Advanced digital technologies are rapidly permeating agriculture from laboratory to field. Machin... more Advanced digital technologies are rapidly permeating agriculture from laboratory to field. Machine-based breeding, robotics and big data technologies have deeply transformed not only production systems but also the way scientific research is conducted. How are digital applications revolutionizing people’s jobs and skills? What are the challenges and opportunities for managing and sharing agricultural big data? This article addresses these and other questions by surveying international experts in plant biotechnology. Results show that digital innovations in the form of decision-support tools are perceived as promising. Most surveyed experts anticipate the deployment of big data analytics and artificial intelligence to boost agricultural productivity. Another key finding is that substantial physical investment, specialized human capital and effective data governance are critical to successful implementation of technological innovations associated with big data.
Fire Economics, Planning, and Policy: Bottom …, 1999
Wildland fire management strategies often have long-term economic and ecological impacts, as evid... more Wildland fire management strategies often have long-term economic and ecological impacts, as evidenced by the increase in fire danger resulting from the total suppression policy of the last several decades. In the long run, the choice of an optimal wildland fire management strategy depends upon the cumulative effects of fire management factors as well as the interaction between them. A theoretical extension to the cost plus net value change (C+NVC) model is developed by using the principles of control theory. It explores the long-term relationships among the factors of production and the choice of optimal management strategies given that fire management actions have consequences in the future.
... timber market and to illuminate the dynamics of the Wyoming situation. NOTE:: DouglasRideout ... more ... timber market and to illuminate the dynamics of the Wyoming situation. NOTE:: DouglasRideout can be reached at 970-491-7234; E-mail: [email protected]. Many thanks to Pat Harrison, USDA Forest Service, in Laramie ...
Forest wildfire managers are obligated to meet ecosystem management objectives, such as cost mini... more Forest wildfire managers are obligated to meet ecosystem management objectives, such as cost minimization and resource allocation efficiency (J.T. Williams, R.G. Schmidt, R.A., Norum, P.N. Omi, and R.G. Lee. 1993. USDA For. Serv. Staffing Pap. Washington, D.C.), which is difficult because each objective is dependent upon wildfire controllability and behavior. Currently, there is no functional formula that defines the relationship between wildfire behavior and controllability and therefore, no physical basis for efficient economic analysis. This paper seeks to (1) identify environmental factors that systematically predict wildfire controllability and the range over which sudden changes in fire behavior occur, (2) quantify the uncertainty of fire behavior in terms of the environmental factors, and (3) define a manageable environmental variable that can be used to determine marginal costs and benefits of wildfire management activities. We develop the theory and provide an illustrative example of a cusp catastrophe using simulated fire data. Preliminary results suggest that catastrophe theory may be an effective tool to model wildfire controllability as measured by the modeled change in fireline intensity, windspeed, initial fuel moisture and fuel loading. Because the use of fuel loading as a control parameter describes the marginal physical effects on wildfire behavior, this framework may prove suitable as the production relationship for future economic analysis. Note that the model specified in this paper is theoretical and should not be applied until validated.
Page 172. Economic Principles of Wildland Fire Management Policy 1 Hayley Hesseln, 2 Douglas B. R... more Page 172. Economic Principles of Wildland Fire Management Policy 1 Hayley Hesseln, 2 Douglas B. Rideout 3 Abstract Evolving wildfire management policies are aimed at more comprehensive treatments of current wildland fire management problems. ...
Fire Economics, Planning, and Policy: Bottom …, 1999
Page 172. Economic Principles of Wildland Fire Management Policy 1 Hayley Hesseln, 2 Douglas B. R... more Page 172. Economic Principles of Wildland Fire Management Policy 1 Hayley Hesseln, 2 Douglas B. Rideout 3 Abstract Evolving wildfire management policies are aimed at more comprehensive treatments of current wildland fire management problems. ...
