Keske, C.M.H., T. Iverson, G. Graff, S. Evans, L. Hans, A. Brandess, C. Huber. 2010. “Designing a Technology-Neutral, Benefit-Pricing Policy for the Electric Power Sector in Colorado.” Prepared for the Colorado Governor’s Energy Office by Colorado States University, Grant#: 10-136. December. https://instaar.colorado.edu/uploads/publications/keske-et-al-2010-geo-tech-report.pdf.
Christopher Huber
Chis Huber is an economist with the Social and Economic Analysis Branch at the Fort Collins Science Center. His work focuses on the economic valuation of nonmarketed natural resources and regional economic impact modeling.
Biography
Chis Huber is an economist with the Social and Economic Analysis Branch at the USGS Fort Collins Science Center. His work focuses on the economic valuation of nonmarketed natural resources and regional economic impact modeling. Chris’ research spans a variety of topics, including ecosystem services, ecological restoration, outdoor recreation, water resources, Wilderness, natural hazards, and preferences and values held by Tribal communities. Primary research methods include the use of socioeconomic surveys, focus groups, and benefit transfer methods. Chris has worked with partners both within and outside of the Department of the Interior, including the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and nonprofit organizations.
Education
- M.S. Colorado State University, Agricultural and Resource Economics, 2012
- B.S. Colorado State University, Agricultural Economics, 2010
Science and Products
Date published: October 25, 2019
Status: Active Economics and Ecosystem Services
Federal policymakers and land managers are accountable to the public for how they use public resources and for the outcomes of policy and management decisions. Through a variety of economic analyses and custom modeling, SEA economists evaluate how investments and management decisions affect individuals, local communities, and society as a whole.
Date published: June 27, 2018
Status: Active Economics of Ecological Restoration
Beyond the impacts to jobs and business activities, economics can play an important role in understanding the return on project investments by studying the benefits of project outcomes to society.
Contacts: Cathy Cullinane Thomas, Christopher Huber
Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center
Date published: June 27, 2018
Status: Active Economics of Invasive Species
In managing invasive species, land managers and policy makers need information to help allocate scarce resources as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center
Date published: June 27, 2018
Status: Active Economics of Outdoor Recreation
Planning and managing recreation areas is a series of choices, and not a day goes by that that manager doesn’t face a question, which at its roots, is often economic.
Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center
Date published: June 21, 2018
Status: Active Economics of Wildland Fire
In recent decades, wildfires have increased in size and intensity, and the fire season has lengthened. This and other factors have increased wildfire suppression costs and risks to human health and safety. SEA economists investigate numerous aspects of wildland fire, its impacts, and how to mitigate the risk wildfire poses to people, resources, and property.
Contacts: James R Meldrum, Ph.D., Christopher Huber
Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center
Date published: November 15, 2016
Status: Completed Blanca Wetlands Restoration
For thousands of years, much of the San Luis Valley basin of south-central Colorado was made up of a series of lakes, marshes, and shallow playa basins that were integral to the lives of indigenous peoples. By the mid-1900s, the basins had dried up from the diversion of water sources for irrigation and became known as the “Dry Lakes.” In 1965, BLM began a series of wildlife habitat projects to...
Contacts: Cathy Cullinane Thomas, Christopher Huber
Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center
Date published: November 14, 2016
Status: Active Burley Landscape Sage Grouse Habitat Restoration
Background information:
Characterized by a vast landscape dotted with sagebrush and juniper-clad foothills, the area surrounding the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) Burley Field Office in Idaho is home to a variety of species, such as the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), antelope (Antilocapra americana), bighorn sheep(Ovis canadensis...
Contacts: Cathy Cullinane Thomas, Christopher Huber
Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center
Date published: October 24, 2016
Status: Active Facilitating the Inclusion of Nonmarket Values in Bureau of Land Management Planning and Project Assessments
As a multiple-use agency within the Department of the Interior, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for managing a wide range of natural and cultural resources, some of which are actively “used” by people, such as the development of minerals for energy generation or manufacturing, livestock grazing, and recreational opportunities. Other resources are not used directly but still...
