Climate Change Impacts on Tribal Resources

Climate in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) is shaped by natural climate fluctuations occurring on seasonal, year-to-year, and decadal scales. In addition to this natural variability, long term climate trends have been observed in the 20th century. These trends include an increase in average annual regional temperature, decreased snowpack, earlier spring runoff and declining trends in summer stream flow. These changes are expected to affect the Tulalip Tribes’ legally protected rights to economic, cultural and spiritual uses of natural resources.