Jesse Abrams
Associate Professor of Natural Resource Policy and Sustainability
I work at the intersection of social, political, and ecological dynamics by focusing on policy implementation and governance of forests, rangelands, and other social-ecological systems. Some of the primary themes in my work are community-based and networked governance, the institutional dimensions of natural resource management, the social dimensions of ecological restoration, and the policy and governance dimensions of fire and other disturbances. I currently serve as the Graduate Coordinator for UGA’s Integrative Conservation (ICON) PhD program.
Education
Education
- Ph.D., Forest Resources, Oregon State University, 2011
- M.S., Forest Resources, Oregon State University, 2004
- B.A. Environmental Studies, New College, 1998
Professional Appointments
Professional Appointments
Associate Professor of Natural Resource Policy and Sustainability, University of Georgia, 2023-Present
Assistant Professor of Natural Resource Policy and Sustainability, University of Georgia, 2018-2023
Research Associate, Ecosystem Workforce Program, University of Oregon, 2013-2018
Visiting Assistant Professor, Whitman College, 2011-2013
Research Assistant, Ecological Restoration Institute, Northern Arizona University, 2004-2007
Awards & Honors
Awards & Honors
Herrick Superior Teaching Award, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, 2024
Integrative Conservation Faculty Service Award, 2024
Lilly Teaching Fellowship, 2019-2021
Areas of Expertise
Areas of Expertise
My work on natural resource governance and policy spans diverse forest and rangeland environments from the United States to Argentina, focusing on the participation of local communities and local- to regional-scale organizations in environmental governance, policy implementation, and institutional change. Key themes in his scholarship include: adaptive, participatory, and network governance; co-management and co-production; alternatives to traditional state- and market-led approaches to conservation and development; and the dynamics of community engagement with natural resource stewardship and conservation.
Publications
Publications
Abbasnezhad, B. and J. Abrams. 2025. Are prevailing policy tools effective in conserving ecosystem services under individual private tenure? Challenges and policy gaps in a rapidly urbanizing region. Trees, Forests, and People 19: 100730. doi.org/10.1016/j.tfp.2024.100730
Collins, A., J. Abrams, C. Nuñez Godoy, M. Nuñez Regueiro, A. Peduzzi, and P. Lapegna. 2024. Informal land tenure and livelihood resilience in the Chaco Salteño, Argentina. Society and Natural Resources 37(12): 1673-1690. doi.org/10.1080/08941920.2024.2400650
Abbasnezhad, B., J. Abrams, and S. Wenger. 2024. The impact of projected land use changes on the availability of ecosystem services in the Upper Flint River watershed, USA. Land 13(6): 893. doi.org/10.3390/land13060893
Evans, E., G. Green, K. Thompson, J. Abrams, and J. Thompson. 2024. From program to classroom: A photo elicitation study to understand educators’ experiences implementing garden-based learning following professional development. Environmental Education Research 30(10): 1823-1839. doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2024.2309591
Rojas, C., B. Boley, L. Mach, and J. Abrams. 2024. Expanding protected areas: A case for repairing intergenerational social capital rather than taking the path of least resistance. Journal of Sustainable Tourism 32(10): 2098-2117. doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2023.2270624
Abbasnezhad, B., J. Abrams, and J. Hepinstall-Cymerman. 2023. Incorporating social and policy drivers into land-use and land-cover projection. Sustainability 15(19): 14270. doi.org/10.3390/su151914270
Kee, D., J. Abrams, T. Aldworth, C. Schultz, C. Kooistra, and H. Huber-Stearns. 2023. The Shared Stewardship strategy in the southern United States: Lessons learned. Journal of Forestry 121(4): 303-306. doi.org/10.1093/jofore/fvad020
Essen, M., S. McCaffrey, J. Abrams, and T. Paveglio. 2023. Improving wildfire management outcomes: Shifting the paradigm of wildfire from simple to complex risk. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 66(5): 909-927. doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2021.2007861
Hohbein, R. and J. Abrams. 2022. Conservation, human-wildlife conflict, and decentralised governance: Complexities beyond incomplete devolution. Conservation and Society 20(4): 293-303. doi.org/10.4103/cs.cs_20_97
Sarmiento Rodriguez, F., R. Chávez Velásquez, C. Aguirre Merino, and J. Abrams. 2022. Desarrollo sustentable y regenerativo de los paisajes socioecológicos de montaña: Montología del Chimborazo como referente insigne del cambio global [Sustainable and regenerative development of the productive mountain socioecological landscapes: Montology of Chimborazo as a badge referent of global change]. Antropologías del Sur 9(17): 121-145. doi.org/10.25074/rantros.v9i17.2316
Other Links
Other Links
Curriculum Vitae: Abrams CV January 2025
Professional Website: Abrams Environmental Governance and Policy Lab
