© 2026 Kansas City Public Radio
NPR in Kansas City
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Between land and water: Tribal relocation and resistance

Grass with singular sunflower, blue sky and words "Up From Dust"
Jessica Cornelison
/
KCUR 89.3

Climate change is altering the land, and Indigenous communities are on the frontline. This episode takes you to Alaska, where rapid permafrost thaw is threatening the Native village of Nunapitchuk. Then, we head to Louisiana, where the Pointe-Au-Chien Indian Tribe is losing its land to rising sea levels. These tribes are forced to make a difficult decision between staying and adapting or leaving their ancestral homes. (This episode comes to us from the environmental podcast Sea Change.)

This episode was reported by Eva Tesfaye and Sage Smiley. It was edited by Eve Abrams with additional help from Carlyle Calhoun, Katie Basile, Garrett Hazelwood and Ryan Vasquez. Emily Jankowski did sound design.

Up From Dust Season 1
I'm the creator of the environmental podcast Up From Dust. I write about how the world is transforming around us, from topsoil loss and invasive species to climate change. My goal is to explain why these stories matter to the Midwest and Great Plains, and to report on the farmers, ranchers, scientists and other engaged people working to make the region more resilient. Email me at celia@kcur.org.
KCUR is here for Kansas City, because Kansas City is here for KCUR.

Your support makes KCUR's work possible — from reporting that keeps officials accountable, to storytelling that connects our community. You can make sure the future of local journalism is strong.