About

As an Alaska-based social scientist, I study social aspects at the interface where people and natural resources meet. My research focuses on three topics: recreation and volunteerism, particularly the health and other benefits of spending time in nature; community resilience in a context of social, cultural, economic, and biophysical change, including but not limited to effects of climate change and community response; and collaboration and partnerships, including challenges, benefits and innovative approaches. Recent work includes a scientific paper describing how to work across scales to integrate recreation management with management of other resources; an analysis of the effects of the Northwest Forest Plan on recreation; and work with tribal elders and youth to document traditional harvest and use of forest products. Current work focuses on and raising awareness of the importance of spending time in nature by building a community of practice around health and nature, and by producing fact sheets, posters, and other materials for use at health fairs and other community events.