Current Research

My main research focus is quantifying the benefits of urban trees. These benefits range from the intuitive, reduced summertime cooling costs, to the surprising—improved public-health outcomes.

Past Research

My past research mainly focused on the economics of wildfire management.

Education

• Colorado State University, Ph.D. Forest Economics 2001
• Sheffied University, U.K., B.S. Biochemistry 1992

Featured Publications & Products

• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Butry, David T.; Michael, Yvonne L.; Prestemon, Jeffrey P.; Liebhold, Andrew M.; Gatziolis, Demetrios; Mao, Megan Y. 2013. The relationship between trees and human health: evidence from the spread of the emerald ash borer.
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Michael, Yvonne L.; Butry, David T.; Sullivan, Amy D.; Chase, John M. 2011. Urban trees and the risk of poor birth outcomes.
• Donovan, G.H.; Butry, D.T. 2010. Trees in the city: valuing street trees in Portland, Oregon.
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Prestemon, Jeffrey P. 2012. The Effect of Trees on Crime in Portland, Oregon.
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Brown, Thomas C. 2007. Be careful what you wish for: The legacy of Smokey Bear.
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Champ, Patricia A.; Butry, David T. 2007. Measuring the efficacy of a wildfire education program in Colorado Springs.
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Mills, John. 2014. Environmental justice and factors that influence participation in tree planting programs in Portland, Oregon, U.S.
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Butry, David T. 2011. The effect of urban trees on the rental price of single-family homes in Portland, Oregon.

