Research Activities
FER Home : Natural Resources Economics & Policy : Research Activities
Our natural resources economics and policy research takes place on both a local and international scale, and often involves research partners from the private and public sectors. NC State’s extensive forest facilities, our strong industry relationships and our collaborative ties with government agencies enhance our ability to take on real-world research challenges.
Over the past decade, we have conducted research within a number of areas involving policy. We have explored:
- Public and community involvement in environmental and natural resource management;
- Decision-making in communities dependent on natural resources;
- The economics of agroforestry and econometric applications in forestry;
- Natural resource administration and policy;
- National Forest management and policy;
- RPA policy and implementation;
- Timber production and harvesting economics;
- Forest certification; and the economics of sustainable forest management.
When it comes to economic research, we have been particularly active in studies related to the policies and economics of forest certification, sustainable forest management, timber investment returns and silvopasture systems both domestically and internationally. This research has led to further exploration of related topics involving public programs evaluation, water quality, wetlands and non-timber forest products.
This body of research creates a strong institutional knowledge base for educating students, enriching outreach programs and inspiring future research that leverages past discoveries. Our research activities also provide an opportunity for students to build their skills of inquiry and discovery by collaborating with professionals from other departments and organizations.
Current Research Projects
Currently, FER faculty members are conducting the following research projects involving natural resources economics and policy:
- Research on the impacts of certification as a market policy tool and of government regulation or intervention.
- Forest certification research in Argentina and other countries.
- Research on timber investment returns for plantations and native forests is being conducted in seven countries in Latin America.
- Related research on silvopasture systems is underway in Misiones, Argentina, with a parallel study at the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) in North Carolina.
Graduate students play an important role in Natural Resources Economics & Policy research, pursuing a variety of topics as part of their hands-on education.
For a look at completed graduate student research in this area, please visit the Dissertation Library of the NC State Graduate School.
