CURRICULUM VITAE
BRONSON W. GRISCOM
tel: 540-908-9040, e-mail: [email protected]
EDUCATION
Yale University
Tropical Forest Ecology
Ph.D. 2003
New York University Plant Population Genetics
M.Sc. 1996
Brown University
Environmental Studies, Biology (Sigma Xi honors) B.A. 1992
EXPERIENCE
The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Climate Change Team, Arlington, VA
Director, Forest Carbon Science:
• Designing and implementing innovative methods to measure climate
benefits of TNC’s forest conservation projects. Demonstrating
methods to measure, monitor, and verify reduced emissions from
deforestation and degradation (REDD) in Indonesia, Brazil, Mexico,
and elsewhere. Research themes include: carbon benefits of improved
forest management, nesting measurement systems from local to
international scales, comparison of alternative reference emissions
level approaches, methods & technologies for estimating historic
emissions, spatially explicit modeling of deforestation drivers,
uncertainty analysis, and relationships between agroforestry yield,
carbon storage, and other ecosystem services.
• Sharing and adapting research results through symposia, workshops,
blogs, and research papers.
Dec 2007 Present
U.S. Dept. of State (DOS), Office of Env. Policy (OES), Wash. D.C.
Foreign affairs officer, leading negotiations and policy coordination for:
• The Global Environmental Facility (GEF). Lead successful
negotiation at GEF Council to provide climate change financing for
projects on REDD.
• Multilateral development banks. Successfully negotiated for stronger
Export Credit Agency environmental standards. Pressed
environmental impact mitigation for large development projects.
• Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s
Environmental Policy Committee (OECD-EPOC). Improved rigor of
environmental impact analysis in economic-environmental modeling.
Sept 2006
– Nov 2007
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellowship.
Bronson Griscom, c.v.
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Canaan Valley Institute, Thomas, WV
Landscape ecologist, lead three research projects in Appalachians:
• Prioritized watersheds throughout Mid-Atlantic Highlands for
restoration and conservation (EPA, STAR Grant)
• Characterized wetland ecosystem services (soil carbon, flood control,
water quality, biodiversity) by integrating field data with high
resolution AISA+ imagery (USDA, CSREES Grant).
• Developed restoration methods for degraded forests (EPA funding).
Designed and managed projects, coordinated science team,
hired/supervised staff of four, managed budgets, and fundraised.
2003 –
2006
Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. New Haven, CT
Ph. D. candidate, Conducted research on structure, dynamics, and diversity
of tropical forests in Peru, Brazil, Panama, and Sri Lanka.
1996-2003
Yale Center for Earth Observation. New Haven, CT
Satellite imagery analyst, developed methods for quantifying forest carbon
sequestration in vegetation cover types of Benin, Africa using hyperspatial
and hyperspectral remote sensing technology.
2002-03
New York University. New York, NY
M.Sc. candidate, studied tropical plant population genetics. Joint program
with The New York Botanical Garden.
1994-96
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Maryland
Research intern, assisted with research on forest structure and plant growth
strategies in Appalachia and Coastal Plains of Mid-Atlantic region.
1993-94
Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
Program assistant to Dr. Thomas Lovejoy on tropical conservation projects.
1992-93
PEER REVIEWED SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS (selected)
Griscom B, Ellis P, Putz J. 2014. Carbon emissions performance of commercial
logging in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Global Change Biology 20(3):932-937
Griscom H, Griscom B, Siderhurst L. 2014. Spatial Dynamics of Canopy Trees in an
Old Growth Eastern Hemlock Forest in the Central Appalachian Highlands. Natural
Areas Journal 34(1): 99-104.
Putz, F, Zuidema P, Synnott T, Peña-Claros M, Pinard M, Sheil D, Vanclay J, Sist P,
Gourlet-Fleury S, Palmer J, Zagt R, Griscom B. 2013. A more realistic portrayal of
tropical forestry: response to Kormos and Zimmerman. Conservation Letters. In press.
Griscom, B., Cortez, R., 2013. The case for Improved Forest Management (IFM) as a
promising REDD+ strategy in the tropics. Journal of Tropical Conservation Science. 6
Bronson Griscom, c.v.