Publications

• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Gatziolis, Demetrios ; 't Mannetje, Andrea ; Weinkove, Robert ; Fyfe, Caroline ; Douwes, Jeroen . 2021. An empirical test of the biodiversity hypothesis: Exposure to plant diversity is associated with a reduced risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Landry, Shawn M.; Gatziolis, Demetrios . 2021. The natural environment, plant diversity, and adult asthma: A retrospective observational study using the CDC's 500 Cities Project Data.
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Prestemon, Jeffrey P.; Butry, David T.; Kaminski, Abigail R.; Monleon, Vicente J. 2021. The politics of urban trees: Tree planting is associated with gentrification in Portland, Oregon.
• Donovan, Geoffrey; Michael, Yvonne L; Gatziolis, Demetrios; Mannetje, Andrea' t; Douwes, Jeroen . 2019. Association between exposure to the natural environment, rurality, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children in New Zealand: a linkage study.
• Prestemon, Jeffrey P.; Koch, Frank H.; Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Lihou, Mary T. 2019. Cannabis legalization by states reduces illegal growing on US national forests.
• Donovan, Geoffrey ; Gatziolis, Demetrios ; Douwes, Jeroen . 2019. Relationship between exposure to the natural environment and recovery from hip or knee arthroplasty: a New Zealand retrospective cohort study.
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Gatziolis, Demetrios ; Jakstis, Kristen ; Comess, Saskia . 2019. The natural environment and birth outcomes: Comparting 3D exposure metrics derived from LiDAR to 2D metrics based on the normalized difference vegetation index.
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Landry, Shawn ; Winter, Cody . 2019. Urban trees, house price, and redevelopment pressure in Tampa, Florida.
• Gernes, Rebecca ; Brokamp, Cole ; Rice, Glenn E.; Wright, J. Michael; Kondo, Michelle C.; Michael, Yvonne L.; Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Gatziolis, Demetrios ; Bernstein, David ; LeMasters, Grace K.; Lockey, James E.; Khurana Hershey, Gurjit K.; Ryan, Patrick H. 2019. Using high-resolution residential greenspace measures in an urban environment to assess risks of allergy outcomes in children.
• Donovan, Geoffrey . 2018. The 2017 Tane Mahuta public lecture: The benefits of urban trees: from the intuitive to the surprising.
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Gatziolis, Demetrios; Longley, Ian; Douwes, Jeroen. 2018. Vegetation diversity protects against childhood asthma: results from a large New Zealand birth cohort.
• Donovan, Geoffrey H. 2017. Including public-health benefits of trees in urban-forestry decision making.
• Kondo, Michelle C.; Han, SeungHoon; Donovan, Geoffrey H.; MacDonald, John M. 2017. The association between urban trees and crime: Evidence from the spread of the emerald ash borer in Cincinnati.
• Prestemon, Jeff; Kruger, Linda; Abt, Karen L.; Bowker, Michael; Brandeis, Consuelo; Calkin, Dave; Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Ham, Charlotte; Holmes, Thomas P.; Kline, Jeffrey; Warziniack, Travis. 2016. Economics and societal considerations of drought.
• Gatziolis, Demetrios; Jovan, Sarah; Donovan, Geoffrey; Amacher, Michael; Monleon, Vicente. 2016. Elemental atmospheric pollution assessment via moss-based measurements in Portland, Oregon.
• Gernes, Rebecca; Hertzberg, Richard; MacDonell, Margaret; Rice, Glenn; Wright, J. Michael; Beresin, Glennon; Miller, Travis; Africa, Julia; Donovan, Geoffrey; Hipp, J. Aaron; Hystad, Perry; Jackson, Laura; Kondo, Michelle; Mitchell, Richard; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark; Ryan, Patrick; Sullivan, William; van den Bosch, Matilda Annerstedt. 2016. Estimating greenspace exposure and benefits for cumulative risk assessment applications.
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Cerveny, Lee K.; Gatziolis, Demetrios. 2016. If you build it, will they come.
• Koch, Frank H.; Prestemon, Jeff; Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Hinkley, Everett A.; Chase, John M. 2016. Predicting cannabis cultivation on national forests using a rational choice framework.
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Butry, David T.; Mao, Megan Y. 2016. Statistical analysis of vegetation and stormwater runoff in an urban watershed during summer and winter storms in Portland, Oregon, U.S.
• Mills, John R.; Cunningham, Pat; Donovan, Geoffrey H. 2016. Urban forests and social inequality in the Pacific Northwest.
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Jovan, Sarah E.; Gatziolis, Demetrios; Burstyn, Igor; Michael, Yvonne L.; Amacher, Michael C.; Monleon, Vicente J. 2016. Using an epiphytic moss to identify previously unknown sources of atmospheric cadmium pollution.
• Kochi, Ikuho; Champ, Patricia A.; Loomis, John B.; Donovan, Geoffrey H. 2016. Valuing morbidity effects of wildfire smoke exposure from the 2007 Southern California wildfires.
• Benfield, J.A.; Rainbolt, G.N.; Bell, P.A.; Donovan, G.H. 2015. Classrooms with nature views: Evidence of differing student perceptions and behaviors.
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Michael, Yvonne L.; Gatziolis, Demetrios; Prestemon, Jeffrey P.; Whitsel, Eric A. 2015. Is tree loss associated with cardiovascular-disease risk in the Women's Health Initiative A natural experiment.
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Jovan, Sarah E.; Gatziolis, Demetrios; Monleon, Vicente J. 2015. Moss as bio-indicators of human exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Portland, OR.
• Donovan, Geoffrey; Oliver, Marie. 2014. Exploring connections between trees and human health.
• Champ, Patricia A.; Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Barth, Christopher M. 2013. Living in a tinderbox: wildfire risk perceptions and mitigating behaviours.
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Michael, Yvonne L.; Butry, David T.; Sullivan, Amy D.; Chase, John M. 2012. Correspondence: comment on Green Space, health inequality, and pregnancy..