Contacts: Christopher Huber
Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center
Date published: September 1, 2016
Status: Active The Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI)
The Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) addresses effects of land-use and climate changes on Southwest Wyoming’s natural resources. In partnership with twelve Federal, State, and local natural resource agencies, and non-governmental organizations– FORT and ten other USGS centers are conducting dozens of integrated science projects to assess the status of Southwest Wyoming’s...
Contacts: Pat Anderson, Timothy Assal, Ph.D., Zachary H Bowen, Ph.D., Stephen Germaine, Lucy Burris, Cameron Aldridge
Date published: July 26, 2016
Status: Completed Sustaining Environmental Capital Initiative (SECI)
The mission of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Sustaining Environmental Capital Initiative (SECI) is to develop and enhance science and research on ecosystem services in support of improving natural resource management. This effort is in response to the fourth recommendation of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) report: "Federal agencies with responsibilities...
Date published: July 5, 2016
Status: Active Economic Impacts of Ecological Restoration
Federal investments in ecosystem restoration projects protect Federal trusts, ensure public health and safety, and preserve and enhance essential ecosystem services. These investments also generate business activity and create jobs. However, limited information exists on the costs and associated economic impacts of ecosystem restoration projects due to the complexity of the “restoration...
Contacts: Cathy Cullinane Thomas, Christopher Huber
Date published: July 6, 2016
Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) - Important Agricultural Lands Assessment Project (Datasets)
The data contained in this report was compiled, modified, and analyzed for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) Integrated Assessment (IA). These data represent an initial step towards spatially identifying lands that represent greater importance in the agricultural context and can be used by interested parties to conduct further geospatial analysis.
Attribution: Region 7: Upper Colorado Basin, Fort Collins Science Center
Year Published: 2020
Valuing tourism to a historic World War II national memorial
This study contributes to the existing literature on valuing visitation to an important cultural heritage site. Pearl Harbor National Memorial in Hawaii remembers and honors those that served the United States in the Pacific battles of World War II. Although historic and cultural monuments and memorials comprise a substantial portion of the U.S....
Sinclair, Wilson; Huber, Christopher; Richardson, LeslieAttribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
Year Published: 2020
Economic impacts of Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative Conservation projects in Wyoming
Executive SummaryThis report estimates the economic impacts on the Wyoming economy from investments made by the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) on conservation and restoration projects. The WLCI has been working in southwestern Wyoming since 2007 to coordinate science and management decisions among government and private entities...
Huber, Christopher; Flyr, Matthew; Cullinane Thomas, CatherineAttribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
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Huber, C., Flyr, M., and Cullinane Thomas, C., 2020, Economic impacts of Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative conservation projects in Wyoming: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2019–1135, 11 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20191135
Year Published: 2020
Sustaining Environmental Capital Initiative summary report
Federal agencies need credible scientific information to determine the production and value of ecosystem services in an efficient and timely manner. The U.S. Geological Survey addresses this scientific information need through the Sustaining Environmental Capital Initiative project. The project has relied on U.S. Geological Survey expertise...
Huber, Christopher; Meldrum, James R.; Schuster, Rudy M.; Ancona, Zachary H.; Bagstad, Kenneth J.; Beck, Scott M.; Carlisle, Daren; Claggett, Peter R.; Franco, Fabiano; Galbraith, Heather S.; Haefele, Michelle; Hoelting, Kristin R; Hogan, Dianna M.; Hopkins, Kristina G.; Kern, Tim; Lawrence, Collin B.; Lischka, Stacy; Loomis, John B.; Mueller, Julie M.; Noe, Gregory B.; Pindilli, Emily J.; Quay, Brian; Semmens, Darius J.; Sinclair, Wilson; Spooner, Daniel E.; Voigt, Brian; St. John White, BarabaraAttribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Leetown Science Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Ecosystems, Region 1: North Atlantic-Appalachian, Region 7: Upper Colorado Basin
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Huber, C., Meldrum, J.R., Schuster, R.M., Ancona, Z.H., Bagstad, K.J., Beck, S.M., Carlisle, D.M., Claggett, P.R., Franco, F., Galbraith, H.S., Haefele, M., Hoelting, K.R., Hogan, D.M., Hopkins, K.G., Kern, T., Lawrence, C.B., Lischka, S., Loomis, J.B., Mueller, J.M., Noe, G.B., Pindilli, E.J., Quay, B., Semmens, D.J., Sinclair, W., Spooner, D.E., Voigt, B., and St. John White, B., 2020, Sustaining Environmental Capital Initiative summary report: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2019–1117, 23 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20191117.