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(3):409-425
Venter, O., Possingham, H., Hovani, L., Dewi, S., Griscom, B., Paoli, G. Wells, P.,
Wilson, K. 2013. Using systematic conservation planning to minimize REDD+
conflict with agriculture and logging in the tropics. Conservation Letters 6: 116-124.
Putz, F.E., P.A. Zuidema, T. Synnott, M. Peña-Claros+, M. A. Pinard+, Douglas Sheil,
J. K. Vanclay, P. Sist, S. Gourlet-Fleury, B. Griscom, J. Palmer, and R. Zagt. 2012.
Sustaining conservation values in selectively logged tropical forests: The attained and
the attainable. Conservation Letters 5(4): 296-303
Del Cid-Liccardi, C., Kramer, T., Ashton, M., and Griscom, B. 2012. Managing
carbon sequestration in tropical forests. Chapter 9 in Managing Forest Carbon in a
Changing Climate, Eds. Ashton, M., Tyrrell, M., Spalding, D., Gentry, B. Springer.
pp. 183 – 204.
Morton, D., Sales, M., Souza, C., Griscom, B. 2011. Historic emissions from
deforestation and forest degradation in Mato Grosso, Brazil: 1) Source data
uncertainties. Carbon Balance and Management 6 (18)
Griscom, H., Griscom, B. 2011. Evaluating the ecological niche of American chestnut
for optimal hybrid seedling reintroduction sites in the Appalachian ridge and valley
province. New Forests DOI: 10.1007/s11056-011-9291-7
Griscom, B., Griscom, H., Deacon, S. 2011. Species-specific barriers to tree
regeneration in high elevation habitats of West Virginia. Restoration Ecology 19 (5)
pp. 660–670
Griscom, B., Shoch, D., Stanley, B., Cortez, R., Virgilio, N. 2009. Sensitivity of
amounts and distribution of tropical forest carbon credits depending on baseline rules.
Journal of Environmental Science & Policy. 12 pp 897-991.
doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2009.07.008
Note: Requested as submission to UNFCCC by UNFCCC Secretariat, February, 2009.
Griscom, H., Griscom, B., Ashton, M. 2009. Forest regeneration from pasture in the
dry tropics of Panama: effects of cattle, exotic grass, and forested riparia Restoration
Ecology. 17(1) pp. 117-126
Griscom, B., D. Daly, M. Ashton. 2007. Floristics of bamboo-dominated stands in
lowland forests of SW Amazonia. Bull. Torrey Botanical Society, 134 (1)
Griscom, B., M. Ashton. 2006. A self-perpetuating bamboo disturbance cycle in
lowland forests of Madre de Dios, Peru. Journal of Tropical Ecology, 22: 587-597.
Myers, W., McKenny-Easterling, M., Hychka, K., Griscom, B., Bishop, J., Bayard A.,
Rocco, G., Brooks, R., Constantz, G., Patil, G.P., Taillie, C. 2006. Contextual
clustering for configuring collaborative conservation of watersheds in the MidAtlantic Highlands. Environmental and Ecological Statistics 13 pp. 391-407
Bronson Griscom, c.v.
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Tomohiro, S., Ashton, M. Singhakumara, B., Griscom, H., Ediriweera, S. Griscom,
B. 2006. Effects of fire on the recruitment of rain forest vegetation beneath Pinus
caribaea plantations, Sri Lanka. Forest Ecology & Management. 226. 357-363.
Thenkabail, P., Stucky, N., Griscom, B., Ashton, M., Diels, J., Van Der Meer, B., and
Enclona, E. 2004. Biomass estimations and carbon stock calculations in the oil palm
plantations of African derived savannas using IKONOS, International Journal of
Remote Sensing:25 (23): 5447-5472
Griscom, B., M. Ashton, 2003. Bamboo control of forest succession: Guadua
sarcocarpa in SE Peru. Forest Ecology and Management, vol.175 pp 445-454.
Lentz, D. L., Ramírez, C. R., Griscom, B. W. 1997. Formative-period subsistence
and forest-product extraction at the Yarumela Site, Honduras. Ancient Mesoamerica 8:
63-74
OTHER SCIENCE, POLICY, and PRACTITIONER PUBLICATIONS (selected)
Griscom, B. 2014. Juggling Chainsaws: Carbon, Biodiversity, and Livelihoods in the Logging Landscape.
