Analyzing management, policies and governance of natural resources and ecosystems

Researchers in ESPM study the sustainable use and stewardship of terrestrial, aquatic and marine systems, including the development of best practices. In this approach, people are partners who create landscapes and ecosystems that benefit humanity and the planet. Key systems include rangelands, forests, agriculture, and urban environments.

Examples of our work:

  • Alastair Iles and Claire Kremen co-direct the Center for Diversified Systems Farming, research hub within the Berkeley Food Institute that examines how different forms of agriculture along a spectrum of diversification affect human societies and the environment.

  • Jennifer Sowerwine co-leads the Karuk-UC Berkeley Collaborative that fosters synergistic collaborations between the Karuk Tribe and UC Berkeley, and additional partners working with them, to enhance eco-cultural revitalization of the people and landscapes within Karuk ancestral lands and territories.

  • Jonas Meckling’s Energy and Environment Policy Lab investigates climate and clean energy policy.

  • Bill Stewart and Scott Stephens lead the UC Berkeley Center for Forestry, which creates and disseminates knowledge concerning ecosystem processes, human interactions and value systems, and restoration and operational forestry management practices.

  • Kathryn De Master works with the Center for Diversified Farming Systems and the national Agriculture of the Middle research group to investigate policies and practices to enhance the livelihoods of small and mid-sized farmers.