James Meldrum is an economist in the Social and Economic Analysis Branch at the Fort Collins Science Center. His primary research focus is measuring, modeling, and understanding human relationships with natural resources.
James' economics and applied social science work spans many areas of interest to the USGS and our federal and non-federal partners. His main research topics include measuring, modeling, and understanding human relationships with natural resources, especially through the lens of ecosystem services, and with natural hazards, especially focused on mitigating the risks of wildland fire. James is a founding member of the Wildfire Research (WiRē) Team, an interdisciplinary collaboration focused on coproducing science in support of community wildfire adaptedness and wildfire risk mitigation on private lands, and he is an active participant in numerous USGS- and DOI-wide communities of practice.
Research Interests
- Environmental economics
- Wildfire risk mitigation
- Ecosystem services
- Behavioral economics
Professional Experience
Research Economist; U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Colorado; June 2016 to present
Research Associate; University of Colorado Boulder, Institute of Behavioral Science (IBS) and Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES); 2012 to 2016
Policy Analysis Intern; National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Strategic Energy Analysis Center, Golden, Colorado; 2011 to 2012
Engineering Physicist; Stereotaxis, Inc., Systems Group, St. Louis, Missouri; 2005 to 2006
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. 2012, University of Colorado Boulder Environmental Studies Program, focus on Environmental Economics
M.S. 2010, University of Colorado Boulder Environmental Studies Program, focus on Environmental Economics
B.S. 2005, Washington University in St. Louis School of Engineering and Applied Science, Primary major in Physics with a secondary major in Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology
Science and Products
About the Social and Economic Analysis (SEA) Branch
Contributions to the development of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Sagebrush Conservation Strategy
Joint Fire Science Program Evaluation
Economic Implications of Sagebrush Treatment and Restoration Practices Across the Great Basin and Wyoming
Economics and Ecosystem Services
Tools for Public Land Managers
Wildlife Economics
Economics of Outdoor Recreation
Value of Science
Economics of Invasive Species
Economics of Wildland Fire
Water Economics
Online survey responses from users of the Joint Fire Science Program Fire Science Exchange Network from February 2021
Actionable social science can guide community level wildfire solutions. An illustration from North Central Washington, US
Wildfire imagery reduces risk information-seeking among homeowners as property wildfire risk increases
You vs. us: Framing adaptation behavior in terms of private or social benefits
Living with wildfire in Grand County, Colorado: 2021 data report
2021 assessment of the Joint Fire Science Program’s Fire Science Exchange Network
Living with wildfire in Teton County, Wyoming: 2021 data report
Parcel-level risk affects wildfire outcomes: Insights from pre-fire rapid assessment data for homes destroyed in 2020 East Troublesome Fire
Living with wildfire in Log Hill Mesa, Ouray County, Colorado: 2017 data report and a comparison to 2011 and 2012 data
Living with wildfire in Chalk Creek, Chaffee County, Colorado: 2019 data report
Putting people first: Using social science to reduce risk
U.S. Geological Survey wildland fire science strategic plan, 2021–26
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
- Science
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About the Social and Economic Analysis (SEA) Branch
The Social and Economic Analysis (SEA) branch is an interdisciplinary group of scientists whose primary functions are to conduct both theoretical and applied social science research, provide technical assistance, and offer training to support the development of skills in natural resource management activities.Contributions to the development of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Sagebrush Conservation Strategy
USGS scientists are contributing to the development of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Sagebrush Conservation Strategy, a strategy intended to provide guidance so that efforts to conserve the iconic greater sage-grouse can be expanded to the entire sagebrush biome to benefit the people and wildlife that depend on it.Joint Fire Science Program Evaluation
The Joint Fire Science Program is a partnership between the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service that connects relevant fire science research with stakeholders. USGS Scientists are supporting the Joint Fire Science Program by assessing the science needs of its stakeholders in order to inform future decision making.Economic Implications of Sagebrush Treatment and Restoration Practices Across the Great Basin and Wyoming
USGS and Colorado State University researchers are conducting analyses and predictions of sagebrush recovery in the Great Basin and Wyoming and assess the role of weather, soils, and reseeding treatments.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.Tools for Public Land Managers
Fort Collins Science Center Economists support numerous web applications that convey information and data to specific audiences. An important aspect of many of these tools is to connect practitioners and other stakeholders to resources.Wildlife Economics
From the benefits of tourism and hunting, to the protection of rare and endangered species, economics can play an important role in understanding humans’ relationship with wildlife.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.Value of Science
The science conducted across the USGS affects the well-being of hundreds of millions of Americans. However, it is challenging to quantify the value of this science, and better understanding and communication of this value is often needed.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.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.Water Economics
