1. Gikinoo’wizhiwe Onji Waaban (Guiding for Tomorrow) or “G-WOW” Changing Climate, Changing Culture Initiative A New Model for Climate Change Literacy & Action Cathy Techtmann- Environmental Outreach State Specialist University of Wisconsin-Extension NOAA Climate Steward on behalf of G-WOW Team Boozhoo (Hello)

2. Funding Provided by : G-WOW Project Partners

3. Additional technical support and resources Wisconsin climate science research, climate maps, interactive climate mapping tools Assessments of climate change for northern Wisconsin forests and habitats Multi-cultural examples of climate change impacts

4. Project Location: Located in the heart of the Lake Superior Chippewa (Ojibwe) Indian Country. This area includes 11 Ojibwe Tribes living within the “Ceded Territory” Based at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center Ashland, WI Applicable to other locations & cultures

5. G-WOW Roots Increasing evidence that climate change is affecting the sustainability of Lake Superior coastal resources, communities, and cultures Concern about climate change impacts to Ojibwe treaty rights and traditional cultural practices within the Ceded Territory “Traditional” climate literacy models were not resonating with audiences Diverse project partners came together as the G-WOW Team to develop a new climate change educational outreach strategy

6. “…local, place-based evidence of climate change gained through experiential learning is as, or more effective than, simply studying analytical climate change data to increasing climate change literacy.” “The Psychology of Climate Change Communication”, Columbia University 2009 Research basis for the G-WOW Model

7. The Lake Superior Ojibwe have relied on the sustainability of key plant and animal species for generations to support subsistence, cultural, and spiritual practices or “lifeways” Tribes have traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) of natural systems that provides place-based indicators of climate change impacts for people of all cultures

8. Unprecedented cancellations of tribal wild rice harvests and poor harvest years (2007-2012) Place-based Evidence Lake Superior ice cover at Bayfield, Wisconsin has decreased approximately 3 days/decade or 45 days over the past 150 years Lake Superior reached near record lows by 2013

9. From 1950-2006: +1ºF over all temperature increase +2 - 2.5ºF increase in NW Wisconsin. Scientific evidence of a Changing Climate WI has gotten warmer & wetter over the past 60 years

10. Historic (1950-2006) Projected (1980-2055) A1B Scenario OVERALL WARMING Change in Average Annual Temps +4-9ºF Average +12 days growing season Drought WARMER WINTERS Decrease in Frequency of Cold Nights (70% decrease in northern WI) Less ice cover on lakes, more evaporation More precip as rain, not snow EXTREME WEATHER Up to 4.5 inch annual mean increase in precip, but a projected 25% increase in the frequency of 2-inch or greater rainfall events

11. 2014 Record or near-record cold for the Midwest Alaska warmest since records began in 1918 (National Weather Service) Globally the hottest year on record (NOAA) You had to ask… what about 2014? 2015 ?? and 2015 Record cold & snowfall for eastern cities Alaska: 40-degrees above average, record high temps for February Second hottest January on record (NOAA). Oceans at 3 rd warmest Warmest March on record. Highest CO2 level ever at 400 parts per million 9 out of the past 10 years have been the warmest on record

12. Our Goal through G-WOW -Place-based evidence of climate change -Climate change scientific research. Increase awareness of climate change impacts on the sustainability of resources, cultures, and communities by integrating: Create an e-z to understand climate literacy model, transferable to other cultures & locations Fight climate change with change through service learning

13. G-WOW Key Principles Climate change is real Humans contribute to climate change Weather and climate are different Climate affects culture We can make a difference! Projected change in Wisconsin’s annual average temperatures in ºF, 1980-2055 Harvesting birch bark- a boreal species that relies on a cool climate

14. Why Is the G-WOW Model Unique? It based on understanding how climate change affects habitat conditions needed for the sustainability of plant or animal species that supports a cultural practice. Creates a culturally relevant climate change perspective Links cultural, place-based evidence with scientific climate research Makes the model transferrable across different cultures Promotes action through service learning G-WOW uses impacts on Ojibwe cultural practices as an indicator of a changing climate for all cultures

15. The Ojibwe lifeway of wild rice harvesting depends on the sustainability of manoomin. The sustainability of manoomin depends on habitats with: shallow water moderate water level fluctuations cool growing season temperatures Appling G-WOW model: Wild Ricing Manoomin (wild rice) is an important species to the Ojibwe for subsistence, spiritual, and ceremonial purposes.

16. Place-based evidence of climate change affecting the sustainability of manoomin? Annual average temperatures in ºF, Do Culture and Science Agree? Frequency of 90-degree daysChange in frequency of 2” + precip Scientific evidence of climate change affecting the sustainability of manoomin? HEAT DROUGHT GUSHERS 2007 - 2012: Significant changes observed in wild rice harvests and yields based on TEK due to drought, fungal disease, storms

17. Cultural PracticeKey Species Place-based & Scientific Evidence Requires cool moist forest habitats, cold winters for sugar production What does this mean for sustainability of sugar maple, the businesses the rely on sugar maple? Projected frequency of days over 90-degrees F, 1980-2055 Example: G-WOW application

18. Cultural PracticeKey Species Place-based and Scientific Evidence Requires cold water habitats with high oxygen levels Climate models predict up to 95% of Wisconsin’s brook trout habitat across could be lost if the average annual summer air temperature increased just over 5 º F. Projected change in Wisconsin’s annual average summer temperatures in ºF, 1980-2055 Example: G-WOW application