The degree to which Canadian forest management policies, institutions, and other factors either s... more The degree to which Canadian forest management policies, institutions, and other factors either support or hinder the development of climate change adaptive capacity is discussed. The analysis is based on discussions with government and industry forest managers across Canada. Managers feel that they have the tools and the technical capability to successfully adapt. However, while these tools and abilities are available to forest managers, they are not always utilized due to policy barriers or lack of resources. Also, the adaptive capacity requirements of forest managers may be increasing as a result of global warming, as well as broader social, economic, and market trends. A model of “embedded science,” in which scientists closely interact with forest managers in planning exercises leads to increased adaptive capacity. Some institutions, such as forest certification, have the potential for providing a framework for determining adaptation and adaptive capacity requirements. However, they will need to be modified in order to realize that potential. Forest management policy generally supports adaptation, but may limit the implementation of adaptation options in cases where the required innovation lies far outside of business-as-usual activities. Forest management policy needs to become more flexible and forward-looking, focusing on expected future outcomes under potentially different conditions, while at the same time acknowledging the uncertainty in expected outcomes. Reforming existing forest tenure arrangements and providing forest managers with more flexibility and local autonomy will allow more timely adaptation to climate change as well as other sources of change.
Evolving wildfire management policies are aimed at more comprehensive treatments of current wildl... more Evolving wildfire management policies are aimed at more comprehensive treatments of current wildland fire management problems. Key policies are identified that affect wildfire and fuels management. Policies are discussed in the context of institutional factors such as interagency cooperation and the growing number of regulations and laws. Key economic principles, such as the Coase Theorem, are developed in the context of contemporary policies and institutions. Economic principles of specific management situations are discussed, including smoke emissions, the wildland-urban interface, suppression policies, and the use of prescribed fire. Policy formation as it applies to a dynamic society with implications for emerging issues in the new millennium are also addressed.
Wildland fire management strategies often have long-term economic and ecological impacts, as evid... more Wildland fire management strategies often have long-term economic and ecological impacts, as evidenced by the increase in fire danger resulting from the total suppression policy of the last several decades. In the long run, the choice of an optimal wildland fire management strategy depends upon the cumulative effects of fire management factors as well as the interaction between them. A theoretical extension to the cost plus net value change (C+NVC) model is developed by using the principles of control theory. It explores the long-term relationships among the factors of production and the choice of optimal management strategies given that fire management actions have consequences in the future.
We examined the costs of fuels treatments at the landscape level from ecological and economic per... more We examined the costs of fuels treatments at the landscape level from ecological and economic perspectives. We set up a model using MAGIS (Multiple-resource Analysis and Geographic Information System), to examine landscape changes in response to thinning and prescribed burning on forested lands including wildland-urban interface areas. Our objectives are to assess treatment types based on changing costs, budget levels, and tradeoffs between two objectives: ecosystem restoration and hazard reduction. Specifically, we wish to address the following questions: How do social costs affect accomplishments in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI)? How do costs affect allocation of fuels management resources between wild lands and the WUI? Can we fully restore ecosystems, and at what cost? How do budget levels affect allocation of fuels management resources?
This article evaluates the ability of contingent valuation to measure the benefits received by se... more This article evaluates the ability of contingent valuation to measure the benefits received by several ethnic groups from a prescribed burning forest fire reduction program similar to President Bush's Healthy Forest Initiative. Reasons for refusing to pay higher taxes for the prescribed burning program were not statistically different between African Americans, Hispanics, and whites. Mean willingness to pay of whites was $400, whereas for African Americans it was $505, but the difference is not statistically significant. The results suggest a substantial statewide willingness to pay by whites and African Americans for forest fuel reduction projects using prescribed burning in California. (JEL Q26, Q23, J15)
We conducted surveys on 33 trails within National Forests in Colorado and Montana to test whether... more We conducted surveys on 33 trails within National Forests in Colorado and Montana to test whether forest fires affected recreation demand. Data were collected on actual and intended number of visits. A count data travel cost demand model was estimated by pooling actual and intended visitation responses in both states. Results indicate that Montana hikers take more trips yet have lower net benefits ($12/trip) than do Colorado visitors ($55/trip). The annual value of trips taken decreases in both states as areas recover from crown fires providing support for the National Fire Plan in terms of fire prevention and suppression.
