ProfessorAnn Brower

Ann’s research examines how environmental governance systems shape land‑use outcomes, biodiversity protection, and the distribution of environmental benefits and burdens. She focuses on the design and performance of policy instruments, regulatory frameworks, and property‑rights arrangements that influence how societies manage natural resources and ecological values. Her work integrates environmental science, environmental policy, economics, governance, and the law to analyse how institutions enable or constrain effective conservation and sustainable land stewardship.

She has a particular interest in biodiversity governance, including how legal and policy settings support or undermine ecological protection across public and private land. Her research also explores data‑driven spatial planning, using evidence‑based approaches to evaluate land‑use patterns, conservation priorities, and the effectiveness of environmental interventions. This includes the use of remote sensing, spatial analysis, and econometric methods to understand how policy choices translate into ecological outcomes. 

Current work is examining braided river systems, exploring how governance arrangements, land‑use pressures, and conservation tools affect the resilience and ecological integrity of these dynamic landscapes. She also maintains an enduring interest in the policy toolkit for maintaining indigenous biodiversity, including the design, performance, and consequences of mechanisms such as biodiversity compensation and offsetting. Through this portfolio, she contributes to more equitable, transparent, and ecologically grounded decision‑making in conservation management and resource governance.