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Dennis R. Becker
Assistant Professor 

Ph.D. 2002, University of Idaho
Natural resource policy, economics, planning

Office: 101d Green Hall
Phone: (612) 624-7286
Fax: (612) 625-5212
E-mail: drbecker@umn.edu

Education

Ph.D. Natural Resources, University of Idaho, 2002
Post Doc Pacific Northwest Research Station, USDA Forest Service, 6/2002-6/2005
M.S. Park, Recreation and Tourism Resources, Michigan State University, 1997
B.A. Park Resource Management, Kansas State University, 1992

Courses Taught

• ESPM 2021  Environmental Sciences: Integrated Problem Solving, 3 credits.
• ESPM 3241W/5241 Natural Resource and Environmental Policy, 3 credits.
• ESPM 4242/5242 Analysis of Environmental and Natural Resource Policy, 3 credits.

Research Interests

Integration of ecological sustainability, economic viability, and social acceptability related to the management of natural resources with particular emphasis on policy issues germane to natural resource dependent communities.

Current Programs and Grants

• Monitoring and assessing the social and economic impacts from natural resource policies and community assistance programs (MN Regional Sustainable Partnerships, USDA Forest Service)
• Assessing small diameter wood utilization techniques and cost-reduction strategies (USDA Forest Service, Joint Fire Science Program)
• Assessment and evaluation of environmental review programs and cumulative impact assessment (MN Grant-in-Aid, State of Minnesota)
• Community forestry and collaborative planning to affect environmental management

Selected Publications

Kelkar, V., B. Geils, D.R. Becker, S. Overby, & D. Neary. 2006. How to recover more value from small pine trees: essential oils and resins. Biomass and Bioenergy, 30: 316-320.

Cheng, A. & D.R. Becker. 2005. Public perspectives on the “Wildfire Problem.” Fire Management Today, 65(3): 12-15.

Becker, D.R., C.C. Harris, E.A. Nielsen, & W.J. McLaughlin. 2004. A comparison of a technical and a participatory application of social impact assessment. Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, 22(3):177-189.

Becker, D.R., E.E. Hjerpe, & E.C. Lowell. 2004. Economic assessment of using a mobile MicroMill? for processing small diameter ponderosa pine. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-623. Portland, OR: USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station.

Becker, D.R., C.C. Harris, W.J. McLaughlin, & E.A. Nielsen. 2003. A participatory approach to social impact assessment: The Interactive Community Forum. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 23:367-382.

Harris, C.C., E.A. Nielsen, W.J. McLaughlin, & D.R. Becker. 2003. Community-based social impact assessment: The case of salmon-recovery on the lower Snake River. The International Association for Impact Assessment. Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, 21(2): 109-118.

Harris, C.C., W.J. McLaughlin, D.R. Becker, & E.A. Nielsen. 2001. Rural community assessments applying criteria & indicators for sustainable resource management. In, A. Franc, O. Laroussinie, T. Karjalainen, (eds.), Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management at the Forest Management Unit Level, pp. 29-44. European Forest Institute, Joensuu, Finland.

Harris, C.C., W.J. McLaughlin, G. Brown, & D.R. Becker. 2000. Rural communities in the Inland Northwest: An assessment of small rural communities in the Interior and Upper Columbia River basins. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR 477. Portland, OR: USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Experiment Station.

Becker, D.R.; Viers, J. Forthcoming. Matching the utilization of the by-products of forest fuel reduction with community development opportunities. In People, Fire and Forests: A Synthesis of Wildfire Social Science, Daniel, T.; Raish, C.; Carroll, M.S.; Mosely, C., eds.

Becker, D.R.; Larson, D.; Lowell, E.; Rummer, R. Forthcoming. The Harvest Cost-Revenue (HCR) Estimator for southwestern Ponderosa Pine: CD-Rom and User’s Manual. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-XXX. Portland, OR: USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station.

Becker, D.R., W.J. McLaughlin, C.C. Harris, & E.A. Nielsen. Forthcoming. Public inclusion: A comparison of workgroups of actively engaged and self-selected community members in an Interactive Community Forum.

Becker, D.R.; Nechodom, M.; Barnett, A.; Mason, T.; Lowell, E.; Shelly, J.; Graham, D. Forthcoming. Redirecting the Economic Action Program: Forest Service reported capacities to affect small wood utilization. Manuscript in preparation for Journal of Forestry.

Hjerpe, E.; Abrams, J.; Becker, D.R. Forthcoming. Making restoration work in the American Southwest: Economic and social considerations. Manuscript submitted in Restoration Ecology.

Nechodom, M.; Becker, D.R. Forthcoming. Moving from Timber Dependency to Forest Health Dependency in the New Millennium. In Forest Community Connections, Donoghue, E. and Sturtevant V., eds.

Vitae

Current M.S. and Ph.D. Students

Nadine Lehrer

Zhao Ma

Eli Sagor

Kaitlin Steiger-Meister

Grant Wilson