Project Profile: Inventory and Monitoring of Pacific Island Historic & Cultural Resources Impacted by Climate Change

Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park Landscape

NPS Photo

Inflation Reduction Act
Resilience | FY24 $1,024,964

The National Park Service (NPS) will address impacts to archeological and ethnographic resources and cultural landscapes at Pacific Island parks from climate related sea level rise, storm frequency, flooding, and erosion. The project will develop a Cultural Resources Strike Team utilizing advanced documentation methods to collect data for the development of adaptation planning and treatment strategies for use in climate response.

Why? Parks in the Pacific Islands face increasing vulnerability to climate-related impacts with significant cultural resources at risk. This project seeks to raise awareness among Pacific Island communities about the potential impacts of climate change on resources within NPS-managed lands and to develop proactive strategies to address these threats. By utilizing advanced digital technologies, such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Terrestrial Laser Scanning, the project aims to collect high-resolution data to inform adaptation planning and treatment strategies.

What else? The project will engage partners and descendant communities with a goal of determining the most appropriate options and pathways for improving the resilience of resources of concern to climate change. Through consultation, traditional knowledge will be incorporated into the adaptation planning processes.

About the Inflation Reduction Act

The Inflation Reduction Act provides the National Park Service with an historic opportunity to address critical ecosystem resilience, restoration, and environmental planning needs. Projects funded in national parks represent broad-scale and impactful resource investments across every corner of out nation—from Alaska to Florida to Maine.