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Ecological and Social Change: Adaptation, Place and Evaluation (ESCAPE)
Featured project on MPBN's "Triple Bottom Line"
Participating Institution
University of Maine
Team members
- Jessica Leahy, School of Forest Resources (team leader)
- Kathleen Bell, School of Economics (team leader)
- Aaron Weiskittel, Forest Resources
- Charlie Colgan, Muskie School, USM
- Yuseung Kim, Muskie School, USM
- Laura Lindenfeld, Communication
- Jeremy Wilson, Forest Resources
Graduate Students
Research Summary
We adopt a sustainability science research approach to study urban-rural landscape change. We address dynamic interactions between nature and society and are problem-driven. We explore relationships between ecological and social resources and human decisions, with the hope of advancing diverse solutions to problems related to complex interactions and information failures spanning landowners, municipal officials, forest managers, non-government organizations, and private businesses. We co-produce improved knowledge of these interactions and identify opportunities for avoiding these failures by working collaboratively with stakeholders. We plan to continue the stakeholder engagement and partnerships including the Forest Working Group (Family Forest), Bangor and Portland Stakeholder Advisory Groups (SURP), Cooperative Forestry Research Unit (Spruce Budworm) and Cooperative Extension (K-A), and develop new engagement processes and partnerships. Our research on landscape processes (urban change, forest change, ecosystem services) and human attitudes and behaviors (land decision-making, attitudes towards urban and forest change, sense of place, and social acceptability of forest management strategies) is designed to support short- and longterm solutions to escape the inefficiencies of spillovers, or externalities, and information failures. Solutions include: improved communication networks (landowner engagement workshops and forums, modeling and communication tools, stakeholder partnerships); service networks (stakeholder partnerships with private businesses); decision-support tools; revised forest and land management policies; and changes in landowner, institutions, community resident, and voter behavior.
Profile of team leader Jessica Leahy
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Jessica Leahy
Team Leader
Kathleen Bell
Team Leader
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