Water is associated with numerous ecosystem services, including clean water for drinking, support for outdoor recreation, provision for other ecosystem processes, and direct cultural values. - Data
Online survey responses from users of the Joint Fire Science Program Fire Science Exchange Network from February 2021
The USGS, on behalf of the Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP), conducted an evaluation of the Fire Science Exchange Network (FSEN), which connects wildland fire scientists and practitioners through 15 individual exchanges across the United States to help address complex wildfire needs and challenges. This data set is from an online survey sent to more than 16,000 exchange network users during Febru - Publications
Filter Total Items: 30
Actionable social science can guide community level wildfire solutions. An illustration from North Central Washington, US
In this study we illustrate the value of social data compiled at the community scale to guide a local wildfire mitigation and education effort. The four contiguous fire-prone study communities in North Central Washington, US, fall within the same jurisdictional fire service boundary and within one US census block group. Across the four communities, similar attitudes toward wildfire were observed.Wildfire imagery reduces risk information-seeking among homeowners as property wildfire risk increases
Negative imagery of destruction may induce or inhibit action to reduce risks from climate-exacerbated hazards, such as wildfires. This has generated conflicting assumptions among experts who communicate with homeowners: half of surveyed wildfire practitioners perceive a lack of expert agreement about the effect of negative imagery (a burning house) on homeowner behavior, yet most believe negativeYou vs. us: Framing adaptation behavior in terms of private or social benefits
Private actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change may have benefits to both the individual and society. In some cases, an individual may be motivated by appeals that highlight benefits to others, rather than to oneself. We test whether such prosocial framing influences information-seeking behavior to address wildfire risk among homeowners. In a field experiment across ten communities in westLiving with wildfire in Grand County, Colorado: 2021 data report
Wildfire affects hundreds of wildland-urban interface communities each year, and yet most communities lack data reflecting the conditions before an event. This study was conducted before the devastating 2020 East Troublesome Fire1, which spread across 193,812 acres and resulted in two lives lost and 366 homes and 214 other structures burned. The fire’s dramatic run threatened over 7,000 structures2021 assessment of the Joint Fire Science Program’s Fire Science Exchange Network
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), on behalf of the Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP), conducted an evaluation of the Fire Science Exchange Network (FSEN), which connects wildland fire scientists and practitioners through 15 individual exchanges across the United States to help address complex wildfire needs and challenges. The study was divided into two phases: The first phase was a literature reLiving with wildfire in Teton County, Wyoming: 2021 data report
Wildfire affects many types of communities and is a particular concern for communities in the wildland urban interface (WUI), such as those of Teton County, Wyoming. The core intent of this project was to provide evidence to support the Teton Area Wildfire Protection Coalition (TAWPC) and affiliated organizations in their wildfire mitigation and education programming. This report analyzes existingParcel-level risk affects wildfire outcomes: Insights from pre-fire rapid assessment data for homes destroyed in 2020 East Troublesome Fire
Parcel-level risk (PLR) describes how wildfire risk varies from home to home based on characteristics that relate to likely fire behavior, the susceptibility of homes to fire, and the ability of firefighters to safely access properties. Here, we describe the WiRē Rapid Assessment (RA), a parcel-level rapid wildfire risk assessment tool designed to evaluate PLR with a small set of measures for allLiving with wildfire in Log Hill Mesa, Ouray County, Colorado: 2017 data report and a comparison to 2011 and 2012 data
Over the last decade, a team of researchers and practitioners, referred to as the Wildfire Research Team (WiRē1 Team), has worked with wildfire practitioners seeking to create communities that are adapted to wildfire through an evidenced-based approach. The West Region Wildfire Council (WRWC) has been an integral partner amongst the WiRē Team throughout this time. Together, the WiRē Team has develLiving with wildfire in Chalk Creek, Chaffee County, Colorado: 2019 data report
Wildfire affects many types of communities and is a particular concern for communities in the wildland urban interface (WUI), such as Chalk Creek in Chaffee County. The core intent of this project was to provide evidence to support Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) Salida Field Office’s wildfire mitigation and education program. This report analyzes existing wildfire risk data collected in latePutting people first: Using social science to reduce risk
Wildland-urban interface residents, who occupy the areas where wildlands meet and mix with human development, are both contributors to and recipients of the disastrous effects of wildland fires. They contribute through fire starts, flammable homes, unmitigated properties, opposition to mitigation on nearby public lands, and land use planning efforts. We argue that successful, sustainable wildlandU.S. Geological Survey wildland fire science strategic plan, 2021–26
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Wildland Fire Science Strategic Plan defines critical, core fire science capabilities for understanding fire-related and fire-responsive earth system processes and patterns, and informing management decision making. Developed by USGS fire scientists and executive leadership, and informed by conversations with external stakeholders, the Strategic Plan is aligned wiByEcosystems, Natural Hazards, Earth Resources Observation and Science Center, Science Analytics and Synthesis (SAS), Alaska Science Center, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)Non-USGS Publications**
