A Climate Champion’s Efforts Amid Political Challenges

Mike Durglo Jr. leads efforts in adapting the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes to climate change. As the tribe’s climate change coordinator, he wrote one of the first tribal climate action plans in the United States over 15 years ago.

Addressing Climate Challenges

Despite federal hurdles, states, cities, and neighborhoods are tackling climate change. With federal plans stalling, these regions, including tribal lands, work to cut climate pollution and adapt to extreme weather.

Resilience and Restoring Nature

On the Flathead Indian Reservation, Mike Durglo surveys a vast landscape. Among the notable sights is a lone whitebark pine. This tree represents resilience, standing firm despite warmer temperatures and invasive threats.

For decades, whitebark pines have succumbed to beetles and fungi, shrinking the sacred trees’ population by half since the 1990s. Yet, they remain a hope symbol for Durglo. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes collect cones from healthy trees to foster fungus-resistant seedlings, aiming to restore whitebark pine forests.

As the climate change coordinator for nearly two decades, Durglo integrated Traditional Ecological Knowledge into every aspect of the tribe’s climate plan. This approach helps the tribes prepare for longer wildfire seasons, intense heat waves, and droughts.

Developing Green Solutions

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes focus on several projects: wind energy, water conservation, and ecosystem restoration. With limited state and federal support, Durglo navigates multiple funding sources to sustain these initiatives.

Recently, a Biden-era program’s $20 million solar energy grant was canceled. Yet, the tribes persist, finding solutions through various channels, including non-profits and governmental agencies.

Durglo also collaborates with other tribes to strengthen climate resilience across regions. He provides guidance, drawing from his own climate initiatives.

A Comprehensive Vision

Durglo views climate resilience as interconnected. Every element, from wildlife to forestry, plays a vital role. He recognizes the significance of everything from grizzly bears to trout, emphasizing their interconnected nature.

Community Efforts and Future Goals

Durglo prepares the tribes for the effects of climate change, focusing on reducing wildfire risk and ensuring safe air quality. Simple solutions, like DIY air filters, are taught to combat wildfire smoke.

He has installed air quality sensors across the reservation to monitor pollution levels in real time. Designated buildings with strong filtration systems will serve as ‘clean air centers’. This endeavor is supported by state health departments and local nonprofits.

To address the impacts of climate change, Durglo steps beyond local measures, meeting with other tribal leaders to secure shared grant opportunities. With federal funding unstable, forging collaborations and applying for private grants become crucial for future projects.

The tribes’ climate plan, constantly updated, echoes a persistent effort to combat and adapt to environmental challenges while preserving the heritage and well-being of their people.