Montana’s Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes have lost half of their sacred whitebark pine trees to climate change, but they’re fighting back with a unique approach that combines traditional knowledge and Western science.
Mike Durglo Jr., the tribe’s climate change coordinator, has devoted his life to preparing his home and people for the impacts of a warming world. He wrote one of the first tribal climate action plans in the country over 15 years ago, and now he’s working to restore the whitebark pine forests that are crucial to the tribe’s ecosystem.
Climate Change in Montana
The state has experienced record-breaking warm springs and below-average snowpack, making it harder for the whitebark pines to survive. However, the tribes are harvesting cones from healthy trees to regrow seedlings resistant to the deadly fungus that’s killing the trees.
The effort is part of a larger plan to adapt to climate change, which includes longer wildfire seasons, heat waves, drought, and shrinking snowpack. The tribes are working to keep snow on the landscape longer and stave off drought and wildfires by restoring the whitebark pine forests.
The tribe’s approach is significant because it weaves together traditional ecological knowledge with Western science. Durglo ensured that this approach was included in every facet of the climate plan, which outlines how the tribe is preparing for a warming world.
Implications and Next Steps
The tribe’s efforts are particularly important given the current political climate in Montana, where lawmakers have passed legislation that bars the state from regulating planet-warming emissions. However, as a sovereign nation, the tribe can move forward with climate action even when state efforts have stalled.
Durglo and the tribe have received funding from various sources, including a $20 million grant from the Biden-era Solar for All program. Although the program was canceled, Durglo is determined to keep working on climate projects, piecing together funding from multiple sources to carry out the tribe’s climate work.
The tribe’s determination to fight climate change is a powerful example of community-led action, and their approach could serve as a model for other communities across the country. As the world grapples with the challenges of climate change, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes are proving that traditional knowledge and Western science can be a powerful combination in the fight against a warming world.
