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Global warming is causing rapid changes in Alaska. Glaciers are melting, sea ice is retreating, and river temperatures are rising.
“And for Alaskans, especially Alaska Natives, this land is their livelihood. It’s their lifestyle. It’s their culture,” says Nyssa Russell of Northern Latitudes Partnerships.
The group works with the Aleut community on St. Paul Island to expand the Indigenous Sentinel network. This is an effort to monitor changing conditions within the state.
“Alaska is huge and we need local data and observations from these very underserved rural areas,” she says.
This project will provide people in remote areas with training and tools to record coastal erosion rates and other interesting data as sea ice melts.
Participants enter their observations into a smartphone app. It works offline and syncs to an online database when cellular service is available.
Tribes can use the data they collect to better manage their natural resources as the climate warms. It can also be shared with state and federal biologists and others.
“By combining Western science and traditional knowledge, we can create a powerful tool for managing Alaska’s land and waters,” says Russell.
Reporting credit: ChavoBart Digital Media
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