
David N. Wear
Senior Research ForesterResearch Triangle Park, NC 27709
Fax: 919-549-4047
dwear@fs.fed.us
Current Research
Research focuses on developing natural resource futures, conducting broad scale assessments, and supporting policy discussions
Natural Resource Futures: Research focuses on understanding the dynamics that shape future forests and developing projections of forest conditions, uses, and values that can support policy analysis and deliberations. Studies address multiple mechanisms of change including: land use choices, forest management choices, climate influences on forest conditions, and biological dynamics. Most recently focused on projecting changes in the carbon content of US forests.
Natural Resource Assessments: Assessments support the application of research to regional and US-wide questions regarding natural resources. Methods include public involvement, scenario design, science synthesis as well as leading teams to complete regional multidisciplinary assessments and contributing to national assessments. Most recently focused on downscaling projection approaches to address water issues for large river basins.
Approaches: Research applies methods from microeconomics, statistics/econometrics, forest inventory, forest biology, and simulation modeling. Policy analysis demands that methods accurately reflect both the economic mechanism and biological context of natural resource decisions.
Education
- Ph.D. in Forest Management and Economics, 1987
- University of Montana
- M.F. in Resource Systems Science, 1983
- Duke University
- B.A. in Botany, 1981
- University of Montana
Professional Experience
- Project Leader, Center for Integrated Forest Science, US Forest Service, Southern Research Station
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2012—Current
- Project Leader, Forest Economics and Policy, USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station
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2006—2012
- Project Leader, Economics of Forest Management and Protection, USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station
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1995—2006
- Research Forest Economist, Economics of Forest Management and Protection, USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station
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1987—1995
- Operations Research Analyst, Lolo National Forest, US Forest Service. Missoula, Montana
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1983—1987
Awards and Recognition
- Award for Forest Science, Society of American Foresters., 2016
- For distinguished individual research in the quantitative, economic, managerial, and/or social sciences that has resulted in substantial advances in forestry.
- Secretary of Agriculture Honor Award for Personal and Professional Excellence, 2011
- For exemplary leadership and scientific contributions significantly influencing the policy and management decisions that ensure the sustainability of natural resources in the southern United States and beyond.
- Directors Award for Science Delivery, Southern Research Station, USDA Forest Service., 2011
- Co-leader, Southern Forest Futures Project. For remarkable leadership, development and delivery of the landmark analysis of Southern Forest Futures informing policy and management choices in the South.
- Distinguished Science Award, USDA Forest Service, 2008
- For exceptional research work in the advancement of areas of integrated resource assessment, land use change modeling, and the analysis of forest policies, while contributing directly to the public discourse regarding conservation and sustainability of th
- Directors Distinguished Science Award, Southern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, 2008
- For exceptional research work in the advancement of areas of integrated resource assessment, land use change modeling, and the analysis of forest policies, while contributing directly to the public discourse regarding conservation and sustainability of th
- Directors Award for Customer Service, Southern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, 2006
- For “being proactive in providing excellent service to key partners through the conduct of innovative research to answer highly important questions regarding major changes in the forest economy.”
- Director’s Award for Sustained Excellence in Science, Southern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, 2002
- For sustained excellence in developing and executing a research program that addresses the sustainability of multiple resource values.
- Outstanding Paper in the Discipline of Landscape Ecolog, 2000
- Outstanding Paper in the Discipline of Landscape Ecology, given by the International Association for Landscape Ecology, U.S. Regional Chapter for: Wear, D.N., and P. Bolstad. 1998. Land Use Changes in Southern Appalachian Landscapes: Spatial Analysis and
- Chiefs Ecosystem Management Award, 1997
- ...as a team leader for the Southern Appalachian Assessment.
- Vice President Gore Hammer Award, 1997
- ...as a team leader for the Southern Appalachian Assessment.
Featured Publications and Products
- Wear, Dave; Coulston, John W. 2015. From sink to source: Regional variation in U.S. forest carbon futures.
- Wear, Dave N; Prestemon, Jeff; Foster, Michaela O. 2015. US forest products in the global economy.
- Coulston, John W.; Wear, David N.; Vose, James M. 2015. Complex forest dynamics indicate potential for slowing carbon accumulation in the southeastern United States.
- Wear, David N.; Dixon IV, Ernest; Abt, Robert C.; Singh, Navinder. 2015. Projecting potential adoption of genetically engineered freeze-tolerant Eucalyptus in the United States.
