A sand dune on the Navajo Nation. Photo from U.S. Geological Survey
The Navajo Nation is literally shoveling away the effects of climate change. A third of the reservation is covered in sand dunes, Fronteras reports. Margaret Hiza Redsteer, a scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey, said the problem grows constantly due to rising temperatures that exacerbate drought conditions, invasive plants and overgrazed fields. "It’s a losing battle, unfortunately," Hiza Redsteer, a member of the Crow Tribe who's been studying the sand dunes for 15 years, told Fronteras. Karletta Chief, a tribal member, said people on the reservation are constantly shoveling dunes. The community in Kayenta, Arizona, has built barriers in hopes of keeping the sand away from homes. Get the Story:
Climate Change Makes Parts Of The Navajo Nation Uninhabitable (Fronteras 5/28)
Join the Conversation
