Lydia A. Lawhon

University of Colorado Boulder | CUB · Center for Science and Technology Policy Research (CSTPR)

Wildfire may be the clearest example to date of a socio-natural hazard that is being exacerbated by climate change, making wildfire an essential lens through which to investigate learning and adaptation in the Anthropocene. Here, we study discourse about simultaneous and recurring catastrophic wildfires in Colorado newspapers. We find that the wild...

Whether due to climate change, human development in risk-prone areas, or other factors contributing to vulnerability, communities globally face risk from hazards that can lead to disasters that impact human livelihoods. Some disasters become focusing events that can catalyze a search for solutions to the policy problems uncovered by disaster. The N...

Natural disasters may be windows of opportunity for policy change and learning by local governments, which are the entities primarily responsible for the recovery and rebuilding process after a disaster strikes in the United States. During disaster recovery, local governments are faced with myriad policy challenges, from technical issues concerning...

Many communities face increasing vulnerability to the risks posed by natural hazards, such as floods, wildfires, and hurricanes. In the public policy literature, natural disasters can garner the attention of the public and elites and therefore become focusing events that can open windows of opportunity for policy change to reduce community vulnerab...

Due to rapid growth in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), the risk to lives and property from wildfires is increasing in the western United States. While previous studies have identified factors that influence residents’ perceptions of wildfire risk and responsibility for mitigation, less research has been conducted on how mitigation information i...

States in the American West are experiencing significant population growth and exurban development, in addition to a longer fire season and a changing climate. These factors contribute to the increasing difficulty of managing wildfire in the Wildland–Urban Interface. Using data collected through a survey of fire professionals, this research investi...

Elk overgrazing in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), understood largely to be a consequence of wolf extirpation, poses not only a practical problem, but also several conceptual hurdles for park managers. The current RMNP ecosystem management plan addresses overgrazing by culling elk and fencing off riparian environments. This “functionalist” vie...

Tourism is one of the fastest growing industries in the global economy. Ecotourism, a sector of the larger tourism industry, focuses on protecting natural ecosystems while bringing benefits to local communities. To be sustainable, ecotourism projects must be carefully managed so that visitors do not damage isolated natural areas and cultures. Proje...

This introduction first describes the context of La Amistad Biosphere Reserve and surrounding areas. Secondly, it examines natural resource problems present in the region and the concepts of sustainability, the common interest, and innovation through prototyping briefly. Third, it briefly describes our Yale University course, our analytic approach,...