A contingent valuation method (CVM) study was used to compare survey response rates, protest refu... more A contingent valuation method (CVM) study was used to compare survey response rates, protest refusals to pay, and median willingness-to-pay (WTP) of Native American communities in Montana compared to Montana's general population for two wildland fire mitigation strategies. Understanding differences in response rates, protest refusals to pay, and median WTP between Native Americans in the United States and the general population may shed some light on how well the method may work for indigenous people in other developed countries such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Native Americans survey response rates were not significantly different from Montana residents for the initial contact (first ARTICLE IN PRESS www.elsevier.de/jfe 1104-6899/$ -see front matter wave), but were significantly different for the follow-up in-depth phone interviews (second wave). Native Americans protest rate for the prescribed burning program was not statistically different from Montana residents. Conventionally calculated, protest rates for the mechanical fuels reduction program are higher for Montana's residents than Native Americans. Results from bivariate probit with sample selection models indicate that there is no significant difference between the Native American and Montana general populations' median WTP for either program. This suggests that in Montana, Native Americans and members of the general population generally yield similar results to CVM questionnaires of forest fire management.
Surveys were conducted on 33 sites within National Forests in Colorado and Montana to test how fo... more Surveys were conducted on 33 sites within National Forests in Colorado and Montana to test how forest fires affected recreation demand in the two states. Data were collected on the actual number of visits and on the intended number of visits if the area had been subject to a recent high intensity crown fire, a recent prescribed fire, or an old crown fire (all depicted in photos). A travel cost model was estimated by pooling actual and intended visitation responses in both states. Results indicate that Montana hikers take slightly more trips but have lower net benefits or consumer surplus ($12 per trip) than do Colorado visitors ($55 per trip). Also, the demand functions do not react similarly to prescribed fires. Whereas annual values in Colorado increase over time, there were no significant changes in visitation or net benefits for Montana respondents. However, demand functions do react similarly in response to crown fires, resulting in a decrease in visitation and value over time. This latter result provides evidence in support of increased fuels management as outlined by the National Fire Plan.
Advanced digital technologies are rapidly permeating agriculture from laboratory to field. Machin... more Advanced digital technologies are rapidly permeating agriculture from laboratory to field. Machine-based breeding, robotics and big data technologies have deeply transformed not only production systems but also the way scientific research is conducted. How are digital applications revolutionizing people’s jobs and skills? What are the challenges and opportunities for managing and sharing agricultural big data? This article addresses these and other questions by surveying international experts in plant biotechnology. Results show that digital innovations in the form of decision-support tools are perceived as promising. Most surveyed experts anticipate the deployment of big data analytics and artificial intelligence to boost agricultural productivity. Another key finding is that substantial physical investment, specialized human capital and effective data governance are critical to successful implementation of technological innovations associated with big data.
Fire Economics, Planning, and Policy: Bottom …, 1999
Wildland fire management strategies often have long-term economic and ecological impacts, as evid... more Wildland fire management strategies often have long-term economic and ecological impacts, as evidenced by the increase in fire danger resulting from the total suppression policy of the last several decades. In the long run, the choice of an optimal wildland fire management strategy depends upon the cumulative effects of fire management factors as well as the interaction between them. A theoretical extension to the cost plus net value change (C+NVC) model is developed by using the principles of control theory. It explores the long-term relationships among the factors of production and the choice of optimal management strategies given that fire management actions have consequences in the future.
... timber market and to illuminate the dynamics of the Wyoming situation. NOTE:: DouglasRideout ... more ... timber market and to illuminate the dynamics of the Wyoming situation. NOTE:: DouglasRideout can be reached at 970-491-7234; E-mail: [email protected]. Many thanks to Pat Harrison, USDA Forest Service, in Laramie ...
