The Value of Information in Invasive Species Management

Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Valuing Monitoring Networks for Invasive Species: The Case of Soybean Rust

Crop Production/Industries,

The value of information in conservation planning

Conservation planning studies at small scales such as forest stands and below are uncommon. However, for retention forestry, developed during the last two decades and with current wide and increasing application in boreal and temperate regions, the need for cost-effective selection of individual trees is evident. In retention forestry certain trees are left at final harvest to promote flora and fauna. There is also a scarcity of studies on information costs and how these relate to the cost-effectiveness of conservation. We addressed both of these issues by studying whether decisions about the retention of aspen Populus tremula L. trees can be made more cost-effectively by including information about tree characteristics. We analyzed data from 12 recently harvested stands in middle Sweden containing 131 epiphytic lichen species (a biodiversity proxy) on 360 aspen trees. We related the presence of lichen species to bark and stem attributes and used those relationships to prioritize trees for retention. We estimated the value of using different sets of survey information (lichens, tree characteristics) to select retention trees to achieve various conservation goals. Depending on species or species groups of interest, and the type of tree information being collected, the value of collecting the information is up to 20% of the total value of all potential retention trees, which, given current labor costs, allows up to four hours for planning and selecting the right trees on an average-sized clearcut. The current practice of almost randomly selecting aspen trees to retain at final harvest can be improved by adding easily collected information on tree characteristics, such as black-colored bark, slow tree growth, inclining stems and speckled bark. This can lead to attainment of a given level of a conservation goal (like maximizing the number of lichen species of conservation concern) with fewer retention trees. Inventory of tree information often can be performed quickly, and if part of the gains from using such information to guide tree selection would be spent on additional conservation efforts, this would benefit biodiversity. Studies on more organism groups and tree species are needed to increase the applicability of results. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V

PROVIDING EQUITABLE SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF PROTECTED NATURAL AREAS IN A METROPOLITAN SETTING: AN APPLICATION OF THE LOCATION SET-COVERING PROBLEM

We use the location set covering problem to define a natural area site selection model for use in the Chicago region. This framework allows us to explicitly consider the equity of site distribution by stipulating that each population center has access to a recreational space within a specified distance.Land Economics/Use,

EXPLORING GOAL TRADEOFFS IN METROPOLITAN NATURAL AREA PROTECTION

This study examines the issue of natural area protection in an urban environment. We report on the results of interviews conducted with a wide range of land use planners in the Chicago region. Of particular interest are the unique goals and challenges of land acquisition programs in a metropolitan area.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Optimal timber harvesting in uneven-aged forest stands : a discrete-time optimal-control approach

The purpose of this dissertation is to formulate, analyze and numerically solve the dynamic harvesting problem for uneven-aged stands. The problem is to find the optimal numbers of trees to remove from diameter classes over a finite time horizon and is formulated as a discrete-time optimal-control problem with bounded control variables and free terminal point. A solution algorithm called the method of steepest descent is described and demonstrated with a whole-stand/diameter-class simulator for Wisconsin hardwood stands. Optimal management regimes that maximize present net worth (PNW) from harvests taken on a 5-year cutting cycle during a 150-year time horizon are developed for three stumpage value functions. Harvest regimes derived with the gradient method contradicted optimal steady-state management regimes determined with static analysis. Pontryagin's maximum principle is used to establish optimality conditons for the dynamic and static optimization problems. Comparison of these conditions shows that for a stand with any initial diameter distribution: (1) the optimal transition regime does not converge to the steady state that maximizes land expectation value defined by the Faustmann equation; (2) the PNW of the optimal transition and steady-state regime is greater than the PNW of the statically determined regime; and (3) the optimal steady-state regime is invariant. These results invalidate the use of investment-efficient diameter distributions. The gradient method produces stationary solutions for harvest control variables in the first period and beyond; however, because of large discount factors in distant periods, the algorithm fails to provide stationary solutions for long-term management within reasonable execution times. To avoid this problem, a restart procedure that takes advantage of the stability of the first-period solution and the sequential nature of the problem is developed. An economic model for harvesting forest stands is presented and used to contrast the two major timber harvesting systems: even-aged and uneven-aged management. In contrast to even-aged management, the value of uneven-aged stand harvesting cannot be separated into independent components for stand value and land value. Thus, conclusions about the most profitable harvesting system depend on the joint productivity of the land and existing timber. This result is demonstrated by developing optimal management regimes for Arizona ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Laws.) stands

Design and Implementation of Antidepressant Decision Making Aids

Objectives: To create easy to understand, antidepressant medication decision making aids and describe the process used to develop the aids for patients diagnosed with depression. Methods: In collaboration with the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI), antidepressant medication decision making aids were developed to enhance patient and physician communication about medication selection. The final versions of the aids were based on design methods created by Dr. Victor M. Montori (Mayo Clinic) and discussions with patients and providers. Five physicians used prototype aids in their outpatient clinics to assess their usefulness. Results: Six prototype antidepressant medication decision making aids were created to review potential side-effects of antidepressant medications. The side effects included were those patients feel are most bothersome or may contribute to premature discontinuation of antidepressant treatment, including: weight changes, sexual dysfunction, sedation, and other unique side effects. The decision aids underwent several revisions before they were distributed to physicians. Physicians reported patients enjoyed using the decision aids and found them useful. The sexual dysfunction card was considered the most useful while the daily administration schedule card was felt to be the least useful. Conclusions: Physicians found the antidepressant decision making aids helpful and felt they improved their usual interactions with patients. The aids may lead to more patient-centered treatment choices and empower patients to become more directly involved in their treatment. Whether the aids improve patient's medication adherence needs to be addressed in future studies.   Type: Student Projec

Design and Implementation of Antidepressant Decision Making Aids

Objectives: To create easy to understand, antidepressant medication decision making aids and describe the process used to develop the aids for patients diagnosed with depression. Methods: In collaboration with the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI), antidepressant medication decision making aids were developed to enhance patient and physician communication about medication selection. The final versions of the aids were based on design methods created by Dr. Victor M. Montori (Mayo Clinic) and discussions with patients and providers. Five physicians used prototype aids in their outpatient clinics to assess their usefulness. Results: Six prototype antidepressant medication decision making aids were created to review potential side-effects of antidepressant medications. The side effects included were those patients feel are most bothersome or may contribute to premature discontinuation of antidepressant treatment, including: weight changes, sexual dysfunction, sedation, and other unique side effects. The decision aids underwent several revisions before they were distributed to physicians. Physicians reported patients enjoyed using the decision aids and found them useful. The sexual dysfunction card was considered the most useful while the daily administration schedule card was felt to be the least useful. Conclusions: Physicians found the antidepressant decision making aids helpful and felt they improved their usual interactions with patients. The aids may lead to more patient-centered treatment choices and empower patients to become more directly involved in their treatment. Whether the aids improve patient's medication adherence needs to be addressed in future studies.   Type: Student Projec