Meet the Forestry Faculty

Francisco X. Aguilar, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
Forestry

Phone: 573-882-6304
E-mail: aguilarf@missouri.edu
Address: 203 Anheuser-Busch Natural Resources Building

Education

Ph.D. 2007, Louisiana State University

Research

Spatial analysis of natural resource-based industries.
Forest industry corporate responsibility and environmental stewardship programs.
Consumer preferences for forest products.
Forest sector economic development.

Research Summary

Aguilar's research interests include the study of spatial phenomena occurring in the Forest Industry. His work has focused on the application of Cluster and Location Theories to analyze the Forest Industry in the United States. A better understanding of the spatial distribution of the industry is essential to the identification of competitive advantages in the global market. Aguilar considers it to be necessary to incorporate a spatial dimension when analyzing natural resource problems because of interrelated biological, social and economic variants involved in forest management and land uses.

Aguilar has studied the development and expansion of environmental certification programs in the global marketplace. In particular, he has focused on the potential adoption of a common global code of conduct for sustainable forest management. Aguilar's interest in consumer preferences lies in his belief that a better understanding of purchasing preferences is key to promoting sustainable consumption patterns.

Given the current potential for the development of biomass energy sources, Aguilar is also interested in studying the economic impact of renewable energy initiatives on the forest resource. Aguilar's diverse portfolio of research interests is grounded in his desire to enhance peoples' well-being and to contribute to the efficient use of the world's natural resources. Aguilar is a former British Council Scholar and has received awards from the Earth Island Institute, World Resources Institute and Resources for the Future in the U.S. Originally from Ecuador, Aguilar has significant international experience working in the Americas, Asia and Europe.

Teaching

Forest Resource Economics and Finance.
Natural Resource Policy and Administration.
Ecosystem Management: The Human Dimension.

Selected Publications

Song, N., Aguilar, F.X., Shifley, S. and M. Goerndt. 2012. Factors Affecting Wood Energy Consumption by U.S. Households. Energy Economics. 34: 389–397.
Saunders, A., Aguilar, F.X., Dwyer, J. and H. Stelzer. 2012. Cost Structure of Integrated Harvesting for Woody Biomass and Solid Hardwood Products in Southeastern Missouri. Journal of Forestry. 110(1)7-15.
Aguilar, F.X., Gaston, C., Hartkamp, R., Mabee, W. and K. Skog. 2011. Chapter 9: Wood energy markets. In: United Nations Forest Products Annual Market Review 2010-2011. P. 85-97. Online at http://www.unece.org/forests-welcome/areas-of-work/forestsforestproductsmarketswelcome/forestsfpmoutputs/forestsfpmannualmarketreviews/2010-2011.html.
Aguilar, F.X., Song, N., and S. Shifley. 2011. Review of Consumption Trends and Public Policies Promoting Woody Biomass as an Energy Feedstock in the U.S. Biomass & Bioenergy. 35: 3708-3718.
Aguilar, F.X. and A. Saunders. 2011. Attitudes Toward Policy Instruments Promoting Wood-For-Energy Uses in the United States. Southern Journal of Applied Forestry. 35(2):73-79.
Barbieri, C. and F.X. Aguilar. 2011. Thinking beyond Property Rights and Open Access: The Ius In Re as a Framework for Developing Tenure Institutions for Renewable Natural Resources. Society and Natural Resources. 24:292–302.
Song, N., Chang, J. and F.X. Aguilar. 2011. U.S. Softwood Lumber Demand and Supply Estimation using Cointegration in a System of Dynamic Simultaneous Equations. Journal of Forest Economics. 17:19–33.
Aguilar, F.X. and Z. Cai. 2010 Conjoint Effect of Environmental Labeling, Disclosure of Forest of Origin and Price on Consumer Preferences for Wood Products in the U.S. and U.K. Ecological Economics. 70: 308–316.
Aguilar, F.X. and Z. Cai. 2010. Exploratory Analysis of Renewable Energy Private Investment Opportunities in the U.S. Energy Economics. 32(6):1245-1252.
Aguilar, F.X. and A. Saunders. 2010. Policy Instruments Promoting Wood for Energy Uses: Evidence from the Continental U.S. Journal of Forestry. 108(3):132-140.
Aguilar, F.X., Cernusca, M., Gold, M. and C. Barbieri. 2010. Frequency of Consumption, Familiarity and Preferences for Chestnuts in Missouri. Agroforestry Systems. 79(1): 19-29.
Aguilar, F.X. and H.E. Garrett. 2009. Perspectives of Woody Biomass for Energy: Survey of State Foresters, State Energy Biomass Contacts, and National Council of Forestry Association Executives. Journal of Forestry. 107(6): 297-306.
Aguilar, F.X. 2009. Investment Preferences for Wood-based Energy Initiatives in the U.S. Energy Policy. 37(6): 2292–2299.
Aguilar, F.X. 2009. Spatial Econometric Analysis of Location Drivers in a Renewable Resource-based Industry: The U.S. South Lumber Industry. Forest Policy and Economics. 11: 184–193.
Aguilar, F.X., Bratkovich, S.M., Fernholz, K. Garrard, A., Grala R. , Leightley, L., Martin, W. and I. A. Munn. 2009. The Status of and Opportunities for Business Clustering within the Forest Products Sector in the U.S. Report prepared for the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, Inc. online at http://www.usendowment.org/publications.html.
Aguilar, F.X. 2008. Differentiating region-specific principles and informing consumers – why there should be a two-label forest product certification structure. Journal of Forestry. 106(4):234-235.
Aguilar, F.X. 2008. Effect of Centrifugal Forces on Cluster Patterns in the Softwood Lumber Industry of the United States. Forest Science. 54(2): 242-249.
Aguilar, F.X. and R.P. Vlosky. 2008. An Exploratory Analysis of U.S. Homebuilders and Architect Attitudes toward Descriptions of Forest Certification. Forest Products Journal. 58(3):26-33.
Aguilar, F.X. and R.P. Vlosky. 2007. Consumer Willingness to Pay Price Premiums for Environmentally Certified Wood Products in the USA. Forest Policy and Economics. 9: 1100–1112.
Aguilar, F.X. and R.P. Vlosky. 2006. Spatial analysis of forest product manufacturer clusters in Louisiana. Wood and Fiber Science. 38(1): 121-131.
Blackman, A., Avalos-Sartorio, B., Chow, J. and F.X. Aguilar. 2006. Tree cover loss in El Salvador’s coffee forests (PDF). Report to the Inter-American Development Bank. RFF, Washington D.C.