“Cultural Resources are the heritage that communities seek to protect and preserve in a changed and changing climate. No matter your role, what it is you are caring for, the size of your institution, or the amount of available assets, resilience in the face of escalating climate change is essential. Engaging Cultural Resource stewards in climate resilience is critical since you are in a unique position of trust and responsibility within the community and as such have a powerful role to play in effecting positive change. 

The climate is exhibiting the cumulative effects of over 250 years of pollutants pumped into the air and the warming has resulted in numerous negative impacts such as extreme temperatures and increased drought and wildfires. These impacts have diminished the earth’s ability to absorb the added carbon and as our knowledge of the warming climate evolves, we are beginning to understand the long-term consequences. 

There are different perspectives of how to respond to the changing climate. Some may believe that the Earth is a living organism and it is important to maintain a balance between the Sun and the Earth in respect for natural resources. Others may believe that activities where natural resources are leveraged are acceptable such as using the Sun for solar. No matter your opinion, there is an opportunity for cultural resources and their communities to consider the impacts of a changing climate and if appropriate, use the Resources.

The Resources aim to change and broaden the approach to how cultural resources can be made sustainable and resilient in the face of our changing climate. It is meant to encourage a critical change in the way we think about efforts of preservation and adaptation and seeks to expand the two-way relationship and collaborative actions between cultural resources and communities”