February 21. http://blog.nature.org/science/2014/02/21/carbon-biodiversity-livelihoods-logginglandscape-griscom/
Griscom, B. 2013. How green is your chainsaw? October 8, 2013.
http://blog.nature.org/science/2013/10/08/how-green-is-your-chainsaw/
Griscom, B. 2013. Forests: A Rising Global Climate Superpower. Blog on Cool Green Science. August
21. http://blog.nature.org/science/tag/bronson-griscom/
Griscom, B. 2012. New study finds that loggers and conservationists can be allies. Blog on Climate
Progress. May 21. http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/05/21/487604/new-study-finds-that-loggers-andconservationists-can-be-allies/
Griscom, B. 2011. Forest Carbon Confessions. Three part blog on Planet Change. July 18.
http://change.nature.org/2011/07/18/forest-carbon-confessions/
Griscom, B., Cortez, R., Fishbein, G., Erin Myers-Madeira, Fiedler, J., Virgilio, N.,
Hardman, H., Passero, M., Paiz, Y., Marsh, D., Ganz, D. Establishing Efficient,
Equitable, and Environmentally Sound Reference Emissions Levels for REDD+: A
Stock-Flow Approach. June 2011. Submission by The Nature Conservancy to the
UNFCCC Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technical Advice (SBSTA). 7 pages.
Cortez, R., Saines, R., Griscom, B., Martin, M., De Deo, D., Fishbein, G., Kerkering,
J., Marsh, D. 2010. A Nested Approach to REDD+: Structuring Effective and
Transparent Incentive Mechanisms for REDD+ Implementation at Multiple Scales.
The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA. 46 pages.
Griscom, B., D. Ganz, N. Virgilio, F. Price, J. Hayward, R. Cortez, G. Dodge, J.
Hurd, F. L. Lowenstein, B. Stanley. 2009. The Hidden Frontier of Forest Degradation:
A Review of the Science, Policy and Practice of Reducing Degradation Emissions.
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The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA. 76 pages.
Available at: http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/publications/hidden-degradation
Griscom, B. Fishbein, G., Cortez, R., 2009. Integrated Incentives Approach: A REDD
Mechanism Proposal. in Parker, C., Mitchell, A., Trivedi, M., Mardas, N. The Little
REDD+ Book: An Updated Guide to Governmental and Non-Governmental Proposals
for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation. Global Canopy
Programme. Oxford. p 69
Griscom, B., M. Mckenney-Easterling, W. Myers, A. McQueen, J. Bishop, G. Rocco,
J. French, K. Hychka, A. Bayard, T. O’Connell, G. Patil, C. Taillie, G. Constantz, R.
Brooks. 2007. Classifying and prioritizing watersheds for protection and restoration:
An approach for the Mid-Atlantic Highlands Area. Final EPA-STAR Project Report,
Penn State University, 53 pp.
Constantz, G., Griscom, B. 2006. Chapter 14: Lessons from ecology. In: Bush, H., R.
Erchul, M. Maisano (eds.), Essays on Environmental Leadership and Management,
VMI Press, pp. 263-283
Griscom, B. 2003. Successional dynamics of bamboo-dominated forests in
southeastern Peru. Ph.D. Dissertation. Yale University. 292 pages
Griscom, B., L. A. Meyerson, K. Vogt. 2000 “Invasive Alien Species” pp 205-206 in
Forest Certification: Roots, Issues, Challenges, and Benefits. K. Vogt, B. Larson, D.
Vogt, J. Gordon Eds. CRC Press. 374 pages.
NEGOTIATIONS and PRESENTATIONS
Science/Academia Presentations (selected)
“Verifying emissions reductions from reduced impact logging in Borneo”
Presentations to board of the Tropical Forest Foundation, October 2012 and 2013.
Also presented to the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry in May 2013, Jakarta.
“Resolving Uncertainties about Uncertainty in Carbon Stocks: Perspectives from A
REDD Practitioner” Presentation at SilvaCarbon Workshop, convened by USAID,
USFS, and US Department of State. April 18, 2011.
