and Indigenous peoples are experiencing and compiles these resources for those interesting in supporting Indigenous climate resilience. These activities address recommendations from the Northeast CASC strategic science agenda, science theme 6.
  2. SDI works with individual Tribes to set up workshops, educational trainings, and other strategic planning activities that support and build Tribal capacity to respond to climate change.  
  3. Indigenous peoples have longstanding traditions of planning for community and environmental sustainability. Today these efforts continue as Tribal leaders address complex social, ecological, and economic issues in the context of colonialism and globalization. Indigenous planning involves the use of time-tested frameworks of community flourishing that guide Tribal uses of science and technology. Through the creation of the Indigenous Planning Summer Institute (IPSI), SDI hopes to develop the next generation of Tribal scientists that will address these issues.
  4. Through participation in efforts such as the International Seminar “Global Indigeneity and Sustainability” and Rising Voices: Collaborative Science with Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Solutions, SDI connects with Indigenous communities across the world to find mutual solutions to common problems such as climate change. 
The SDI also leads CMN's participation as a consortium member with the Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center.

Supported by Climate Adaptation Science Centers

The 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.
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.