people - faculty - Lassoie

James P. Lassoie
Professor

10 Fernow Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
Ph: 607-255-2810
Fx: 607-255-0349
e.mail: JPL4@cornell.edu
James P. Lassoie

Ph.D - University of Washington (Seattle) - 1975
B.S. - University of Washington (Seattle) - 1968

Originally trained as a tree ecophysiologist and forest ecologist, Professor Lassoie's professional focus has evolved greatly over his 30 years at Cornell. Two basic questions now motivate his teaching and research.. First, what are the key ecological and social variables underpinning the decision-making process related to natural resource and environmental management? And second, how can local communities become more effectively involved in such decision-making processes? In pursuing these questions, he has worked in areas of agroforestry, social forestry, integrated resource conservation and management, ecotourism, and ethnobiology, especially as related to the management of parks, protected, and otherwise fragile ecosystems and landscapes in developing countries as well as the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Research

Lassoie is very interested in enhancing the emerging field of conservation science and management research. His own current research efforts are focused on community-based natural resource management in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy and other conservation and land trust organizations. In addition, he has related graduate student projects currently in Bhutan, Brazil, Canada, China, Haiti, Madagascar, Mali, Mexico, Thailand, and the U.S.

Extension

Lassoie currently has no formal time commitment to Extension. However, in the past he worked extensively on non-industrial uses of forestlands.

Teaching

Selected Publications

  • Brown, H.C.P, S. Wolf, and J.P. Lassoie. 2006. Analyzing the Potential for Effective Community-based Natural Resource management: A case study of Non-Wood Forest Products in Community Forests in Cameroon. Progress in Develop. Studies (in press)

  • Brown, H.C.P, L.E. Buck, and J.P. Lassoie. Governance and Social Learning in the Management of Non-wood Forest Products in Community Forests in Cameroon. Intern. J. of Agric. Res. (in press)

  • Buntaine, M.T., R.B. Mullen, and J.P. Lassoie. Human use and conservation in Alpine Systems of Yunnan, China: Getting it right from the start. Ecol. and Soc. (in review).

  • Lassoie, J.P., R.K. Moseley, and K.E. Goldman. Ground-based photomonitoring of ecoregional ecological changes in northwestern Yunnan, China. In: Aguirre-Bravo, Celedonio, et al. Eds. A Monitoring Science and Technology Symposium: Unifying Knowledge for Sustainability in the Western Hemisphere; 2004 September 20-24; Denver, CO. Proceedings (in press).

  • Wang, S.W., J.P. Lassoie, and P.D. Curtis. Attitudes towards conservation in Jigme Singye Wangchuk National Park, Bhutan. Envir. Conser. (in press).

  • Stem, C.J., J.P. Lassoie, D.R. Lee, and D.D. Deshler. 2003. Community participation in ecotourism benefits: The link to conservation practices and perspectives. Soc. and Nat. Res. 16:387-413.

  • Stem, C.J., J.P. Lassoie, D.R. Lee, and D.D. Deshler. 2003. How 'eco' is ecotourism: A comparative case study of ecotourism in Costa Rica. J. of Sust. 11(2):322-347.

  • Mercado, L. and J. Lassoie. 2002. Assessing tourists' preferences for recreational and environmental management programs central to the sustainable development of a tourism area in the Dominican Republic. Envir., Develop., & Sust. 4:253-278.

  • Michaelidou, M.D., D. J. Decker, and J.P. Lassoie. 2002. The interdependence of ecosystem and community viability: A theoretical framework to guide research and application. Soc. and Nat. Res. 15:599-616.

  • Langholz, J. and J.P. Lassoie. 2001. Combining conservation and development on private lands: Lessons from Costa Rica. Envir., Develop. & Sust. 3:309-322.

  • Schelhas and J.P. Lassoie. 2001. Learning conservation and sustainable development: An interdisciplinary approach. J. Life Sci. & Nat. Res. Ed. 30: 1-9.