Dave Peterson

Dr. Dave Peterson

dave petersonDr. Dave Peterson is Professor in the University of Washington School of Environmental and Forest Sciences. He works with the Adaptation Partners team to develop climate change assessments and adaptation strategies in national forests and other lands throughout the western United States. He has conducted research on the effects of climate change and fire on forest ecosystems throughout western North America, has published 230 scientific articles and 4 books, and as a contributing author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was a co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He is a lead author for the Forests chapter of the 2018 National Climate Assessment and recently published the book Climate Change and Rocky Mountain Ecosystems. Dave lives on his family’s tree farm in Skagit County.

Research Interests – Skagit-specific

  • Effects of climate change on tree growth and regeneration
  • Effects of ecological disturbances and stressors on forest ecosystems

Other research interests:

  • Fire effects on forest ecosystems
  • Mountain ecology
  • Ecological scale

Education and Credentials

  • PhD, Forest Ecology, University of Illinois, 1980.
  • MS, Botany, University of Illinois, 1977.
  • BS, Zoology, University of Illinois, 1976.

Affiliations and Professional Service

  • Member, Skagit Climate Science Consortium
  • Life member, Northwest Scientific Association
  • Principal, Western Mountain Initiative
  • Science advisor, U.S. Forest Service climate change program

Contact information
Dr. Dave Peterson

Email: wild@uw.edu