Damian C. Adams

Optimal Management of a Potential Invader: The Case of Zebra Mussels in Florida

Dominant users of Lake Okeechobee water resources are agricultural producers and recreational anglers. These uses will be directly affected, should the lake become infested with zebra mussels. We employ a probabilistic bioeconomic simulation model to estimate the potential impact of zebra mussels on consumptive water uses, recreational angling, and wetland ecosystem services under alternative public management scenarios. Without public management, the expected net economic impact from zebra mussels is -

Sustainability of forest management under changing climatic conditions in the southern United States: adaptation strategies, economic rents and carbon sequestration.

244.1 million over 20 years. Public investment in prevention and eradication will yield a net expected gain of +

Harnessing Homophily to Improve Climate Change Education.

188.7 million, a superior strategy to either prevention or eradication alone.

Drivers of Price and Nonprice Water Conservation by Urban and Rural Water Utilities: An Application of Predictive Models to Four Southern States

The impacts of climate change on profitability and carbon storage in even-aged forest stands of two dominant commercial pine species, loblolly and slash pine, in the southern United States were assessed under alternative assumptions about the impact of climate change on forest productivity and catastrophic disturbance rates. Potential adaptation strategies to reduce losses from disturbance included: 1) alternative planting densities, and 2) planting slash pine instead of loblolly pine. In addition, the amount of sequestered carbon was used to develop an index of economic efficiency for carbon sequestration, which further helps rank the suitability of alternative adaptation strategies. Our results indicate that greater economic rents from forests occur with lower planting densities and the substitution of slash pine for high density loblolly pine. However, less carbon is sequestered by low density loblolly pine compared to slash pine and high density loblolly pine. Both adaptation strategies are economically more effective in terms of carbon sequestration compared to the baseline since they generate more economic revenues per Mg of sequestered carbon.

Factors Driving Water Utility Rate Structure Choice: Evidence from Four Southern U.S. States

The Cooperative Extension Service (Extension) in the United States is well positioned to educate the public, particularly farmers and foresters, about climate change and to encourage responsible adoption of adaptation and mitigation strategies. However, the climate change attitudes and perceptions of Extension professionals have limited Extension’s involvement. A survey of Extension professionals (n = 2758) in eight southern states found several statistically significant factors correlating to different attitudes and perceptions about climate change, such as demographics and program area. Willingness to engage with climate change-related programs varies with climate change perceptions, program area, and perceptions of institutional support. This assessment explores the extent to which the climate change issue suggests different needs among Extension professionals – needs that could be addressed by diverse professional development programs. We discuss these results in the context of homophily and provide recommendations to improve climate change education.

Impacts of Climate Change on Economics of Forestry and Adaptation Strategies in the Southern United States

This study examines water system characteristics, managers’ attitudes and perceptions toward water conservation, and future planning strategies that influence the adoption of water conservation programs for urban and rural communities. We surveyed water system managers in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Florida; and we parameterized predictive adoption models for price-based (PC) and nonprice-based (NPC) conservation programs. Notably, results suggest that information about the price elasticity of water demand for a community does encourage PC and NPC adoption; and we found no evidence that PC and NPC adoption is jointly considered by water systems.

Climate change communication insights from cooperative Extension professionals in the US Southern states: finding common ground

Water utilities typically set residential water prices using one of three rate structures: increasing block rate (IBR), uniform rate (UR), or decreasing block rate (DBR). Historically, DBR has been the most widely used residential rate structure, but water utilities are increasingly switching to a UR or IBR structure. The literature suggests several possible motivations for rate structure decisions, but provides little empirical evidence to support these suggestions and largely ignores the role of water managers’ attitudes and perceptions in the rate structure decision. The objective of this study is to statistically assess factors that drive rate structure changes, specifically toward UR or IBR, in the southern US. We designed and implemented a survey of water utility managers in Arkansas, Florida, Oklahoma, and Tennessee, including rural to urban water utilities. Survey questions were selected based on water utility manager input and literature review and included rate structure changes, system characteristics, and attitudes and perceptions about factors likely to influence rate structure changes. The rate structure adoption decision is modeled using both multinomial logit and Heckman probit specifications. Our results suggest that different factors drive the adoption of UR and IBR, including fair prices for end-users, qualifying for government grants/loans, revenue concerns, treatment cost increases, and infrastructure investment needs.

Creating Voluntary Payment Programs: Effective Program Design and Ranchers’ Willingness to Conserve Florida Panther Habitat

This article analyzes the impacts of different levels of forest productivity scenarios, disturbance risk, and salvageable rates resulting from climate change on the economics of loblolly pine in the southern United States. Potential adaptation strategies examined include reduction in planting density and use of slash pine instead of loblolly pine. Economic returns are most sensitive to changes in disturbance risk and productivity changes as compared with the salvage rate, planting density, or species selection. Loblolly pine with low planting density economically outperforms high-density loblolly pine. Slash pine is generally a less viable option compared with loblolly pine in most cases.

Expected Timber-Based Economic Impacts of a Wood-Boring Beetle (Acanthotomicus Sp.) That Kills American Sweetgum

ABSTRACT Climate change is often avoided in educational programming due to its perceived polarizing nature. Identifying areas of agreement may help educators introduce climate change topics and help audiences begin to listen. As part of a survey of Extension professionals in the southeastern US, respondents shared their thoughts about climate change. Based on methods used by Maibach, Leiserowitz, Roser-Renouf, and Mertz [(2011). Identifying like-minded audiences for global warming public engagement campaigns: An audience segmentation analysis and tool development. PLoS ONE, 6(3), e17571], we categorized respondents using the Six Americas segments. Qualitative data analysis techniques were applied to identify common themes. Five themes emerged as common across most segments: (1) confusion and mistrust abound, (2) educators face barriers to climate change education, (3) economic aspects of climate change are important, (4) we should be good stewards of Earth, and (5) adaptation is an agreeable strategy. By identifying climate change message frames with which people may agree, regardless of how they feel about climate change, educators may be able to better communicate with broader audiences.

A Conceptual Framework for the Management of a Highly Valued Invasive Tree in the Galapagos Islands

Landowner resistance to Endangered Species Act regulations is a key conservation challenge. In 2014 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed that a mix of payments for ecosystem services and regulatory assurances be implemented to encourage cattle ranchers’ participation in Florida panther recovery efforts. To identify cattle ranchers’ preferences for the proposed programs, we implemented a best-worst scaling choice experiment. Our results suggest that voluntary conservation programs are most likely to enroll politically conservative landowners if these programs provide per acre payments or tax reductions, are of shorter duration, and do not require overly intrusive or restrictive levels of monitoring to ensure compliance. (JEL Q57, Q58)