Facing Drought with Strength and Strategy for the Fort Belknap Indian Community

Lark worked with the Fort Belknap Indian Community (FBIC) Land Department to develop the 2023 FBIC Drought Mitigation and Response Plan. The plan is a comprehensive strategy to enhance drought resilience across the Fort Belknap Reservation, which addresses the increasing frequency and severity of droughts due to climate change especially because of rising temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns in northern Montana.  

Lark conducted extensive community engagement—including interviews, surveys, the development of a Drought Task Force, and targeted outreach to elder housing communities—to collect firsthand accounts of drought impacts, concerns, and future recommendations. This input informed the identification of vulnerable resources, with drought risk levels evaluated through scientific data, community feedback, stakeholder collaboration, and expert analyses.

The Drought Mitigation and Response Plan aims to effectively monitor and assess drought severity and its impacts on land, agriculture, and water resources using a consistent set of indicators tied to real-world conditions. Lark used these indicators to establish clear thresholds that trigger timely response actions, helping to minimize drought-related impacts. These triggers also facilitate coordinated communication among tribal, federal, and state agencies.

Additional Highlights