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Dr. Stella Schons

FACULTY AFFILIATE   |   Global Change Center

Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation

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540-231-4855  •  szschons@vt.edu

Haldre Rogers standing in field attire standing in front of a tree

Dr. Schons is an assistant professor of forest economics for the Department of Forest Resources and Conservation. Her interests lie in the process of conservation and development with experience in Latin America, India and more recently in the United States.  Dr. Schons’ research is focused around understanding natural resources use behavior as well as conservation incentives at the landowner or household level. She is particularly interested in how these decisions change when subject to public and community policies, and the effects of these policies on human wellbeing (and consequent future resource use). Dr. Schons has focused primarily on forest resources (both in deforestation and reforestation decisions), but also has experience working in fisheries and water resources management.

Dr. Schons is an active participant of the GCC restoration ecology working group, and was working with the group prior to her affiliation with the GCC in November 2022. Dr. Schons was eager to join the GCC to continue her current collaborations and she is looking forward to creating new collaboration opportunities.