COLEARN’s work is organized into five priority areas, or “working groups.” These categories guide our research team and serve as a way to categorize our funded Community Action Projects. If you are considering applying for a Community Action Project, please consider how your project aligns with these areas.

Agricultural Conservation Practices

Working with landowners/farmers/growers in the region to identify needs and opportunities, adapt resources or tools (such as the GIS-based Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework) to support conservation practices and build resilience

Environmental Monitoring

Working with tribes, landowners, or municipalities on environmental monitoring infrastructure and data management, analysis, or interpretation.

Adaptation Planning

Working with tribes, landowners, or municipalities on various adaptation planning needs. This could include developing flood inundation maps, assisting with hazard mitigation plans for tribes or communities, or developing adaptation plans with individual landowners. This could also include applying Indigenous knowledge practices to improving community adaptive capacity.

Food Systems and Sovereignty

Supporting food systems development, relationship building, knowledge exchange.  This could include creating resources with communities, farmers, or landowners to enhance resilience, agricultural or agroforestry initiatives in urban areas to reduce heat islands or build resilience, applying Indigenous food production knowledge/practices, seed saving, or food preservation activities.

Policy and Advocacy

Identifying effective policy solutions for local preparedness and resilience as well as communicating about policy and advocacy with residents in the region.  This could include activities that help policy makers or analysists understand concerns of residents (including landowners) or developing resources that help residents of our state interpret, apply, or respond to existing conservation or environmental policies.