Professor, Director of the Gund Institute

My interests focus on the overarching issue: How do we meet the needs of people and nature in an increasingly crowded, changing world? I collaborate widely to integrate natural and social sciences in addressing both fundamental research questions and real-world conservation problems. Much of my recent work has focused on the economic benefits provided to people by forests, wetlands, reefs, and other natural areas. I work on understanding how ecosystems provide these benefits, what they are worth (and to whom), and how they might change in the future. Throughout my work, I aim to connect rigorous research with practical conservation and policy efforts, both in Vermont and worldwide.

Publications

  • Herrera, D., A. Ellis, B. Fisher, C.D. Goldend, K. Johnson, M. Mulligan, A. Pfaff, T. Treuer, T.H. Ricketts (2017). Upstream watershed condition predicts rural children’s health across 35 developing countries. Nature Communications 8: 811.
  • Ricketts, T.H., K.B. Watson, I. Koh, A.M. Ellis, C.C. Nicholson, S. Posner, L.L. Richardson, L.J. Sonter (2016). Disaggregating the evidence linking biodiversity and ecosystem services. Nature Communications 7:13106. Doi:10.1038/ncomms13106
  • Watson, K.B., T.H. Ricketts, G. Galford, S. Polasky, J. O’Niel-Dunne (2016). Quantifying flood mitigation services: The economic value of Otter Creek wetlands and floodplains to Middlebury, VT. Ecological Economics 130:16-24.
  • Koh, I., E.V. Lonsdorf, N.M. Williams, C. Brittain, R. Isaacs, J. Gibbs, & T.H. Ricketts (2016) Modeling the status, trends, and impacts of wild bee abundance in the United States. PNAS 113(1):140-145. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1517685113
  • Posner, S.M., E. McKenzie, T.H. Ricketts (2016). Policy impacts of ecosystem services knowledge. PNAS 113(7):1760-1765.
  • Guerry, A.D., S. Polasky, J. Lubchenco, R. Chaplin-Kramer, G.C. Daily, R. Griffin, M. Ruckelshaus, I.J. Bateman, A. Duraiappah, T. Elmqvist, M.W. Feldman, C. Folke, J. Hoekstra, P.M. Kareiva, B.L. Keeler, S. Li, E. McKenzie, Z. Ouyang, B. Reyers, T.H. Ricketts, J. Rockström, H. Tallis, B. Vira. (2015). Natural capital and ecosystem services informing decisions: From promise to practice. PNAS 112(24): 7348-7355.
  • Ellis, A.M., S.S. Myers, T.H. Ricketts (2015). Do pollinators contribute to nutritional health? PLoS ONE 10(1): e114805. doi:10.1371/ journal.pone.0114805
  • Fisher, B., R. Naidoo, T.H. Ricketts (2014). A field guide to economics for conservationists. Roberts & Co. 185 pp.
Taylor Ricketts

Areas of Expertise and/or Research

Instructional programs: Environmental Sciences, Sustainability, Ecology and Policy
Research: Community & landscape ecology, ecosystem services, ecological economics, conservation biology, environmental policy, pollination ecology, biogeography, linking research & conservation communities

Education

  • Stanford University: Ph.D. in Biological Sciences, 2000
  • Dartmouth College: B.A. magna cum laude in Earth Sciences, Environmental Studies, 1991

Contact

Phone:
  • 802 656-7796
Office Location:

118 Farrell Hall, 210 Colchester Avenue