Forest wildfire managers are obligated to meet ecosystem management objectives, such as cost mini... more Forest wildfire managers are obligated to meet ecosystem management objectives, such as cost minimization and resource allocation efficiency (J.T. Williams, R.G. Schmidt, R.A., Norum, P.N. Omi, and R.G. Lee. 1993. USDA For. Serv. Staffing Pap. Washington, D.C.), which is difficult because each objective is dependent upon wildfire controllability and behavior. Currently, there is no functional formula that defines the relationship between wildfire behavior and controllability and therefore, no physical basis for efficient economic analysis. This paper seeks to (1) identify environmental factors that systematically predict wildfire controllability and the range over which sudden changes in fire behavior occur, (2) quantify the uncertainty of fire behavior in terms of the environmental factors, and (3) define a manageable environmental variable that can be used to determine marginal costs and benefits of wildfire management activities. We develop the theory and provide an illustrative example of a cusp catastrophe using simulated fire data. Preliminary results suggest that catastrophe theory may be an effective tool to model wildfire controllability as measured by the modeled change in fireline intensity, windspeed, initial fuel moisture and fuel loading. Because the use of fuel loading as a control parameter describes the marginal physical effects on wildfire behavior, this framework may prove suitable as the production relationship for future economic analysis. Note that the model specified in this paper is theoretical and should not be applied until validated.
Page 172. Economic Principles of Wildland Fire Management Policy 1 Hayley Hesseln, 2 Douglas B. R... more Page 172. Economic Principles of Wildland Fire Management Policy 1 Hayley Hesseln, 2 Douglas B. Rideout 3 Abstract Evolving wildfire management policies are aimed at more comprehensive treatments of current wildland fire management problems. ...
Fire Economics, Planning, and Policy: Bottom …, 1999
Page 172. Economic Principles of Wildland Fire Management Policy 1 Hayley Hesseln, 2 Douglas B. R... more Page 172. Economic Principles of Wildland Fire Management Policy 1 Hayley Hesseln, 2 Douglas B. Rideout 3 Abstract Evolving wildfire management policies are aimed at more comprehensive treatments of current wildland fire management problems. ...
The degree to which Canadian forest management policies, institutions, and other factors either s... more The degree to which Canadian forest management policies, institutions, and other factors either support or hinder the development of climate change adaptive capacity is discussed. The analysis is based on discussions with government and industry forest managers across Canada. Managers feel that they have the tools and the technical capability to successfully adapt. However, while these tools and abilities are available to forest managers, they are not always utilized due to policy barriers or lack of resources. Also, the adaptive capacity requirements of forest managers may be increasing as a result of global warming, as well as broader social, economic, and market trends. A model of “embedded science,” in which scientists closely interact with forest managers in planning exercises leads to increased adaptive capacity. Some institutions, such as forest certification, have the potential for providing a framework for determining adaptation and adaptive capacity requirements. However, they will need to be modified in order to realize that potential. Forest management policy generally supports adaptation, but may limit the implementation of adaptation options in cases where the required innovation lies far outside of business-as-usual activities. Forest management policy needs to become more flexible and forward-looking, focusing on expected future outcomes under potentially different conditions, while at the same time acknowledging the uncertainty in expected outcomes. Reforming existing forest tenure arrangements and providing forest managers with more flexibility and local autonomy will allow more timely adaptation to climate change as well as other sources of change.
Evolving wildfire management policies are aimed at more comprehensive treatments of current wildl... more Evolving wildfire management policies are aimed at more comprehensive treatments of current wildland fire management problems. Key policies are identified that affect wildfire and fuels management. Policies are discussed in the context of institutional factors such as interagency cooperation and the growing number of regulations and laws. Key economic principles, such as the Coase Theorem, are developed in the context of contemporary policies and institutions. Economic principles of specific management situations are discussed, including smoke emissions, the wildland-urban interface, suppression policies, and the use of prescribed fire. Policy formation as it applies to a dynamic society with implications for emerging issues in the new millennium are also addressed.
Wildland fire management strategies often have long-term economic and ecological impacts, as evid... more Wildland fire management strategies often have long-term economic and ecological impacts, as evidenced by the increase in fire danger resulting from the total suppression policy of the last several decades. In the long run, the choice of an optimal wildland fire management strategy depends upon the cumulative effects of fire management factors as well as the interaction between them. A theoretical extension to the cost plus net value change (C+NVC) model is developed by using the principles of control theory. It explores the long-term relationships among the factors of production and the choice of optimal management strategies given that fire management actions have consequences in the future.
