Improving the social, cultural, and ecological services of Nez Perce Lands through agriculture management and decision support tools

USDA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Award

There are a multitude of issues faced by agricultural communities and landscapes that are compounded by extreme climate events. Agriculture systems can play a pivotal role in addressing these issues, through maintaining and strengthening ecosystem services that aid in climate extreme adaptation, mitigation, and socio-economic resilience.

We are experimenting with regenerative agriculture practices and Traditional Ecological Knowledge to implement climate-smart cover crops that will build soil carbon storage on a collaborative farm managed by local/regional producers and Tribal natural resource managers. Through their cooperative expertise of the land, local agriculture, ecological habitat, and cultural values: specific agriculture and resource management practices are being tested on parcels across the Reservation.

The final products from this work will be:

  • A decision support tool (Agricultural Climate Smart Toolkit) to aid local producers and land managers
  • The exhibition of local Traditional Ecological Knowledge
  • A functional Framework that engages local stakeholders to collaborate on agriculture research and implementation

This proposed merged Framework of practices and collaborators is the development and assessment of a new management practice that will improve ecosystem services (climate and cultural resiliency of the agricultural system, improve soil health, improve wildlife habitat, and increase landscape connectivity) while addressing the interaction of the human and environmental dimensions.

Project PIs

Tara Hudiburg, University of Idaho
Eric Walsh, Manomet
Stefani Krantz, Nez Perce Tribe