Undeveloped natural areas—also known as wildlands—aren’t just empty land: these areas are essential for the health and sustainability of the environment and the ecosystems it supports. Benefits from wildlands include habitat for diverse plant and animal species, water and air purification, and outdoor recreation for people. Conserving wildlands and their assets has been an important conservation goal for decades.
From field to farm to forest to cities, the ecosystem we know is supported by native and introduced pollinators.
Climate change poses a threat to the traditional livelihoods and the sustainably managed forestlands of the Menominee Nation. However, climate change also presents an opportunity—a chance to apply indigenous knowledge to adapt and sustain native communities, and for the Menominee Nation to share its understandings with others seeking to address this global issue.
In the lengthening growing seasons of our changing climate, the past is not always the best predictor of the future. Changes in climate bring new challenges that can impact crops, farmers’ livelihoods, and local economies.