Christopher Williams
Professor, Geography
Scholarly Interests
terrestrial ecosystems, global environmental change, and climate change
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Dr. Williams is a professor of earth system science within Clark’s School of Geography and is director of the environmental sciences program at Clark. His expertise is in terrestrial ecosystems, global environmental change, and climate change. He and his team engage in foundational research science on the climate impacts of forests. By combining state-of-the-art satellite remote sensing with big data geo-computation, the lab is quantifying the carbon emissions avoided by protecting forests, the removals of carbon with forest growth, and also the important climate impacts of changing surface reflectivity (albedo) that happens with changes in tree cover. Their work is informing decision makers about where we get the greatest climate benefit from retaining and expanding tree cover, worldwide. The team is delivering action-ready datasets to land managers and policymakers working around the world, including The Nature Conservancy, the Open Space Institute, The Trust for Public Lands, and states participating in the U.S. Climate Alliance. At Clark, in addition to teaching and mentoring students at all levels, he has served as vice chair of the faculty, chair of the graduate board, co-chair of the provost search, among other roles. Externally, he has served as co-chair of the science leadership group of the North American Carbon Program, science co-investigator of the Harvard Forest National Science Foundation Long Term Ecological Research program, and science team member of NASA’s Carbon Monitoring System.
Degrees
- Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences, Duke University, 2004
- M.S. in Watershed Science, Colorado State University, 2000
- B.A. in Biology and Environmental Studies, Bucknell University, 1996
Affiliated Department(s)
- Geography Department
- Biology
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Scholarly and Creative Works
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Climate Finance: Needs, Barriers, Challenges, Opportunities
Social Innovation Conference, Clark University School of Management
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Clark University, Worcester, MA
2023-04-21
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2023
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Earth Transformed: Past, Present and Future
Centennial Celebration of the Graduate School of Geography, Clark University
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Worcester, MA
2023-04-14
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2023
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2022 North American Carbon Program Science Implementation Plan
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2023
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Across-model spread and shrinking in predicting peatland carbon dynamics under global change.
Published in Global Change Biology
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2023
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Conservation Carbon & Climate Protection: Assessing Opportunities and Limitations
Natural Areas Association Webinar on Nature's Front Line: The Role of Natural Areas in Climate Resilience in Central Appalachian Forests
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Virtual
2022-10-28
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2022
Sponsored by Natural Areas Association
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Biophysics and Natural Climate Solutions: Sorting Mitigation and Adaptation at Local and Global Scales
NCS Workshop of AMERIFLUX / Indiana University
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Washington, D.C.
2022-06-28
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2022
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The science needed for robust, scalable, and credible nature-based climate solutions in the United States: Full Report
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2022
[Bloomington, Ind.]: Indiana University
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A process-model perspective on recent changes in the carbon cycle of North America
Published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences
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2022
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Albedo changes caused by future urbanization contribute to global warming
Published in Nature Communications
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2022
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Vol. 13
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Issue #1
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A modified Vegetation Photosynthesis and Respiration Model (VPRM) for the eastern USA and Canada, evaluated with comparison to atmospheric observations and other biospheric models
Published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences
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2022
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Vol. 127
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Issue #1
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March
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2022
Southern Environmental Law Center; https://southernenvironment.sharefile.com/share/view/s322e5dc731984235ab391a16115a7d21
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Forests as Climate Solution: Writing the Playbook from Pathways to Pixels to Policy
University of Connecticut Geography Colloquium
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Storrs, CT
March
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2022
Sponsored by University of Connecticut Geography
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Plots to Pixels to Policy with a Wall-to-Wall Forest Carbon Monitoring and Assessment System
NASA Carbon Monitoring System Biomass Working Group
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January
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2022
Sponsored by NASA Carbon Monitoring System
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Wildfire controls on land surface properties in mixed conifer and ponderosa pine forests of Sierra Nevada and Klamath mountains, Western US
Published in Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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2022
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Vol. 320
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Climate impacts of US forest loss span net warming to net cooling
Published in Science Advances
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2021
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Vol. 7
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Issue #7
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Atmospheric Carbon and Transport--America (ACT-America) Data Sets: Description, Management, and Delivery
Published in Earth and Space Science
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2021
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Vol. 8
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Issue #7
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The atmospheric carbon and transport (ACT)-America mission
Published in Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society
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2021
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Vol. 102
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Issue #9
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Beyond biomass to carbon fluxes: application and evaluation of a comprehensive Forest Carbon Monitoring System
Published in Environmental Research Letters
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2021
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Avoided Deforestation: A Climate Mitigation Opportunity in New England and New York
Media Briefing Webinar
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Online
September
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2021
Sponsored by The Nature Conservancy and U.S. Climate Alliance
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Bringing Forest Carbon into Focus: Improved Estimates of the Carbon Benefits from Avoided Forest Conversion in New England and New York
United States Climate Alliance: Natural and Working Lands Webinar
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Online
October
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2021
Sponsored by United States Climate Alliance
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Introducing the NACP Science Implementation Plan
NACP Open Science Meeting
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Online
March
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2021
Sponsored by North American Carbon Program
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Pathways to a Low Carbon Future
North American Carbon Program Open Science Meeting
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Online
March
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2021
Sponsored by NACP
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Avoided Deforestation: A Climate Mitigation Opportunity in New England and New York
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2021
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Patterns of post-drought recovery are strongly influenced by drought duration, frequency, post-drought wetness, and bioclimatic setting.