- Wear, David N.; Mote, Thomas L.; Shepherd, J. Marshall; Binita, K.C.; Strother, Christopher W. 2014. Framing the future in the Southern United States climate, land use, and forest conditions.
- Wear, David N.; Joyce, Linda A. 2012. Climate change, human communities, and forests in rural, urban, and wildland-urban interface environments.
- Wear, David N.; Greis, John G. 2012. The Southern Forest Futures Project: summary report.
- Wear, David N.; Huggett, Robert; Li, Ruhong; Perryman, Benjamin; Liu, Shan. 2013. Forecasts of forest conditions in regions of the United States under future scenarios: a technical document supporting the Forest Service 2012 RPA Assessment.
- Wear, David N. 2011. Forecasts of county-level land uses under three future scenarios: a technical document supporting the Forest Service 2010 RPA Assessment.
- Polyakov, Maksym; Wear, David N. 2010. Harvest choice and timber supply models for forest forecasting.
Publications
- Domke, G. ; Williams, C. A.; Birdsey, R. ; Coulston, J. ; Finzi, A. ; Gough, C. ; Haight, B. ; Hicke, J. ; Janowiak, M. ; de Jong, B. ; Kurz, W. A.; Lucash, M. ; Ogle, S. ; Olguín-Álvarez, M. ; Pan, Y. ; Skutsch, M. ; Smyth, C. ; Swanston, C. ; Templer, P. ; Wear, D. ; Woodall, C. W. 2018. Chapter 9: Forests.
- Costanza, Jennifer K.; Faber-Langendoen, Don; Coulston, John W.; Wear, David N. 2018. Classifying forest inventory data into species-based forest community types at broad extents: exploring tradeoffs among supervised and unsupervised approaches.
- Kim, Taek Joo; Wear, David N.; Coulston, John ; Li, Ruhong . 2018. Forest land use responses to wood product markets.
- Hwang, Taehee ; Martin, Katherine L.; Vose, James M.; Wear, David ; Miles, Brian ; Kim, Yuri ; Band, Lawrence E. 2018. Nonstationary hydrologic behavior in forested watersheds is mediated by climate-induced changes in growing season length and subsequent vegetation growth.
- Brantley, Steven T.; Vose, James M.; Wear, David N.; Band, Larry. 2018. Planning for an uncertain future: Restoration to mitigate water scarcity and sustain carbon sequestration.
- Prestemon, Jeffrey P.; Wear, David N.; Abt, Karen L.; Abt, Robert C. 2018. Projecting housing starts and softwood lumber consumption in the United States.
- McIntyre, R. Kevin; McCall, Barrett B.; Wear, David N. 2018. The social and economic drivers of the southeastern forest landscape.
- Costanza, Jennifer K.; Coulston, John W.; Wear, David N. 2017. An empirical, hierarchical typology of tree species assemblages for assessing forest dynamics under global change scenarios.
- Bluffstone, R.; Coulston, J.; Haight, R.G.; Kline, J.; Polasky, S.; Wear, D.N.; Zook, K. 2017. Estimated values of carbon sequestration resulting from forest management scenarios.
- Martin, Katherine L.; Hwang, Taehee; Vose, James M.; Coulston, John W.; Wear, David N.; Miles, Brian; Band, Lawrence E. 2017. Watershed impacts of climate and land use changes depend on magnitude and land use context.
- Golladay, S.W.; Martin, K.L.; Vose, J. M.; Wear, D. N. ; Covich, A.P.; Hobbs, R.J.; Klepzig, Kier; Likens, G.E.; Naiman, R.J.; Shearer, A.W. 2016. Achievable future conditions as a framework for guiding forest conservation and management.
- Moser, W. Keith; Miles, Patrick D.; Stephens, Aimee; Gormanson, Dale D.; Shifley, Stephen R.; Wear, Dave; Huggett, Robert J.; Li, Ruhong. 2016. Maintenance of productive capacity of forest ecosystems.
- Goerndt, Michael E.; Moser, W. Keith; Miles, Patrick D.; Wear, Dave; DeSantis, Ryan D.; Huggett, Robert J.; Shifley, Stephen R.; Aguilar, Francisco X.; Skog, Kenneth E. 2016. Projection methods.
- Goerndt, Michael E.; Shifley, Stephen R.; Miles, Patrick D.; Wear, Dave; Aguilar, Francisco X. 2016. Projections of forest contributions to global carbon cycles.
- Wear, David N. 2016. The future of southern forests.
- Coulston, John; Wear, David; Vose, Jim. 2015. Observed and projected C change in the Southeastern US.