19. Example: G-WOW application, South Milwaukee HS, WI Cultural Practice Requires cool water. Warmer water also favors invasives that compete with Yellow Perch How could the G-WOW model engage students in the issue of climate change? Credit: GLERL. Perch fish fry

20. Cultural Practice Invasive Burmese python: requires very warm, moist “tropical” habitats Example: G-WOW application, Southern Florida Increase in 95+- degree day/year, 2041-2070. What does a changing climate mean for the sustainability of this invasive species? How could this affect recreation, nature-based tourism economies? Hiking in the Everglades Large circles = 50 or more pythons captured

21. Cultural Practice Key “condition” Place-based and Scientific Evidence Projected change in Wisconsin’s winter average temperatures in ºF, 1980-2055 What do these changes mean for species and cultural practices that depend on cold and snow? Example: applying the G-WOW model to a “non-species” dependent cultural practice

22. Cultural Practice What habitat conditions does the species need to survive and thrive? Your Turn--Create Your Own G-WOW model Do culture and science agree? What implications does this have for your community? What cultural practice do you enjoy? What species is needed to support this practice? What changes are you seeing in the key species or in the habitats it needs? What changes in environmental variables critical to supporting these habitat conditions are projected by climate science? Variables may include: temperature, precipitation, drought, intense rain/ storms, humidity, etc.

23. Ojibwe Lifeways Place-based evidence of climate impacts on 4-seasonal Ojibwe cultural practices Investigate the Science Climate science from federal, state, and tribal sources Culture informing Science The G-WOW MODEL COMPONENTS What Can We Do? Taking action through climate service learning projects Talking Circle Sharing service learning projects via an interactive blog

24. Do culture and science agree… is climate change affecting the sustainability of the key species that supports an Ojibwe lifeway? What is the future for this cultural practice based on place-based evidence and scientific climate change projections? What do these changes mean for the cultural practices you enjoy, the environment, community, economy? … then engages learners to act through service learning What can we do to mitigate or adapt to climate change impacts? The G-WOW model guides investigation…

25. G-WOW Curriculum Outreach Tools Experiential learning Ojibwe language, TEK, and cultural elements infused Multi-cultural perspectives Web Curriculum www.g-wow.org Educator Training Institutes Climate Change Discovery Center

26. TARGET AUDIENCES Learners (middle school & above) Teachers-Educators General Public

27. G-WOW Website and Curriculum www.g-wow.org On-line climate change service learning curriculum

28. Ojibwe Lifeways Winter Ojibwe Lifeway: Respecting Our Culture Key species: American marten Spring Ojibwe Lifeway: Maple sugaring and Birch bark harvesting Key species: Sugar maple and paper birch trees Summer Ojibwe Lifeway: Fishing Key species: Cold and coolwater fish Fall Ojibwe Lifeway: Wild Ricing Key species: Manoomin

29. Learning objectives Cultural connection: importance of the key species to culture Baseline ecological information: habitat conditions needed for sustainability of the key species(s) depends on Place-based evidence of how climate change impacts key species Each Ojibwe Lifeway unit includes: Students investigate place-based evidence within their culture. Activity Guides guide student investigations.

30. Linked to an Ojibwe Lifeway unit, customized for that unit. A toolbox to investigate and evaluate scientific climate change research via interactive maps and soon NASA climate. Students research climate trends and projections & evaluate impacts on the sustainability of key species. Investigate the Science “Test It” : students test their own climate change hypothesis through self-designed investigations. Activity Guides focus student investigations.

31. Students act on knowledge gained to develop a service learning project to address climate change impacts in their community Provides service learning project templates and ideas What Can We Do? Ready-made project templates such as Project Budburst, climate phenology wheels, climate collages provide fun, service learning options

32. Students share results of their service learning project through this web blog Projects are segmented by location and type Talking Circle Online tools allow students to evaluate their project impacts

33. Other G-WOW Website Resources Teacher Resources G-WOW Curriculum Guide Teacher Training vignettes News & opportunities Games Interactive climate change games Climate Change Climate literacy basics About Project background Partner acknowledgements Contact For more information

34. 4-day experiential professional development based on the G-WOW model Location: Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center-Ashland, WI; Apostle Island National Lakeshore; tribal communities of Red Cliff and Bad River. Stockton Island Climate Walk Kakagon Sloughs Tribal Manoomin Tour G-WOW Changing Climate, Changing Culture Institute "When I saw that we would be teaching about climate change…, I thought Ugghhh!!!. Now I see that the cultural impact of climate change is how to approach middle school kids with this topic.“ - G-WOW Institute Teacher

35. Major exhibit and interactive kiosk located at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center, Ashland, WI 100,000 visitors, students, community members annually G-WOW Changing Climate, Changing Culture Discovery Center Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center, Ashland WI

36. Ripples… Partnering with the Fond du Lac Tribal College (Duluth, MN) to expand the G-WOW model throughout Ojibwe Ceded Territory via a $1.09 million NASA Innovations in Climate Education-Tribal (NICE-T) grant. Partnering with Chicago Botanical Garden’s EPA climate initiative integrating G-WOW model into regional climate change outreach. Sharing the G-WOW model to increase climate change literacy to people of all cultures. The G-WOW Initiative & Team received 2013 Honor Award from the Eastern Region of the US Forest Service for “Courageous Conservation”

37. We invite you to use and expand the G-WOW model to increase climate change literacy based on the unique lifeways of your culture www.g-wow.org

38. Miigwech ! (Thank you) For more information, please contact Cathy Techtmann-Environmental Outreach State Specialist University of Wisconsin-Extension 715.561.2695 catherine.techtmann@ces.uwex.edu http://fyi.uwex.edu/nglvc/