Published in Global Change Biology
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2021
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Joint CO2 Mole Fraction and Flux Analysis Confirms Missing Processes in CASA Terrestrial Carbon Uptake over North America
Published in Global Biogeochemical Cycles
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2021
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Natural climate solutions for Canada
Published in Science Advances
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2021
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Vol. 7
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Issue #23
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Forest Carbon Stocks and Fluxes from the NFCMS, Conterminous USA, 1990-2010
Published in ORNL DAAC, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA. https://doi.org/10.3334/ORNLDAAC/1829
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2021
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Climate Impacts of US Forest Loss Spans Net Warming to Net Cooling
NASA CMS Science Team Meeting
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April
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2021
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Ensemble model output of North American atmospheric CO2 simulations for summer 2016, including transport, CASA and CT2017, and boundary condition ensembles
Published in Data Commons, https://doi.org/10.26208/z864-qk73
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2020
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Plots to Pixels to Policy: Intrepid Journey of a Wall-to-Wall Forest Carbon Monitoring and Assessment System
Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Cooperative (FEMC) Annual Conference
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online (U of Vermont hosted)
December
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2020
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Published in Giscience & Remote Sensing
2020/10/02
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2020
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Vol. 57
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Issue #7
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Published in Ecological Monographs
2021/05/10
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2020
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Vol. 90
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Issue #4
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Forest Carbon Opportunities for Climate Protection
Maine and New Hampshire USCA Collaborators
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Virtual
March
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2020
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Albedo Offsets to Carbon Mitigation Activities in the Forest Sector for Canada
Canada Natural Climate Solutions Study
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Virtual
April
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2020
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Forest Carbon Opportunities for Climate Protection
Governor's Office of Connecticut, Climate Action Council
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May
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2020
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Forest Carbon Opportunities for Climate Protection
Trust for Public Lands & Open Space Institute
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Virtual
April
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2020
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Forest Carbon Opportunities for Climate Protection
Harvard Forest Workshop on Forest Carbon, Climate, and New England Landscape Futures
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Virtual
April
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2020
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CASA Model Ensemble of Surface Biogenic Fluxes: Analysis and Uncertainty Attribution
NASA ACT-America Science PI Meeting
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Virtual
April
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2020
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A Multiyear Gridded Data Ensemble of Surface Biogenic Carbon Fluxes for North America: Evaluation and Analysis of Results
Published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences
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2020
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Vol. 125
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Issue #2
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Drought impacts on Australian vegetation during the Millennium Drought measured with multi-source spaceborne remote sensing
Published in Journal of Geophysical Research - Biogeosciences
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2020
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Issue #DOI:10.1029/2019JG005145
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Albedo Offsets to Carbon Mitigation Activities in the Forest Sector for Canada
Canada Natural Climate Solutions Group
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October
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2019
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Forests as a Natural Climate Solution in State-level Policy and Management
US Climate Alliance Natural and Working Lands NorthEast Working Group
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Providence, RI
November
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2019
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High Resolution Surface Biogenic CO2 Flux Priors: CASA Ensemble for North America
NOAA / NIST Urban Flux Inversion Working Group
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Virtual
June
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2019
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U.S. National Forest Carbon Monitoring System
USFS - NASA Joint Applications Workshop: Satellite Data to Support Natural Resource Management
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Salt Lake City, UT
June
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2019
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Forest Carbon Monitoring System for U.S. National Reporting and Assessment
NASA Carbon Monitoring System Science PI Meeting
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La Jolla, CA
November
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2019
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Carbon, Climate, and US Forests: Synthesis of Harvesting, Wood Products, Deforestation, Reforestation, and Natural Disturbance Impacts
American Geophysical Union 2019 Fall Meeting
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San Francisco
December
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2019
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Seasonal characteristics of model uncertainties from biogenic fluxes, transport, and large-scale boundary inflow in atmospheric CO2 simulations over North America
Published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres
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2019
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Vol. 124
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Issue #DOI: 10.1029/2019JD031165