Year Published: 2019
Economic effects of wildfire risk reduction and source water protection projects in the Rio Grande River Basin in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado
Investments in landscape-scale restoration and fuels management projects can protect publicly managed trusts, enhance public health and safety, and help to preserve the many environmental goods and services enjoyed by the public. These investments can also support jobs and generate business sales activities within nearby local economies. This...
Huber, Christopher; Cullinane Thomas, Catherine; Meldrum, James R.; Meier, Rachel; Bassett, StevenAttribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
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Huber, C., Cullinane Thomas, C., Meldrum, J.R., Meier, R., and Bassett, S., 2019, Economic effects of wildfire risk reduction and source water protection projects in the Rio Grande River Basin in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2019–1108, 8 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20191108.
Year Published: 2019
Value of migratory bird recreation at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico
Each fall, thousands of Rocky Mountain Sandhill Cranes and other migratory birds congregate at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico’s Rio Grande Valley in search of wintering habitat. As such, this refuge is known as one of the premier destinations for bird viewing and photography in the United States. Using contingent...
Huber, Christopher; Sexton, NatalieAttribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
Year Published: 2019
U.S. Geological Survey science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative—2017 annual report
The Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) was established in 2008 to address the scientific and conservation questions associated with land use changes because of energy development and other factors in southwest Wyoming. Over the past decade, partners from U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), State and Federal land management agencies,...
Zeigenfuss, Linda C.; Aikens, Ellen; Aldridge, Cameron L.; Anderson, Patrick J.; Assal, Timothy J.; Bowen, Zachary H.; Chalfoun, Anna D.; Chong, Geneva W.; Eddy-Miller, Cheryl A.; Germaine, Stephen S.; Graves, Tabitha; Homer, Collin G.; Huber, Christopher; Johnston, Aaron; Kauffman, Matthew J.; Manier, Daniel J.; McShane, Ryan R.; Miller, Kirk A.; Monroe, Adrian P.; Ortega, Anna; Walters, Annika W.; Wyckoff, Teal B.Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
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Zeigenfuss, L.C., Aikens, E., Aldridge, C.L., Anderson, P.J., Assal, T.J., Bowen, Z.H., Chalfoun, A.D., Chong, G.W., Eddy-Miller, C.A., Germaine, S.S., Graves, T., Homer, C.G., Huber, C.C., Johnston, A., Kauffman, M.J., Manier, D.J., McShane, R.R., Miller, K.A., Monroe, A.P., Ortega, A., Walters, A.W., and Wyckoff, T.B., 2019, U.S. Geological Survey science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative—2017 annual report: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2018–1188, 57 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20181188.
Year Published: 2019
Methods of environmental valuation
Commensurate valuation of market and nonmarket public goods allows for a more valid benefit-cost analysis. Economic methods for valuing nonmarket public goods include actual behavior-based revealed preference methods, such as the hedonic property method for urban-suburban public goods and travel cost models for outdoor recreation. For valuing...
Loomis, John B.; Huber, Christopher; Richardson, LeslieAttribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
Year Published: 2018
Improving confidence by embracing uncertainty: A meta-analysis of U.S. hunting values for benefit transfer
Recreational hunting in the United States has traditional and cultural importance, and generates substantial economic benefits to individual hunters themselves. This paper conducts a meta-analysis of existing nonmarket valuation estimates for hunting in the United States to explore sources and implications of variation and uncertainty in these...
Huber, Christopher; Meldrum, James R.; Richardson, LeslieAttribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
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Huber, C., Meldrum, J., Richardson, L. 2018. Improving confidence by embracing uncertainty: A meta-analysis of U.S. hunting values for benefit transfer. Ecosystem Services 33(B): 225-236. doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2018.07.001.
