Previous Research Projects & Funding
Dr. Kreuter's research program focuses broadly on the Human Dimensions of Rangeland Ecosystem Management and it aims to inform policy aimed at creating positive incentives for the sustainable use and management of terrestrial ecosystems under a broad range of land tenure systems. His research is driven by his multidisciplinary interests in ecological economics, rural sociology and environmental psychology. Research projects that he directs are conducted at individual property, community and ecosystem scales. Some issues that Dr. Kreuter’s research program have addressed include the effects of shifting social values and human demographics on rangeland management; the effectiveness of incentive programs aimed at improving rangeland health, wildlife habitat and water quality on private lands; the effects of landowner perceptions regarding property rights on ecosystem management; and factors influencing the use of fire as a rangeland management tool.
Ecological, economic and social dimensions of using summer fire to restore ecosystem in the Southern Plains of the US. 2005-2008. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Innovation Grant # 38-3A75-5-180 ($376,534 – PI).
This is an inter-disciplinary integrated assessment of the ecological, economic, and social implications of using prescribed summer fires to restore Southern Plains ecosystems to open grasslands. Such fires exceed current NRCS technical standards and specifications. The project integrates observational and modeling elements to advance our knowledge of the effect of periodic hot summer fires on the health of Southern Plains ecosystems and to understand the economic and social implications of reintroducing such fires as a management tool in rangeland production systems. Through landowner-based research, it will assess if the use of prescribed summer fire achieves ecosystem restoration objectives more effectively than strategies that exclude fire. The five specific objectives of the project are to: (1) Quantify the ecological impact of fire when air temperature exceeds 95 degrees Fahrenheit and/or when relative humidity is less than 20%, and collate and analyze existing and new data regarding the effects of summer fires on rangeland plant communities; (2) Evaluate the economic effectiveness of using prescribed summer burns as a rangeland restoration tool, compared to other rangeland restoration strategies; (3) Evaluate landowner interest in and concerns about using prescribed summer fires, as well as their interest in using EQIP funds to implement summer burns; (4) Through modeling, provide an objective means for examining the implications of including prescribed summer fire in alternative livestock and wildlife production systems over an extended range of management options, physical conditions and weather sequences; and (5) Provide scientifically rigorous research results to support revisions of the technical standards and specifications and potential policy changes by the NRCS with respect to the use of prescribed summer burning.
Assessing the value of landowner associations for coordinated resource management: Wildlife and groundwater in the EdwardsPlateau, Texas. 2005-2007. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Inter-Agency Contract # 157693 ($29,424 - PI) & Sand County Foundation Bradley Fund for Conservation Grant ($10,000 – PI)
The primary objective of this project is to evaluate the potential for using Wildlife Management Associations (WMA) for enhancing coordinated resource management, specifically wildlife and groundwater in the State of Texas. Specifically the project aims to assess the social, demographic and environmental characteristics, and the levels of wildlife and water conservation practices of landowner associations in the Edwards Plateau eco-region of Texas. Two hypotheses being tested in this study include: (1) Membership of rural landowner associations leads to increased social capital; greater investment in wildlife habitat management; and greater willingness to enter into joint resource management agreements; and (2) The establishment of landowner associations facilitates coordinated resource management that involves agencies and non-government organizations.
Community-based natural resource management in Paraguay: An integrated model-based evaluation of sustainability. 2004-2005. Texas A&M University Vice President for Research Interdisciplinary Program Grant # 464121 ($14,802 – PI)
Towards restoration of ecosystem function on mesquite and juniper rangeland. 2005-2006. USDA CSREERS Joe Skeen Institute for Rangeland Restoration Grant ($35,000 – Co-PI.).
Towards restoration of ecosystem function of mesquite rangelands. 2003-2004. USDA CSREERS Joe Skeen Institute for Rangeland Restoration ($35,000 – Co-PI).
Effects of urbanization on ecological services in a semi-arid region of the USA. 2001-2005. NASA Land Cover Land Use Change Program Award # NRA-00-OES-08 ($599,234 – Co-PI).
Ecosystem and wildlife implications of brush managements systems designed to improve water runoff and percolation. 2001-2002. US Department of Army Corps of Engineers Research Program Grant # W-45XMA10599597 ($135,426 – Co-PI).
Rangeland fragmentation in Texas: The effects of fee hunting enterprises in Central and South Texas. 2000-2002. Texas Parks and Wildlife Research Program Inter-Agency Contract # 80808 ($15,000 – PI).
The influence of property rights orientations on rangeland management and community stability in areas of rapid population expansion. 2000-2002. US Department of Agriculture CSREES National Research Initiative Competitive Grant # 00-35401-9255 ($60,000 – PI).
Assessing the factors influencing the willingness of landowners in the eastern EdwardsPlateau to participate in a brush control cost-sharing program to improve off-site water yields. 1999-2001. Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board Contract # 403138 ($43,865 – CO-PI).
Factors affecting the adoption of Brush Buster in Texas. 1998-2001. Dow AgroSciences LLC. Research Grant ($32,000 - PI).
Sustainable development and conservation in Paraguay: Integration of environmental, social and economic issues. 1998-1999. Texas A&M University Interdisciplinary Research Initiatives Grant ($15,635 – Co-PI).
Factors affecting the adoption of the Brush Buster Program in Texas. 1998. Texas A&M University Faculty Mini-Grant # FMG 98-146 ($1,300 – PI).
Elephants and whales: Resources for whom? 1993. Earhart Foundation Research Fellowship ($12,305 – PI).
Comparative economics of cattle and wildlife ranching in the ZimbabweMidlands. 1990-1993. World Wide Fund for Nature Research Grant (Swiss Franks 10,960 – PI) and Rothmans of Pall Mall Research Grant (Zimbabwe $35,000 – PI).