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Forest Carbon Stocks and Fluxes After Disturbance, Southeastern USA 1990-2010
Published in ORNL DAAC, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA. https://doi.org/10.3334/ORNLDAAC/1728
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2019
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The Carbon Balance of the Southeastern U.S. Forest Sector as Driven by Recent Disturbance Trends
Published in Journal of Geophysical Research - Biogeosciences
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2019
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Vol. 124
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Modeling the Potential Dispersal of Asian Longhorned Beetle Using Circuit Theory
Published in The Professional Geographer
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2019
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Vol. 71
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Issue #4
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ACT-America: Gridded Ensembles of Surface Biogenic Carbon Fluxes for North America and the Conterminous United States, 2003-2017
Published in ORNL DAAC, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA. https://doi.org/10.3334/ORNLDAAC/1675; https://actamerica.ornl.gov/model_prior_casa_ensemble.shtml
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2019
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Assessing regional drought impacts on vegetation and evapotranspiration: a case study in Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Published in Ecological Applications
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2018
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Spatiotemporal transition of institutional and socioeconomic impacts on vegetation productivity in Central Asia over last three decades
Published in Science of the Total Environment
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2018
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Vol. 658
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Chapter: Chapter 9: Forests, In: Second State of the Carbon Cycle Report (SOCCR2): A Sustained Assessment Report.Published by [Cavallaro, N., G. Shrestha, R. Birdsey, M. A. Mayes, R. G. Najjar, S. C~…
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2018
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Local variability in the timing and intensity of tropical dry forest deciduousness is explained by differences in forest stand age
Published in GIScience & Remote Sensing
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2018
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Vol. 55
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Issue #3
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Natural climate solutions for the United States
Published in Science Advances
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2018
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Vol. 4
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Issue #11
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The Terrestrial Carbon Sink
Published in Annual Review of Environment and Resources
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2018
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Vol. 43
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Predictors of mortality for juvenile trees in a residential urban-to-rural cohort in Worcester, MA
Published in Urban Forestry & Urban Greening
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2018
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Vol. 30
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Cross-Scale Correlation between In Situ Measurements of Canopy Gap Fraction and Landsat-Derived Vegetation Indices with Implications for Monitoring the Seasonal Phenology in Tropical Forests Using MODIS Data
Published in Remote Sensing
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2018
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Vol. 10
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Issue #7
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Upside-down fluxes Down Under: CO 2 net sink in winter and net source in summer in a temperate evergreen broadleaf forest
Published in Biogeosciences
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2018
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Vol. 15
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Issue #12
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Corrigendum: Recent pause in the growth rate of atmospheric CO 2 due to enhanced terrestrial carbon uptake
Published in Nature communications
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2017
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Vol. 8
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Towards physiologically meaningful water-use efficiency estimates from eddy covariance data
Published in Global Change Biology
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2017
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Mapping of the Asian longhorned beetle’s time to maturity and risk to invasion at contiguous United States extent
Published in Biological Invasions
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2017
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Vol. 19
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Issue #7
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Effects of urban tree canopy loss on land surface temperature magnitude and timing
Published in ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
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2017
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Vol. 128
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Awards & Grants
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NFCMS Update and Carbon Assessments for Forest Conservation Planning and Action
Open Space Institute/ US Forest Service Forest Legacy Program
Jun. 1, 2023 - Sep. 30, 2024
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Decision Support Tools for Global Assessment of Albedo Impacts on NCS from Reforestation and Avoided Deforestation
The Nature Conservancy
Jan. 1, 2021 - Dec. 31, 2023
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US Deforestation Climate Impacts Analysis
The Nature Conservancy
Jun. 1, 2022 - Sep. 30, 2023
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Forest Loss from Wood Pellet Mill Industry in Southern US
Southern Environmental Law Center
May. 1, 2020 - Jan. 31, 2021
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Climate Change Mitigation through Avoided Deforestation and other Forest Pathways
US Climate Alliance (Doris Duke Charitable Fund source)
Oct. 1, 2019 - Dec. 31, 2020
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Vegetation Decline and Recovery During the Millennium Drought in Australia Seen from Satellites
NASA
Sep. 1, 2017 - Aug. 31, 2020
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ACT-America Surface Biogenic Carbon Flux Priors from CASA: Providing Priors, Analyzing Error Structures and Reducing Parameter Uncertainties
NASA
Jul. 13, 2016 - Jul. 12, 2020
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Albedo Contributions to Climate Impacts of Forest Conversions in Canada
The Nature Conservancy
Apr. 1, 2019 - Jun. 30, 2020
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Gratitude Award
Clark University Women in Business
2021
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