Economics
Treatment decisions designed to alter Great Basin ecosystems will likely affect human populations. 
Environmental benefits flowing from Great Basin ecosystems include “use” values such as recreation, ranching, and reduced risk of property loss due to wildfire, and “non-use” values such as preservation of endangered species, cultural heritage, and bequests for future generations. The economic research component of this project will feature an environmental valuation study, which will identify and measure changes in these environmental benefits as a result of changes in the risk of ecosystem conversion triggered by the alternative land management treatments.
The research is designed to develop optimal management strategies based on results from the biophysical study and from additional results about resource and environmental values. The joint analyses provide an interdisciplinary framework for objective and defensible land management strategies. These strategies take into account competing resource values while minimizing the risk of transition to unhealthy ecosystems.
Publications related to the economics research can be found on our Scientific Publications page.