We examined the costs of fuels treatments at the landscape level from ecological and economic per... more We examined the costs of fuels treatments at the landscape level from ecological and economic perspectives. We set up a model using MAGIS (Multiple-resource Analysis and Geographic Information System), to examine landscape changes in response to thinning and prescribed burning on forested lands including wildland-urban interface areas. Our objectives are to assess treatment types based on changing costs, budget levels, and tradeoffs between two objectives: ecosystem restoration and hazard reduction. Specifically, we wish to address the following questions: How do social costs affect accomplishments in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI)? How do costs affect allocation of fuels management resources between wild lands and the WUI? Can we fully restore ecosystems, and at what cost? How do budget levels affect allocation of fuels management resources?
This article evaluates the ability of contingent valuation to measure the benefits received by se... more This article evaluates the ability of contingent valuation to measure the benefits received by several ethnic groups from a prescribed burning forest fire reduction program similar to President Bush's Healthy Forest Initiative. Reasons for refusing to pay higher taxes for the prescribed burning program were not statistically different between African Americans, Hispanics, and whites. Mean willingness to pay of whites was $400, whereas for African Americans it was $505, but the difference is not statistically significant. The results suggest a substantial statewide willingness to pay by whites and African Americans for forest fuel reduction projects using prescribed burning in California. (JEL Q26, Q23, J15)
We conducted surveys on 33 trails within National Forests in Colorado and Montana to test whether... more We conducted surveys on 33 trails within National Forests in Colorado and Montana to test whether forest fires affected recreation demand. Data were collected on actual and intended number of visits. A count data travel cost demand model was estimated by pooling actual and intended visitation responses in both states. Results indicate that Montana hikers take more trips yet have lower net benefits ($12/trip) than do Colorado visitors ($55/trip). The annual value of trips taken decreases in both states as areas recover from crown fires providing support for the National Fire Plan in terms of fire prevention and suppression.
A contingent valuation method (CVM) study was used to compare survey response rates, protest refu... more A contingent valuation method (CVM) study was used to compare survey response rates, protest refusals to pay, and median willingness-to-pay (WTP) of Native American communities in Montana compared to Montana's general population for two wildland fire mitigation strategies. Understanding differences in response rates, protest refusals to pay, and median WTP between Native Americans in the United States and the general population may shed some light on how well the method may work for indigenous people in other developed countries such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Native Americans survey response rates were not significantly different from Montana residents for the initial contact (first ARTICLE IN PRESS www.elsevier.de/jfe 1104-6899/$ -see front matter wave), but were significantly different for the follow-up in-depth phone interviews (second wave). Native Americans protest rate for the prescribed burning program was not statistically different from Montana residents. Conventionally calculated, protest rates for the mechanical fuels reduction program are higher for Montana's residents than Native Americans. Results from bivariate probit with sample selection models indicate that there is no significant difference between the Native American and Montana general populations' median WTP for either program. This suggests that in Montana, Native Americans and members of the general population generally yield similar results to CVM questionnaires of forest fire management.
Surveys were conducted on 33 sites within National Forests in Colorado and Montana to test how fo... more Surveys were conducted on 33 sites within National Forests in Colorado and Montana to test how forest fires affected recreation demand in the two states. Data were collected on the actual number of visits and on the intended number of visits if the area had been subject to a recent high intensity crown fire, a recent prescribed fire, or an old crown fire (all depicted in photos). A travel cost model was estimated by pooling actual and intended visitation responses in both states. Results indicate that Montana hikers take slightly more trips but have lower net benefits or consumer surplus ($12 per trip) than do Colorado visitors ($55 per trip). Also, the demand functions do not react similarly to prescribed fires. Whereas annual values in Colorado increase over time, there were no significant changes in visitation or net benefits for Montana respondents. However, demand functions do react similarly in response to crown fires, resulting in a decrease in visitation and value over time. This latter result provides evidence in support of increased fuels management as outlined by the National Fire Plan.
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