Michael Jacobson Ph.D.

Between earning degrees, Michael has worked on international forest policy and economics at the World Bank, USDA International Forestry, and Tropical Forest Foundation. He was a Peace Corps volunteer in Lesotho from 1986-1988. Countries he has worked in include South Africa, Mozambique, Malawi, Namibia, Guinea, Uganda, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Costa Rica.

He has over 50 extension and research publications. As part of his extension work he develops programs in forest taxation and finance and more recently in woody biomass and natural gas.  He is currently associate editor of Agroforestry Systems.

Michael was born in South Africa and raised there until emigrating to Connecticut in 1977. He is married to Linda Nodine Jacobson and has two daughters.

Academic Interests:

Bioenerrgy, sustainable forestry; forest economics, finance, policy, and taxes; agroforestry and non timber forest products; gas taxation, forest certification and incentive programs; and international forestry.

Courses taught:

Forest Conservation and Economics FOR 440

Agroforestry FOR 418

Global Forest Conservation FOR 488

Professional Affiliation:

Society of American Foresters

Association of Natural Resources of Extension Professionals

Forest History Society

Association for Temperate Agroforestry

International Society of Tropical Foresters (ISTF)

Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Association

 
Recent Publications:

Jacobson, M. and S. Kar. 2012. Extent of agroforestry extension programs in United States. Journal of Extension. (In press)

Kar, S. and M. Jacobson. 2011. Market constraints in non timber forest products (NTFP) trade: Household perspectives. International forestry review 14(1):50-61.

Kar, S. and M. Jacobson. 2011. Non timber forest products (NTFP) income contribution to household economy and related socio-economic factors: Lessons from Bangladesh. Forest Policy and economics 14 (1): 134-142.

Kelso, A. and M. Jacobson. 2011. Community Assessment of Agroforestry Opportunities in GaMothiba, South Africa. Agroforestry Systems. 83(3):267-278

Fortney, K. Arano, M. Jacobson, 2011. An Evaluation of West Virginia's Managed Timberland Tax Incentive Program. Forest Policy and Economics. 13(1):69-78.

Greene, J., S. Daniels, M. Kilgore, T. Straka, and M. Jacobson.  2010. Effectiveness of financial incentive programs in promoting sustainable forestry in the West.  Western Journal of Applied Forestry.  25(4):186-193.

Daniels, S., M. Kilgore, M. Jacobson, J. Greene, and T. Straka. 2010. Examining the compatibility between forestry incentive programs in the US and the Practice of Sustainable Forest Management. Forests 1(1):49–64.

Jacobson, M., J. Greene, T. Straka, S. Daniels, and M. Kilgore. 2009. Influence and effectiveness of financial incentive programs in promoting sustainable forestry in the South. Southern Journal of Applied Forestry 33(1):35–41.

Cooper, E., and M. Jacobson. 2009. Establishing conservation easements on forested riparian buffers: Opportunities for long-term streamside protection. Small-scale Forestry 8(3):263–268.                              

Jacobson, M., T. Straka, J. Greene, M. Kilgore, and S. Daniels. 2009. Financial incentive programs’ influence  promoting sustainable forestry in the Northern region. Northern Journal of Applied Forestry 26(2):61–67.

Kilgore, M., S. Daniels, M. Jacobson, J. Greene, and T. Straka. 2009. Financial incentive programs for non-industrial private forest owners web site. Journal of Extension [Online] 47(4).

Burkhart, E., and M. Jacobson. 2008. Transitioning from wild collection to forest cultivation of indigenous medicinal forest plants in eastern North America is constrained by lack of profitability. Agroforestry Systems 76:437–453.

Jacobson, M, C. Ham, and P. Ackerman. 2008. Forest management educational needs in South African forestry companies. Southern Forests: A Journal of Forest Science 7(3):269–274.

Recent Research/Extension Projects:

NE Sun Grant Willow Genetic Improvement project

Potential and economic impacts of a regional outbreak of the Asian Longhorned Beetle. USDA APHIS.

Examining current and future costs and revenues from forest production, oil and gas extraction on Pennsylvania Game Commission Lands. Pennsylvania Legislative Budget and Finance Committee.

Forest stewardship – continuing awareness and knowledge program support (Year 17). USDA Forest Service.

Determining costs, product recovery factors, and environmental impacts of biomass harvest treatments in Central Appalachian Forests. NE SunGrant Initiative.

Increasing the rural livelihood benefits from natural plant product ventures in southern Africa. Ford Foundation.