• Kochi, Ikuho; Champ, Patricia A.; Loomis, John B.; Donovan, Geoffrey H. 2012. Valuing mortality impacts of smoke exposure from major southern California wildfires.
• Kirkland, John; Donovan, Geoffrey. 2011. Growing quality of life: urban trees, birth weight, and crime.
• Donovan, Geoffrey H; Prestemon, Jeffrey P; Gebert, Krista. 2011. The effect of newspaper coverage and political pressure on wildfire suppression costs.
• Wells, Gail; Donovan, Geoffrey. 2010. Calculating the green in green: What's an urban tree worth.
• Champ, Patricia Ann; Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Barth, Christopher M. 2010. Homebuyers and wildfire risk: A Colorado Springs case study.
• Champ, Patraicia Ann; Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Barth, Christopher M. 2010. Homebuyers and wildfire risk: a Colorado Springs case study.
• Kochi, Ikuho; Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Champ, Patricia A.; Loomis, John B. 2010. The economic cost of adverse health effects from wildfire-smoke exposure: A review.
• Donovan, Geoffrey; Champ, Patricia. 2009. The Economic Benefits of Elk Viewing at the Jewell Meadows Wildlife Area in Oregon.
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Brown, Thomas C.; Dale, Lisa. 2008. Chapter 16: Incentives and wildfire management in the United States.
• Hummel, Susan; Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Spies, Thomas A.; Hemstrom, Miles A. 2008. Conserving biodiversity using risk management: hoax or hope.
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Brown, Thomas C. 2008. Estimating the avoided fuel-reatment costs of wildfire.
• Prestemon, Jeffrey P.; Donovan, Geoffrey H. 2008. Forecasting resource-allocation decisions under climate uncertainty: fire suppression with assessment of net benefits of research.
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Brown, Thomas C.; Dale, Lisa. 2008. Incentives and wildfire management in the United States.
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Butry, David T. 2008. Market-based approaches to tree valuation.
• Butry, David; Donovan, Geoffrey. 2008. Protect Thy Neighbor: Investigating the Spatial Externalities of Community Wildfire Hazard Mitigation.
• Champ, Patricia; Donovan, Geoffrey; Barth, Christopher. 2008. Wildfire risk and home purchase decisions..
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Champ, Patricia A.; Butry, David T. 2007. Wildfire risk and housing prices: a case study from colorado springs.
• Donovan, Geoffrey H. 2006. Determining the optimal mix of federal and contract fire crews: a case study from the Pacific Northwest..
• Donovan, Geoffrey H. 2005. A comparison of the costs of forest service and contract fire crews in the Pacific Northwest..
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Brown, Thomas C. 2005. An alternative incentive structure for wildfire management on national forest land..
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Noordijk, Peter. 2005. Assessing the accuracy of wildland fire situation analysis (WFSA) fire size and suppression cost estimates..
• Donovan, Geoffrey; Hesseln, Hayley; Garth, John. 2005. Credit availability: a possible barrier to growth for the Alaska forest products industry.
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Noordijk, Peter. 2005. Prediction errors in wildland fire situation analyses..
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Brown, Thomas C. 2005. Wildfire management in the U.S. Forest Service: a brief history..
• Nicholls, David L.; Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Roos, Joseph. 2004. Consumer preferences for kitchen cabinets made from red alder: a comparison to other hardwoods..
• Donovan, Geoffrey H. 2004. Consumer willingness to pay a price premium for standing-dead Alaska yellow-cedar..
• Donovan, Geoffrey; Hesseln, Hayley. 2004. Consumer willingness to pay for a naturally decay-resistant wood product..
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Nicholls, David L.; Roos, Joseph. 2004. Sources of product information used by consumers when purchasing kitchen cabinets..
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Rideout, Douglas B. 2003. A reformulation of the Cost Plus Net Value Change (C+NVC) model of wildfire economics.
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Rideout, Douglas B. 2003. An integer programming model to optimize resource allocation for wildfire containment..
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Nicholls, David L. 2003. Estimating consumer willingness to pay a price premium for Alaska secondary wood products..
• Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Nicholls, David L.; Roos, Joseph. 2003. Marketing recommendations for wood products from Alaska birch, red alder, and Alaska yellow-cedar..

Research Highlights

Highlight	Title	Year
PNW-2015-35	An Innovative Study Uses Moss to Measure Air Toxin Levels at Schools in Portland, Oregon Air pollution has been linked to major health problems including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and adverse birth outcomes. Children can be par ...	2015
PNW-2020-89	Higher Sales Prices for Single-Family Homes Associated with Urban Trees To support city planners and policymakers, researchers investigated the association of urban trees and home prices. The sale price of single-fam ...	2020
PNW-2018-120	Support a child’s education by planting neighborhood trees? Greenness around a child’s home and school is associated with higher scores on standardized math and reading tests, whereas proximity to major ...	2018
PNW-2013-010	Trees Found to be Part of City's Public Health Infrastructure The emerald ash borer is associated with more than 6,000 additional lower respiratory deaths, and over 15,000 additional cardiovascular deaths i ...	2013
PNW-2014-198	Understanding What Motivates People To Plant trees Gives Insight on Environmental Justice Concerns Urban tree-planting programs may inadvertently exacerbate environmental inequality.	2014