- Woodall, Christopher W.; Coulston, John W.; Domke, Grant M.; Walters, Brian F.; Wear, David N.; Smith, James E.; Andersen, Hans-Erik; Clough, Brian J.; Cohen, Warren B.; Griffith, Douglas M.; Hagen, Stephen C.; Hanou, Ian S.; Nichols, Michael C.; Perry, Charles H. (Hobie); Russell, Matthew B.; Westfall, Jim; Wilson, Barry T. (Ty). 2015. The U.S. forest carbon accounting framework: stocks and stock change, 1990-2016.
- Prestemon, Jeffrey P.; Wear, David N.; Foster, Michaela O. 2015. The global position of the U S forest products industry.
- Coulston, John W.; Reams, Greg; Wear, Dave N.; Brewer, C. Kenneth. 2014. An analysis of forest land use, forest land cover, and change at policy-relevant scales.
- Ryan, Michael G.; Vose, James M.; Hanson, Paul J.; Iverson, Louis R.; Miniat, Chelcy F.; Luce, Charles H.; Band, Lawrence E.; Klein, Steven L.; McKenzie, Don; Wear, David N. 2014. Forest processes [Chapter 3].
- Nepal, Prakash; Wear, David N.; Skog, Kenneth E. 2014. Net change in carbon emissions with increased wood energy use in the United States.
- Wear, David N.; Mote, Thomas L.; Shepherd, J. Marshall; Benita, K. C.; Strother, Christopher W. 2014. Southern United States climate, land use, and forest conditions.
- Wear, David N.; Huggett, Robert; Greis, John G. 2013. Constructing alternative futures.
- Wear, David N.; Greis, John G. 2013. Design of the Southern Forest Futures Project.
- Huggett, Robert; Wear, David N.; Li, Ruhong; Coulston, John; Liu, Shan. 2013. Forecasts of forest conditions.
- Wear, David N. 2013. Forecasts of land uses.
- Alavalapati, Janaki R. R.; Lal, Pankaj; Susaeta, Andres; Abt, Robert C.; Wear, David N. 2013. Forest biomass-based energy.
- Butler, Brett J.; Wear, David N. 2013. Forest ownership dynamics of southern forests.
- Vose, James M.; Wear, David N.; Mayfield, Albert E., III.; Nelson, C. Dana. 2013. Hemlock woolly adelgid in the southern Appalachians: Control strategies, ecological impacts, and potential management responses.
- Wear, David N.; Prestemon, Jeffrey; Huggett, Robert; Carter, Douglas. 2013. Markets.
- DeSantis, Ryan D.; Moser, W. Keith; Huggett, Robert J.; Li, Ruhong; Wear, David N.; Miles, Patrick D. 2013. Modeling the effects of emerald ash borer on forest composition in the Midwest and Northeast United States.
- Wear, David N.; Greis, John G. 2013. The Southern Forest Futures Project: technical report.
- Desantis, Ryan D.; Moser, W. Keith; Hugett, Robert J. Jr.; Li, Ruhong; Wear, David N.; Miles, Patrick D. 2012. Emerald ash borer modeling methods for future forest projections.
- Wear, David N. 2012. The human context: Land ownership, resource uses, and social dynamics.
- Pye, John M.; Holmes, Thomas P.; Prestemon, Jeffrey P.; Wear, David N. 2011. Economic Impacts of the Southern Pine Beetle.
- Wear, David N.; Huggett, Robert. 2011. Forecasting Forest Type and Age Classes in the Appalachian-Cumberland Subregion of the Central Hardwood Region.
- Ince, Peter J.; Kramp, Andrew D.; Skog, Kenneth E.; Spelter, Henry N.; Wear, David N. 2011. U.S. forest products module : a technical document supporting the Forest Service 2010 RPA Assessment.
- Alig, Ralph; Stewart, Susan; Wear, David; Nowak, David. 2010. Conversions of forest land: trends, determinants, projections, and policy considerations.
- Vokoun, Melinda; Amacher, Gregory S; Sullivan, Jay; Wear, Dave. 2010. Examining incentives for adjacent non-industrial private forest landowners to cooperate.
- Wear, David; Abt, Robert; Alavalapati, Janaki; Comatas, Greg; Countess, Mike; McDow, Will. 2010. The South's outlook for sustainable forest bioenergy and biofuels production.
- Polyakov, Maksym; Wear, David N.; Huggett, Robert. 2009. Building aggregate timber supply models from individual harvest choice.
