Damian C. Adams, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Forest Resources & Conservation

Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

2018 Awardee

Damian Adams focuses on the economics and policy of natural resources. Since 2013, Adams’ research has aimed to understand the critical role that forests play in the broader socioecological system and to analyze the policy approaches most optimal for forest conservation.

Adams and his team seek to identify the most cost effective and feasible policy solutions regarding invasive species management, water resource protection and the removal of atmospheric carbon dioxide in both working and natural systems.

“Much of my recent work has focused on the development of a novel valuation method that has significant advantages over competing approaches,” Adams said. “We want to make an important contribution to scientific literature and to our understanding of the value of nature and associated policy effectiveness.”

His research has aided to adapt effective natural resources policies and increase knowledge of ecosystem utility and value.

As co-founder and director of ProForest (Proactive Forest Health & Resilience), a region-wide initiative uniting experts in forest management and policy, Adams helps coordinate outreach methods to discuss research involving forest resilience and health.

Adams has been the primary or co-primary investigator on 24 grants and contracts totaling more than $27 million from both federal and state level funding sources. Recently, he led the economics and policy work for a $20 million USDA-funded project examining climate change adaptation and modification strategies for southern forests. Adams also spearheaded the planning and corresponding models for a $5 million USDA-funded project intended to assess the socioecological impacts of the new water resource standards being implemented across the region.

To date, Adams has published 58 journal articles, 79 book chapters and outreach publications, several technical reports and conference presentations and has received several awards for his research. As co-primary investigator and head of the economics and policy work for the Pine Integrated Network: Education, Mitigation and Adaptation Project, Adams was awarded the National Institute of Food and Agriculture U.S. Department of Agriculture Partnership Award for Mission Integration.

Adams was recently selected as an Everglades Foundation fellow, a distinction that facilitates collaboration between researchers and the Foundation to better inform planning and implementation of restoration efforts in the Everglades National Park.