Tobias Schwoerer

University of Alaska Fairbanks · International Arctic Research Center

Currently, more than half of the world’s human population lives in urban areas, which are increasingly affected by climate hazards. Little is known about how multi-hazard environments affect people, especially those living in urban areas in northern latitudes. This study surveyed homeowners in Anchorage and Fairbanks, USA, Alaska’s largest urban ce...

Permafrost-agroecosystems are highly heterogenous socio-ecological systems that include animal husbandry practices (such as reindeer and yak herding) and crop cultivation in areas that contain permafrost. These systems affect food security, culture and livelihoods and are particularly sensitive to permafrost degradation processes, surface stability...

Climate warming, sea level rise, and extreme weather events are creating intensifying and more frequent hazards for human populations inhabiting the coast. In Alaska’s remote coastal communities, flooding and erosion are rapidly increasing due to the combined effect of sea level rise, more frequent storm surges, and increasingly powerful wave actio...

Numerous narrow marine passages around the world serve as essential gateways for the transportation of goods, the movement of people, and the migration of fish and wildlife. These global gateways facilitate human-nature interactions across distant regions. The socioeconomic and environmental interactions among distant coupled human and natural syst...

Invasive species are spreading into northern latitudes and threatening food and water security. Alaska’s aquatic environments support some of the world’s most productive wild salmon fisheries. Yet, the influx of invasive species increases the strain on the ecosystems, cultures, and economies that depend on these fisheries. Especially worrisome is t...

Northern expansion is often seen as a solution to climate-driven agricultural challenges in lower latitudes, yet little is known about cultivation–permafrost interactions. We outline four science-based adaptations, informed by farmer knowledge, that reduce risk and inform decisions to sustainably manage and develop permafrost-agroecosystems.

Birdwatching is considered one of the fastest growing nature-based tourism sectors in the world. Tourists who identify as birdwatchers tend to be well-educated and wealthy travellers with a specific interest in the places they visit. Birdwatchers can bring economic resources to remote communities diversifying their economies and contribute to biodi...

Aircraft can transport aquatic invasive species (AIS) from urban sources to remote waterbodies, yet little is known about this long-distance pathway. In North America and especially Alaska, aircraft with landing gear for water called floatplanes are used for recreation access to remote, often road-less wilderness destinations. Human-mediated disper...

Aircraft can transport aquatic invasive species (AIS) from urban sources to remote water-bodies, yet little is known about this long-distance pathway. In North America and especially Alaska, aircraft with landing gear for water called floatplanes are used for recreation access to remote, often road-less wilderness destinations. Human-mediated dispe...

Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) are exposed to increased environmental change and multiple human stressors. To anticipate future impacts of global change and to improve sustainable resource management, it is critical to understand how wild salmon populations respond to stressors associated with human-caused changes such as climate warming and oc...

The Arctic is undergoing large-scale changes that are likely to accelerate in future decades such as introductions and expansions of invasive species. The Arctic is in a unique position to prevent new introductions and spread of existing invasive species by adopting policies and actions aimed at early detection. Responding to threats from invasive...

Many isolated and indigenous Arctic and Subarctic communities are mixed-subsistence-cash economies. In the 20th century, the integration of motorized transport expanded access to harvestable resources but created energy dependence intricately linking food with energy security. As remote communities became more vulnerable to fossil fuel price fluctu...

Scientific evidence should inform environmental policy, but rapid environmental change brings high ecological uncertainty and associated barriers to the science-management dialogue. Biological invasions of aquatic plants are a worldwide problem with uncertain ecological and economic consequences. We demonstrate that the discrete choice method (DCM)...

Many isolated and indigenous Arctic and Subarctic communities are mixed-subsistence-cash economies. In the 20 th century, the integration of motorized transport expanded access to harvestable resources but created energy dependence intricately linking food with energy security. As remote communities became more vulnerable to fossil fuel price fluct...

This study of aviation-related recreation loss shows that a survey primarily aimed at collecting information on invasive species' pathways can also be used to estimate changes in pathway-related ecosystem services. We present a case study for Elodea spp. (elodea), Alaska's first known aquatic invasive plant, by combining respondents' stated pre-inv...

Nature-based tourism is often advocated as a desirable conservation strategy for small-scale fishing communities as it gives local people motivation to protect wildlife and ecosystems that attract visitors, while benefiting the community. However, valuation of environmental inputs in nature-based tourism, for instance charismatic species or scenic...

This study combines a multi-method approach to structured expert judgment with market valuation to forecast fisheries damages from introduced invasive species. The method is applied to a case study of Alaska’s first submersed aquatic invasive plant, Elodea spp., threatening Alaska’s salmon fisheries. Assuming that Elodea spp. remains unmanaged, est...