- Gardiner, Edward P.; Sutherland, Andrew B. ; Bixby, Rebecca J.; Scott, Mark C.; Meyer, Judy L.; Helfman, Gene S. ; Benfield, E. Fred; Pringle, Cathy M.; Bolstad, Paul V.; Wear, David N. 2009. Linking stream and landscape trajectories in the southern Appalachians.
- Vokoun, Melinda; Wear, David; Abt, Robert. 2009. Testing for change in structural elements of forest inventories.
- Wear, D.N.; Greis, J.G.; Walters, N. 2009. The southern forest futures project: using public input to define the issues.
- Collins, Sally; Darr, David; Wear, David; Brown, Hutch. 2008. Global Markets and the Health of American Forests: A Forest Service Perspective.
- Wear, David N.; Carter, Douglas R.; Prestemon, Jeffrey. 2007. The U.S. South’s timber sector in 2005: a prospective analysis of recent change.
- Wear, David N. 2006. Forest Ecosystem services and development pressures.
- Wear, David N. 2006. Future forestland area in the U.S. South.
- Vokoun, Melinda; Amacher, Gregory S.; Wear, David N. 2006. Scale of harvesting by non-industrial private forest landowners.
- Prestemon, Jeffrey P.; Wear, David N.; Stewart, Fred J.; Holmes, Thomas P. 2006. Wildfire, timber salvage, and the economics of expediency.
- Cho, Seong-Hoon; Newman, David H.; Wear, David N. 2005. Community choices and housing demands: a spatial analysis of the southern Appalachian highlands.
- Cubbage, Frederick W.; Wear, David N.; Bennadji, Zohra. 2005. Economic prospects and policy framework of forest biotechnology in the Southern U.S.A. and South America.
- Sun, Ge; Cohen, Erika; Wear, David. 2005. Modeling the impacts of climate change, landuse change, and human population dynamics on water availability and demands in the Southeastern U.S.
- Wear, David; Pye, John; Riitters, Kurt H. 2004. Defining conservation priorities using fragmentation forecasts.
- Wear, David N.; Murray, Brian C. 2004. Federal timber restrictions, interregional spillovers, and the impact on US softwood markets.
- Nagubadi, Rao V.; Zhang, Daowei; Prestemon, Jeffrey P.; Wear, David N. 2004. Softwood lumber products in the United States: substitutes, complements, or unrelated?.
- Wear, David N.; Greis, John G. 2004. The southern forest resource assessment: What we learned.
- Wear, David N.; Newman, David H. 2004. The speculative shadow over timberland values in the U.S. South.
- Wear, David N.; Prestemon, Jeffrey P. 2004. Timber market research, private forests, and policy rhetoric.
- Wear, David N.; Pattanayak, Subhrendu K. 2003. Aggregate Timber Supply: From the Forest to the Market.
- Wear, David N.; Greis, John G. 2003. Assessing the south's forests.
- Conway, M. Christine; Amacher, Gregory S.; Sullivan, Jay; Wear, David. 2003. Decisions Nonindustrial Forest Landowners Make: An Empirical Examination.
- Turner, Monica G.; Pearson, Scott M.; Bolstad, Paul; Wear, David N. 2003. Effects of land-cover change on spatial pattern of forest communities in the Southern Appalachian Mountains (USA).
- Cho, Seong-Hoon; Newman, David H.; Wear, David N. 2003. Impacts of Second Home Development on Housing Prices in the Southern Appalachian Highlands.
- Prestemon, Jeffrey P.; Buongiomo, Joseph; Wear, David N.; Siry, Jacek P. 2003. International Trade In Forest Products.
- Wear, David N. 2003. Public Timber Supply under Multiple-Use Management.
- Wu, Lan; Alavalapati, Janaki; Carter, Douglas; Wear, David N.; Das, Gouranga. 2002. Assessing the Impact of Trade Policy and Technology Changes in the U.S. Forestry Sectors.
- Wear, David N.; Greis, John G. 2002. Southern Forest Resource Assessment - Summary Report.
- Wear, David N.; Greis, John G. 2002. Southern Forest Resource Assessment - Summary of Findings.
- Wear, David N.; Greis, John G. 2002. Southern Forest Resource Assessment - Technical Report.
- Greis, John G.; Wear, David N. 2002. Southern forest resource assessment: Conducting science in the public eye.
