NatuRE Policy Lab

Kelly Wu presented her work estimating the causal impact of the Primary Forest and Peat Moratorium in Indonesia on health outcomes. The moratorium limits the number of permit issues to clear forests, and peat lands, which Kelly hypothesizes will improve health outcomes by reducing land-clearing fires and harmful exposure to smoke.

Joseph Raymond presented some preliminary findings from his work on risk management in Alaska catch share fisheries. He discussed the role of portfolio theory for managing the risks firms face associated with variable market and environmental conditions. He also discussed the data driven approach he is taking to understand the ability of participants in Alaska fisheries to reduce risks through portfolio management.

Emily McGlynn shared her research on land use and conservation. Local governments are increasingly interested in managing GHG emissions through land use policy and agricultural conservation incentives. Emily is working with Santa Clara County (home to Silicon Valley) to evaluate how modifying conservation programs can reduce agricultural land conversion and avoid GHG emissions due to urban sprawl.

Madeline Turland presented her project on wildfire and wildfire risk adaptation in California's vineyards where she looks at how vineyards adapt in the face of increasing fire and smoke risk.

Lab alumnus Matthew MacLachlan and Associate Professor Michael Springborn co-author new Sciences Advances article “Hidden patterns of insect establishment risk revealed from two centuries of alien species discoveries”.