{geni:about_me} Dr. Austin Troy is an Associate Professor in the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources at UVM. His focus is on land use—particularly the causes and impacts of urban/suburban development and the effectiveness of policies in mediating those impacts. He is also interested in studying the role and importance of environmental assets in urban systems and in quantificatying the spatial distribution of ecosystem services.

He uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS), spatial statistics, remote sensing, econometrics and land use simulation modeling as tools for addressing these questions, in addition to more qualitative methods. His current researchincludes: creating an integrated land use/transportation/ environmental simulation model to help planners in Chittenden County, VT; using object-oriented remote sensing to inventory the mix of vegetation and imperviousness at theparcel level and relating these metrics to Nitrogen flux in Baltimore; studying the relationship between property values and environmental amenities and disamenities in Baltimore; quantifying and mapping the distribution of ecosystem service values in New Jersey; mapping land use and expected Phosphorus outputs for the Champlain Basin; and attempting to differentiate between working agricultural fields and large suburban lawns to allow for better management of grassland songbirds in the Champlain Valley.

He received his Masters of Forestry degree from Yale Forestry School and his PhD from UC Berkeley, where he studied environmental policy and economics and spatial analysis.

More information on his courses and research can be found at www.uvm.edu/~atroy4.