“Is Improved Forest Management in Tropical Forest Logging Concessions a WinWin-Win strategy for REDD?” Presentation at the Global Institute of Sustainable
Forestry, Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, January 13, 2011.
“Improving Tropical Forest Management: A Solution to Climate Change”
Presentation at James Madison University Biology Department Seminar Series,
October 29, 2010.
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“Quantifying Emissions Reductions from Improved Forest Management in
Dipterocarp Forests of East Kalimantan” Presentation at the US Forest Service
International Programs Seminar Series, September 23, 2010.
“Introduction and Research Questions” at Science Workshop organized by The Nature
Conservancy: Reducing Emissions Through Improved Forest Management, Bali,
Indonesia. July 24-25th, 2010. Lead organizer of Workshop.
“Comparison of Reference Emissions Levels for Districts of East Kalimantan,
Indonesia.” Presentation at REDD-Exchange Conference organized by The Nature
Conservancy in Cancun, Mexico, July 14, 2010. Co-lead orgnizer of this symposium
on MRV methods.
“Carbon benefits of improved forest management practices in commercial logging
concessions of East Kalimantan, Indonesia.” Presentation to the International Society
of Tropical Foresters, Yale University, Feb 13, 2010.
“Can we credibly and affordably measure reduced emissions from improved
management of forests?” Presentation at official side event of the UNFCCC-SBSTA,
Barcelona, Nov. 5, 2009. Co-lead organizer of this event.
“Degradation in REDD: How much and how to measure.” Presentation at the
Regional Community Forestry Training Center for Asia and the Pacific (RECOFTC),
May 4, 2009. Bangkok, Thailand.
Presentation part of contribution to SBSTA submission emerging from workshop.
“Comparison of REDD Baseline Methods Across Country Types” Presentation at
Forest Day event hosted by World Wildlife Fund, Poznan, Poland, Nov. 2008
“Including Degradation in REDD: Why and How?” Presentation at Woods Hole
Research Center & TNC official side event at COP14, UNFCCC Poznan, Poland,
Nov. 2008. Co-lead organizer of this event.
International Policy Negotiations (selected)
US Chair for Council Meeting, Global Environmental Facility (GEF), June 12-15,
2007, World Bank, Washington, D.C.
Negotiations of GEF focal area strategies, project cycle, project review, and
organizational structure.
US Co-Chair for Meeting of the Environmental Policy Committee for the
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (EPOC-OECD), 28-29
March 2007, Paris, France and 26-27 October, 2006, Krakow, Poland. Also for
Working Party on Global and Structural Policies within EPOC, 21-22 May, 2007 and
5-6 November, 2006, Paris, France.
Negotiation of topics for 2008 Environment Ministerial Meeting and content of the
OECD Environmental Outlook to 2030 Report.
Bronson Griscom, c.v.
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SERVICE
Board of Directors, Tropical Forest Foundation (TFF). The Tropical
Forest Foundation advances environmental sustainability of tropical forest
management, principally through reduced impact logging (RIL) training
centers. www.tropicalforestfoundation.org
2010
2012
-
VCS AFOLU expert assessment panel member. Panel to determine
“AFOLU experts” qualified to approve new methodologies for the
Voluntary Carbon Standard.
2009 present
FSC expert advisory committee member, FSC Forest Carbon Working 2009 –
Group. Providing expert advice to Forest Stewardship Council on
present
initiative to integrate FSC certification system with forest carbon standards.
Advisory Board Member, Azuero Earth Project. Providing strategic
advice on conservation and restoration of dry tropical forest ecosystems of
the Azuero Peninsula, Panama. www.azueroearthproject.org
2008 present
Reviewer for scientific journals including: Science, Journal of
Environmental Science & Policy, Journal of Biological Conservation,
Journal of Tropical Ecology, Am. Journal of Botany, Restoration Ecology,
BioTropica, EcoHealth, Env. and Ecological Statistics, Forest Ecology and
Management, Journal of Sustainable Forestry.
Ongoing
Lecturer on ecology and forest carbon topics at various institutions
including: James Madison University (VA), Univ. San Antonio (Peru, in
Spanish), Sweet Briar College (VA).
1994 present
LANGUAGE SKILLS
Spanish:
Portuguese:
proficient
basic knowledge
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