Year Published: 2018
A method to value nature-related webcam viewing: The value of virtual use with application to brown bear webcam viewing
There are an estimated 16,000 nature related remote web cameras that provide users around the world with an opportunity to view wildlife. Because there is no monetary price to view the webcams, we utilise variations in the viewers’ opportunity cost of time to estimate consumer surplus. We apply this model to a large sample (n = 2649) of the more...
Loomis, John B.; Richardson, Leslie; Huber, Christopher; Skibins, Jeffrey; Sharp, RyanAttribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
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Loomis, J., Richardson, L., Huber, C., Skibins, J., & Sharp, R. (2018). A method to value nature-related webcam viewing: the value of virtual use with application to brown bear webcam viewing. Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy, 7(4): 452-462. DOI: 10.1080/21606544.2018.1483842.
Year Published: 2017
Challenges and solutions for applying the travel cost demand model to geographically remote visitor destinations: A case study of bear viewing at Katmai National Park and Preserve
Remote and unique destinations present difficulties when attempting to construct traditional travel cost models to value recreation demand. The biggest limitation comes from the lack of variation in the dependent variable, defined as the number of trips taken over a set time frame. There are various approaches that can be used for overcoming...
Richardson, Leslie; Huber, Christopher; Loomis, John B.Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
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Richardson, L., Huber, C., & Loomis, J. (2017). Challenges and Solutions for Applying the Travel Cost Demand Model to Geographically Remote Visitor Destinations: A Case Study of Bear Viewing at Katmai National Park and Preserve. Human Dimensions of Wildlife, 22(6), 550–563. doi:10.1080/10871209.2017.1369196
Year Published: 2016
Facilitating the inclusion of nonmarket values in Bureau of Land Management planning and project assessments—Final report
Executive SummaryThis report summarizes the results of a series of field-based case studies conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to (1) evaluate the use of nonmarket values in Bureau of Land Management (BLM) planning and project assessments, (2) update existing technical resources for measuring those values, and (3) provide guidance to...
Huber, Chris; Richardson, LeslieAttribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
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Huber, Chris, and Richardson, Leslie, 2016, Facilitating the inclusion of nonmarket values in Bureau of Land Management planning and project assessments—Final report: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2016-1178, 79 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20161178.
Year Published: 2016
U.S. Geological Survey science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative—2015 annual report
This is the eighth annual report highlighting U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) science and decision-support activities conducted for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI). The activities address specific management needs identified by WLCI partner agencies. In 2015, USGS scientists continued 24 WLCI projects in 5 categories: (1)...
Bowen, Zachary H.; Aldridge, Cameron L.; Anderson, Patrick J.; Assal, Timothy J.; Bartos, Timothy T.; Chalfoun, Anna D.; Chong, Geneva W.; Dematatis, Marie K.; Eddy-Miller, Cheryl A.; Garman, Steven L.; Germaine, Stephen S.; Homer, Collin G.; Kauffman, Matthew J.; Huber, Christopher C.; Manier, Daniel J.; Melcher, Cynthia P.; Miller, Kirk A.; Norkin, Tamar; Sanders, Lindsey E.; Walters, Annika W.; Wilson, Anna B.; Wyckoff, Teal B.Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Ecosystems, Sage-grouse & Sagebrush Ecosystem, Science Analytics and Synthesis (SAS)
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Bowen, Z.H., Aldridge, C.L., Anderson, P.J., Assal, T.J., Bartos, T.T., Chalfoun, A.D., Chong, G.W., Dematatis, M.K., Eddy-Miller, C.A., Garman, S.L., Germaine, S.S., Homer, C.G., Huber, C.C., Kauffman, M.J., Manier, D.J., Melcher, C.P., Miller, K.A., Norkin, Tamar, Sanders, L.E., Walters, A.W., Wilson, A.B., and Wyckoff, T.B., 2016, U.S. Geological Survey science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative—2015 annual report: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2016–1141, 59 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20161141.