Meldrum, J., L. Falk, J. Gomez, C. Barth, H. Brenkert-Smith, T. Warziniack, and P. Champ. 2017. Living with wildfire in Telluride Fire Protection District, Colorado. Research Note RMRS-RN-75. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station: 30pp. https://www.treesearch.fs.fed.us/pubs/53729Meldrum, J. 2016. Floodplain price impacts by property type in Boulder County, Colorado: Condominiums versus standalone properties. Environmental and Resource Economics 64(4): 725-750. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10640-015-9897-xMeldrum, J. 2015. Comparing different attitude statements in latent class models of stated preferences for managing an invasive forest pathogen. Ecological Economics 120: 13-22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2015.09.024Brenkert-Smith, H., J. Meldrum, and P. Champ 2015. Climate change beliefs and hazard mitigation actions: homeowners and wildfire risk. Environmental Hazards 14(4): 341-360. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17477891.2015.1080656Meldrum, J., P. Champ, H. Brenkert-Smith, T. Warziniack, C. Barth, and L. Falk 2015. Understanding gaps between the risk perceptions of wildland-urban interface (WUI) residents and wildfire professionals. Risk Analysis 35(9): 1746-1761. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/risa.12370Meldrum, J., C. Barth, L. Falk, H. Brenkert-Smith, T. Warziniack, and P. Champ 2015. Living with wildfire in Delta County, Colorado: cross-community comparisons. Research Note RMRS-RN-67. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station: 33pp. http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_rn067.htmlMeldrum, J., P. Champ, T. Warziniack, H. Brenkert-Smith, C. Barth, and L. Falk 2014. Cost shared wildfire risk mitigation in Log Hill Mesa, Colorado: survey evidence on participation and willingness to pay. International Journal of Wildland Fire 23(4): 567-576. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/WF13130Heath, G., J. Meldrum, N. Fisher, D. Arent, and M. Bazilian 2014. Life cycle greenhouse gas emissions from Barnett Shale gas used to generate electricity. Journal of Unconventional Oil and Gas Resources 8: 46-55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.juogr.2014.07.002Cohen, S, K. Averyt, J. Macknick, and J. Meldrum 2014. Modeling climate-water impacts on electricity sector capacity expansion. Proceedings of the ASME Power 2014 Conference. Jul 28-31, Baltimore, MD. http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/proceeding.aspx?articleid=1938877Meldrum, J., C. Barth, L. Falk, H. Brenkert-Smith, T. Warziniack, and P. Champ 2013. Living with wildfire in Log Hill Mesa, Colorado. Research Note RMRS-RN-66. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station: 34pp. http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_rn066.htmlAveryt, K., J. Meldrum, P. Caldwell, G. Sun, S. McNulty, A. Huber-Lee, and N. Madden 2013. Sectoral contributions to surface water stress in the conterminous U.S. Environmental Research Letters 8: 035046. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/3/035046Yates, D., J. Meldrum, and K. Averyt (2013). The influence of future electricity mix alternatives on southwestern US water resources. Environmental Research Letters 8: 045005. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/4/045005Yates, D., K. Averyt, F. Flores-Lopez, J. Meldrum, S. Sattler, J. Sieber, and C. Young 2013. A water resources model to explore the implications of energy alternatives in the southwestern US. Environmental Research Letters 8: 045004. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/4/045004Yates, D., J. Meldrum, F. Flores-Lopez, and M. Davis 2013. Integrated impacts of future electricity mix scenarios on select southeastern US water resources. Environmental Research Letters 8: 035042. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/3/035042Meldrum, J., S. Nettles-Anderson, G. Heath, and J. Macknick 2013. Life cycle water use for electricity generation: a review and harmonization of literature estimates. Environmental Research Letters 8: 015031. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/1/015031Averyt, K., J. Macknick, J. Rogers, N. Madden, J. Fisher, J. Meldrum, and R. Newmark. 2013. Water use for electricity in the United States: an analysis of reported and calculated water use information for 2008. Environmental Research Letters 8: 015001. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/1/015001Meldrum, J., P. Champ, and C. Bond 2013. Heterogeneous nonmarket benefits of managing white pine blister rust in high-elevation pine forests. Journal of Forest Economics 19: 61-77. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jfe.2012.10.001Rogers, J., K. Averyt, S. Clemmer, M. Davis, F. Flores-Lopez, P. Frumhoff, D. Kenney, J. Macknick, N. Madden, J. Meldrum, J. Overpeck, S. Sattler, E. Spanger-Siegfried, and D. Yates 2013. Water-smart power: Strengthening the U.S. electricity system in a warming world. A report of the Energy and Water in a Warming World initiative. Cambridge, MA: Union of Concerned Scientists: 50pp. http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/energy-and-water-use/water-smart-power.html
Meldrum, J., C. Bond, and P. Champ 2011. Valuing the forest for the trees: willingness to pay for white pine blister rust management. The future of high-elevation, five-needle white pines in Western North America: Proceedings of the High Five Symposium. RMRS-P-63. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station: 226-234. http://www.treesearch.fs.fed.us/pubs/38228Bond, C., P. Champ, J. Meldrum, and A. Schoettle 2011. Investigating the optimality of proactive management of an invasive forest pest. The future of high-elevation, five-needle white pines in Western North America: Proceedings of the High Five Symposium. RMRS-P-63. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station: 295-302. http://www.treesearch.fs.fed.us/pubs/38241**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.