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
Science and Products
- Publications
- Science
Filter Total Items: 14
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.
**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.