- Clark, James S.; Carpenter, Steven R.; Barber, Mary; Collins, Scott; Dobson, Andy; Foley, Jonathan A.; Lodge, David M.; Pascual, Mercedes; Pielke, Roger, Jr..; Pizer, William; Pringle, Cathy; Reid, Walter V.; Rose, Kenneth A.; Sala, Osvaldo; Schlesinger, William H.; Wall, Diana H.; Wear, David. 2001. Ecological forecasts: An emerging imperative.
- Murray, Brian C.; Abt, Robert C.; Wear, David N.; Parks, Peter J.; Hardie, Ian W. 2001. Land Allocation in the Southeastern U.S. in Response to Climate Change Impacts on Forestry and Agriculture.
- Johnsen, Kurt H.; Wear, David N.; Oren, R.; Teskey, R.O.; Sanchez, Felipe; Will, Rodney E.; Butnor, John; Markewitz, D.; Richter, D.; Rials, T.; Allen, H.L.; Seiler, J.; Ellsworth, D.; Maier, Christopher; Katul, G.; Dougherty, P.M. 2001. Meeting global policy commitments carbon sequestration and southern pine forests.
- Johnsen, Kurt H.; Wear, Dave; Oren, R.; Teskey, R.O.; Sanchez, Felipe; Will, R.; Butnor, John; Markewitz, D.; Richter, D.; Rials, T.; Allen, H.L.; Seiler, J.; Ellsworth, D.; Maier, Christopher; Katul, G.; Dougherty, P.M. 2001. Meeting global policy commitments: carbon sequestration and southern pine forests.
- Prestemon, Jeffrey P.; Wear, David N. 2000. Linking harvest choices to timber supply.
- Hardie, Ian; Parks, Peter; Gottleib, Peter; Wear, David N. 2000. Responsiveness of Rural and Urban Land Uses to Land Rent Determinants in the U.S. South.
- Parks, Peter J.; Hardie, Ian W.; Tedder, Cheryl A.; Wear, David N. 2000. Using Resource Economics to Anticipate Forest Land Use Change in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic Region.
- Wear, David N. 1999. Challenges to interdisciplinary discourse.
- Prestemon, Jeffrey P.; Pye, John M.; Abt, Karen Lee; Wear, David N. 1999. Market Definition For Hardwood Timber in the Southern Appalachians.
- Wear, David N.; Liu, Rei; Foreman, J. Michael; Sheffield, Raymond M. 1999. The effects of population growth on timber management and inventories in Virginia.
- Murray, Brian C.; Wear, David N. 1998. Federal Timber Restrictions and Interregional Arbitrage in U.S. Lumber.
- Cubbage, Frederick; Siry, Jacek; Abt, Robert; Wear, David N.; Moffat, Steverson. 1998. Forest Productivity and Timber Supply Modeling in the South.
- Cubbage, Fredrick; Siry, Jacek; Moffat, Steverson; Wear, David N.; Abt, Robert. 1998. Southern Forest Resource Assessment and Linkages to the National RPA.
- Wear, David N.; Turner, Monica G.; Flamm, Richard O. 1996. Ecosystem Management With Multiple Owners: Landscape Dynamics in a Southern Appalachian Watershed.
- Wear, David N. 1996. Forest management and timber production in the U.S. South [Document prepared for Canada/United States lumber consultations].
- Wear, David N. 1994. Measuring Net Investment and Productivity in Timber Production.
- Wear, David N.; Parks, Peter J. 1994. The Economics of Timber Supply: An Analytical Synthesis of Modeling Approaches.
- Newman, David H.; Wear, David N. 1993. Production Economics of Private Forestry: A Comparison of Industrial and Nonindustrial Forest Owners.
- Wear, David N.; Flamm, Richard O. 1993. Public and Private Forest Disturbance Regimes in the Southern Appalachians.
- Swallow, Stephen K.; Wear, David N. 1993. Spatial Interactions in Multiple-Use Forestry and Substitution and Wealth Effects for the Single Stand.
- Wear, David N.; Lee, Karen J. 1993. U.S. Policy and Canadian Lumber: Effects of the 1986 Memorandum of Understanding.
- Daniels, Steven E.; Hyde, William F.; Wear, David N. 1991. Distributive Effects of Forest Service Attempts to Maintain Community Stability.
- Swallow, Stephen K.; Parks, Peter J.; Wear, David N. 1990. Policy-Relevant Nonconvexities in the Production of Multiple Forest Benefits?.
- Newman, David H.; Wear, David N. 1990. Research Directions in the Study of Timber Markets and Forest Policies.