Degree Program
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Description: The Forest Economics graduate program is uniquely structured to provide a flexible educational program to graduate students interested in applied economic analysis. Economic theory, together with applications to management and use of forest resources, public and private resource policy, the forest products industry, environmental regulation, resource planning and international resource development and trade are emphasized. Students draw upon the expertise of other related departments and programs of the University, including the Department of Economics, Graduate School of Business Administration, Graduate School of Public Affairs, School of Law, the Jackson School of International Studies, and the Center for International Trade in Forest Products (CINTRAFOR). Students may focus study on one of three areas: 1) quantitative economic analysis, 2) policy analysis, and 3) business and industry (including marketing). Current research involving forest economics encompasses: - Global international trade in forest products - Environmental linkages to international forest utilization and trade, including cumulative effects - Forest policy, sustainable development, and management (national and international) - Timber supply/ecosystem assessment and modeling - Public and private timber management practices and policies (including taxation, environmental regulation and land use planning) - Economic and environmental tradeoff analysis - Spatial land management planning within a hierarchical system - Competitiveness analysis for forest products, including value added and quality factors - Landscape management, economic incentives, and social/economic/political/institutional factors related to timber and non-timber resource use - Forest industries development, marketing, and regional analysis of economic contribution of forest resource utilization - International competitiveness, comparative economic advantage, and markets for forest products (including substitution of wood vs. non-wood products) - Supply, demand and price analysis - Institutional arrangements for forest resource management and utilization (market and non-market mechanisms) - Soft optimization techniques for forest management |