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Dr. Daniel B. Botkin
(see also www.danielbbotkin.com for essays and more by Daniel B. Botkin)
Biographical Summary
Daniel B. Botkin is a scientist who studies life from a planetary perspective, a biologist who has helped solve major environmental issues, and a writer about nature. A frequent public speaker, Botkin brings an unusual perspective to his subject. Well-known for his scientific contributions in ecology and environment, he has also worked as a professional journalist and has degrees in physics, biology, and literature. His books and lectures show how our cultural legacy often dominates what we believe to be scientific solutions. He discusses the roles of scientists, businessmen, stakeholders, and government agencies in new approaches to environmental issues. He uses historical accounts by Lewis and Clark and Henry David Thoreau to discuss the character of nature and the relationship between people and nature.
Current Positions
| Research Professor Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology University of California, Santa Barbara |
1999 – Present Santa Barbara, CA |
| President | 1991 – Present |
| The Center For The Study Of The Environment | Santa Barbara, CA |
- Founded and developed this non-profit organization to conduct objective, independent, scientific analyses of complex environmental issues and provide results in formats useful for policy formulation; to use a mult-disciplinary approach, and to involve public participation and participation of stakeholdeers, and to provide conclusions as sets
of policy options to the public.
| Professor of Biology | 1992 – Present |
| George Mason University | Fairfax, VA. |
- Lead new interdisciplinary program concerning major environmental issues
- Develop new curriculum linking fundamental environmental sciences to applied problems
- Conduct fundamental and applied research in ecology
- Conduct research on the application of advanced computer techniques to environmental issues
Recent Consulting and Professional Activities
- National Park Service Advisory Board Science Committee, member 2011 to present.
- Member of the Board of Trustees of the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress (Congressional appointee) 2004 to 2009.
- Head, North American Division, Sustainable Use Project of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, 2002 – 2004.
- Mediated discussions about salmon in the Pacific Northwest among all interested parties, for Humboldt State University, 2003.
- Directed a project for the Dept. Of Defense Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program concerning Ecosystem Management of DOD lands and waters.
- Directed a project funded by special bill of the Oregon Legislature concerning the relative effects of forest practices on salmon, and involving economic analyzes, development of new methods to forecast salmon harvests and set harvest levels.
- Directed a project to determine the carbon dioxide sequestering capacities of tropical rain forests in Costa Rica, funded by the Andrew Mellon and W. Alton Jones Foundations.
- Directed a project to develop methods to forecast sustainable levels of timber harvest with a major timber corporation of Costa Rica.
- Served as section discussion leader at Malaysian – Canadian Conference on Certification of Sustainable Forestry Malaysia.
- Directed projects to forecast the potential effects of global warming on forests and endangered species, using advanced computer methods, supported by EPA, the W. Alton Jones Foundation and Pew Charitable Trusts.
- Directed a project to provide the first statistically valid estimates of biomass and carbon storage for large forested areas, for the boreal and termperate forests of North America, funded by the Andrew Mellon Foundation.
- Directed a project concerning the effects of water diversion for water supply on Mono Lake, California, a 40,000 acres salt lake important for biological conservation and ecotourism.
- Directed a project concerning the use of vegetation in cities, especially concerning the conservation of biological diversity, funded by the Los Angeles Metropolitan Water District.
- Advisor, Taiwan Council of Economic Planning and Development and Taiwan Council of Agriculture, on: Ecological Surveys and Monitoring for National Parks and Nature Preserves; the development of an environmental data directory for Taiwan, and the readiness of applied ecology in Taiwan for application to economic development.
- Codirector of a project to forecast potential effects of global warming on forests of Siberia, involving field work and computer simulation, supported by the U. S. D. A. Forest Service, the Russian Forestry Service, and several U. S. private Foundations.
- Consultant, World Bank, Biological Diversity and Sustainability of tropical rain forests.
- Consultant, Rockefeller Foundation, Assessment of major non-governmental environmental organizations in North American and Europe.
- As an advisor to the Soros Foundation, helped plan an environmental division for a new Central European University in Budapest.
- Consultant, World Bank, Application of remote sensing for land use mapping in Africa.
- Directed a project concerning conservation of elephants in Tanzania, using an ecosystem perspective and advanced computer simulation methods, under support from the World Wildlife Fund.
- Directed an analysis on the potential environmental effects of a toxic waste facilities on wildlife and natural vegetation, County of Santa Barbara and State of California.
- For the U. S. Marine Mammal Commission, analyzed the concept of “optimum sustainable populations” as defined in the U. S. Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Bockstoce and Botkin Historical Sea Ice Data