United States Department of Agriculture
My research focuses on three broad areas: Economic Valuation Methods, Economic and Social Analysis of Natural Hazards (wildfire, invasive species and climate change), and Measurement of Public Preferences, Attitudes and Behaviors. Within the realm of economic valuation methods, I largely focus on nonmarket valuation. I have conducted many studies to investigate the validity of nonmarket valuation techniques. I have also been involved in nonmarket valuation applications to investigate a wide range of environmental questions. For example, I have recently conducted a series of studies that consider different nonmarket valuation approaches to measuring the economic costs associated with exposure to wildfire smoke. In addition to nonmarket valuation, I am interested in how and why humans adapt to natural hazards. I also focus on survey research techniques for measuring preferences and attitudes.
My interests include validity issues associated with nonmarket valuation methods, survey research issues, allocation mechanisms for recreational opportunities on public lands, and issues associated with institutional arrangements and incentives. Economic valuation of natural resources. Environmental, economic, and institutional aspects of water resource management.
Management for the 'greatest good for the greatest number in the long run' requires knowledge about what the 'greatest good' is. In the context of managing environmental amenities, many of the benefits are not captured in markets. Therefore nonmarket valuation is essential to understand how management decisions affect the public or how costs compare to benefits. This notion is evident in the increased focus on valuing ecosystem services. Research on nonmarket valuation is essential to improve our understanding of public preferences related to management of environmental amenities. Much of my research has investigated approaches to improivng the validity of nonmarket valuation techniques. In the context of applications, I have conducted studies that involved valuation of a wide variety of environmental goods and services from endangered species to health effects of wildfire smoke exposure. Another research focus has been on natural hazards. My research aims to provide an understanding of the human/natural hazard nexus in an effort to develop information that can be used to develop better programs and policies.
My past research includes: 1) a series of studies on the validity of nonmarket valuation techniques. 2) an edited book (A Primer on Nonmarket Valuation) that is one of the few books on nonmarket valuation that is accessible to a broad audience. 3) A suite of studies on wildfire and homeowners living in the wildland urban interface.
