College of Forestry
Director
Mark D. Needham, Ph.D.
Professor and Director of the Natural Resources, Tourism, and Recreation (NATURE) Studies Lab
Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society
Oregon State University
204 Richardson Hall
Office: (541) 737-1498
Fax: (541) 737-5814
Education
Ph.D., Colorado State University; Human Dimensions of Natural Resources, Recreation, and Tourism
M.A., University of Victoria, Canada; Geography
B.A., University of Victoria, Canada; Geography and Environmental Studies
Dr. Needham is a Professor in the Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society at Oregon State University (OSU). He received his B.A. and M.A. in Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of Victoria in Canada, and his Ph.D. in Human Dimensions of Natural Resources at Colorado State University. Dr. Needham’s research and teaching focus on the human dimensions (social science) of natural resources (e.g., forests, wildlife, marine areas), especially issues related to recreation and tourism / ecotourism. Specifically, he focuses on social science concepts such as norms, crowding, conflict, satisfaction, specialization, value orientations, attitudes, risk, and trust. He also has expertise in survey research methodologies (e.g., designing questionnaires) and advanced statistical analyses. He has published approximately 85 refereed articles in flagship journals, authored 1 book and 12 book chapters, and presented more than 150 papers at local, national, and international conferences. He served for more than a decade as Co-Editor of the international journal Human Dimensions of Wildlife. In addition, he is an international collaborator at the University of Cape Town’s Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa (iCWild). Dr. Needham received The Academy of Leisure Sciences Excellence in Teaching Award for 2016, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society Graduate Students’ Award for Outstanding Faculty for 2013, College of Forestry Dean's Award for Outstanding Teaching and Advising Professor for 2009, and the College of Forestry Dean's Award for Outstanding Research Professor for 2007. Dr. Needham is also an award winning wildlife photographer, which has taken him to more than 50 countries around the world (see link to photography website below).