Environmental policy should be based on scientific evidence, but increasingly rapid environmental change is characterized by high levels of uncertainty. Decision makers then rely on intuition and their own experience or on scientists to express their opinions. In such cases, eliciting expert judgment on unknown probabilities or quantities can help...

This chapter links human and ecological systems research to analyze resource management decisions for Elodea spp. (elodea), Alaska’s first submerged aquatic invasive plant. This plant likely made it to Alaska through the aquarium trade. Initially discovered in urban areas of the state, elodea has since been introduced to remote water bodies by floa...

Presentation includes: - summary of available decision tools for resource managers tasked with invasive species management and setting of priorities - discussion of ways humans deal with uncertainty - how economics can inform decision making - ideas about funding mechanisms for invasive species management

Presentation included: - management history of Elodea spp. in Alaska - economic research to investigate potential long-term damages to ecosystems and economy - successful management

Presentation included: - valuation approach for ecosystem services at risk - pathway analysis - risk analysis evaluating management action

Nature-based tourism is often advocated as a desirable conservation strategy for small-scale fishing communities as it gives local people motivation to protect wildlife and ecosystems that attract visitors, while benefiting the community. However, valuation of environmental inputs in nature-based tourism (e.g. charismatic species, scenic amenities,...

This dissertation links human and ecological systems research to analyze resource management decisions for elodea, Alaska’s first submerged aquatic invasive plant. The plant likely made it to Alaska through the aquarium trade. It was first discovered in urban parts of the state but is being introduced to remote water bodies by floatplanes and other...

Nature-based tourism can provide opportunities for local stewardship and create incentives to support habitat and conservation of marine species where there is pressure on local habitat. We investigate the local economic value of Eastern Pacific gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) to two communities in Baja California Sur, Mexico, that benefit from...

Presents approach to risk analysis: - integrating expert knowledge about elodea’s impact on salmon ecosystems - formalizing a risk analysis framework - pathway analysis and damage assessment

Invasive species have already reduced biodiversity, damaged the environment, threatened human health, and created economic losses worldwide. Alaska, by contrast, had relatively few invasive species for most of the 20th century. But increased population and development in recent years have brought an influx of non-native species. However, the proble...

The objective of this report is to characterize the baseline levels of economic activity and related ecosystem services values for the Bristol Bay wild salmon ecosystem. The overarching purpose of this report is to provide baseline economic information to the Environmental Protection Agency in order to inform review of mining proposals in the Nushu...

We analyzed the use of energy by Alaska’s transportation sectors to assess the impact of sudden fuel prices changes. We conducted three types of analysis: 1) Development of broad energy use statistics for each transportation sector, including total annual energy and fuel use, carbon emissions, fuel use per ton-mile and passenger-mile, and cost of f...

Presentation includes: - brief history of a community collaborative among three communities working together to introduce wind energy into their remote small grids primarily operated by diesel power - estimates potential energy savings and policy implications

The purpose of this study is to examine the current Power Cost Equalization (PCE) program formula’s impacts on incentives for implementation of energy efficiency and renewable energy measures. In addition, it examines if alternative formula structures might improve market signals that are more conducive to investment in energy efficiency and renewa...

Could propane from Alaska's North Slope reduce energy costs for electric utilities and residential space heating, water heating, and cooking demands? We explored the hypothesis that propane is a viable alternative for fourteen selected communities along the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers, coastal Alaska, and Fairbanks. Our analysis forecasts propane an...

The purpose of this study is to assess some of the significant socioeconomic effects of potential coal mining activity at Wishbone Hill. The analysis scenario assumes a 16-year period of startup and mine production using two known deposits that are currently permitted by the State of Alaska for mineral exploration. “Mine Area 1” would be mined duri...

Wind is abundant in Alaska, and a growing number of rural communities are building wind- diesel systems, integrating wind into isolated diesel power plants. These systems have moved from the initial demonstration phase a decade ago toward a technology available for many communities. Even in places that have not yet added wind, some rural utilities...

The Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) quantifies the long term economic benefits from the expenditure of $227 million of TIGER grant funds as part of the Port of Anchorage Inter-modal Expansion Program (PIEP). It does not include the short term job creation and economic stimulus benefits that would also flow from the TIGER grant expenditure. Conservative...

We estimated the economic importance of sport fishing in the Matanuska-Susitna (Mat- Su) Borough. We based our estimates on year 2007 data. These data come from a recent major study conducted by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G).1 We allocated a portion of the economic effects for the Southcentral region to the Mat-Su Borough based on...

The Prince William Sound area possesses an array of the attractions that draw people to visit and live in Alaska: dramatic peaks and glaciers, an intricate coastline, old growth rainforest, alpine meadows, abundant wildlife, and distinct small towns and villages. It offers a valuable combination of accessibility and wilderness solitude. The area ha...