Steve Trombulak

Professor Emeritus in the Department of Biology and Program in Environmental StudiesStephen C. Trombulak
Middlebury College
Middlebury, Vermont 05753 U.S.A.

trombulak@middlebury.edu

B.A. Biology (now, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology), University of California, Los Angeles (1977)
Ph.D. Zoology (now, Biology), University of Washington (1983)

Former Editor, Journal of Natural History Education and Experience

Former Director, Middlebury School of the Environment

Miscellaneous videos related to my professional work:

Research interests

I am retired from active teaching at Middlebury College.  However, I continue my scholarly work, especially related to sustainability, conservation biology, and natural history, in the following areas:

  • Theoretical concepts related to the protection and restoration of biological integrity
  • Regional conservation issues in the Northern Appalachian/Acadian ecoregion (northeastern U.S. and southeastern Canada)
  • Fostering a renaissance in the practice and appreciation of natural history
  • Community engagement with sustainability and resilience planning
  • Scenario planning as a tool to enhance resiliency

I also write poetry, prose, and prayers, largely on themes of community, environment, and the joys and challenges of a well-lived life.

Recent publications

Trombulak, S. “Change Comes to All Things,” “Decay,” and “At Any Time.” In The Black River: Death Poems. D. Pulgram Arthen (Ed.). NatureCulture LLC.

Bridge, M., and S. Trombulak. 2023. The Way of Gaia. NatureCulture LLC.

Trombulak, S.C., and J.M. Byrne. 2022. Integrating scenario planning into sustainability practicums. Journal of Sustainability Education. February 4, 2022.

Trombulak, S.C., and W. Hegman. 2021. Assessment of human modification of landscapes: Human perceptions vs. analytical indices. Preprints 2021, 2021090484 (doi: 10.20944/preprints202109.0484.v1).

Baldwin, R.F., S.C. Trombulak, P.B. Leonard, R.F. Noss, J.A. Hilty, H.P. Possingham, L. Scarlett, and M.G. Anderson. 2018. The future of landscape conservation. BioScience 68: 60-63.

Fleischner, T.L., R.E. Espinoza, G.A. Gerrish, H.W. Greene, R.W. Kimmerer, E.A. Lacey, S. Pace, J.K. Parrish, H.M. Swain, S.C. Trombulak, S. Weisberg, D. W. Winkler, and L. Zander. 2017. Teaching biology in the field: Importance, challenges, and solutions. BioScience 67: 558-567.

Perkl, R.M., R.F. Baldwin, S.C. Trombulak, and G.R. Smith. 2016. Landscape network congruency at the ecoregion scale: can we expect corridor ‘umbrellas’? Journal of Land Use Science, DOI: 10.1080/1747423X.2016.1142015.

Witt, J., H. Peterson, and S.C. Trombulak. 2016. Case Study: ‘Understanding Place’ at the Middlebury School of the Environment. Journal of Sustainability Education 11: ISSN 2151-7452.

D’Aloia, C.C., C.B. Azodi, S.P. Sheldon, S.C. Trombulak, and W.R. Ardren. 2015. Genetic models reveal historical patterns of sea lamprey population fluctuations within Lake Champlain. PeerJ 3:e1369, DOI 10.7717/peerj.1369.

Klyza, C.M., and S.C. Trombulak. 2015. The Story of Vermont: A natural and cultural history (2nd edition). Hanover, NH: University Press of New England.

Schmitz, O.J., J.J. Lawler, P. Beier, C. Groves, G. Knight, D.A. Boyce Jr., J. Bulluck, K.M. Johnston, M.L. Klein, K. Muller, D.J. Pierce, W.R. Singleton, J.R. Strittholt, D.M. Theobald, S.C. Trombulak, and A. Trainor. 2015. Conserving biodiversity: practical guidance about climate change adaptation approaches in support of land-use planning. Natural Areas Journal 35: 190-203.

Tewksbury, J.J., J.G.T. Anderson, J.D. Bakker, T.J. Billo, P.W. Dunwiddie, M.J. Groom, S.E. Hampton, S.G. Herman, D.J. Levey, N.J. Machnicki, C. Martinez del Rio, M.E. Power, K. Rowell, A.K. Salomon, L. Stacey, S.C. Trombulak, and T.A. Wheeler. 2014. Natural history’s place in science and society. BioScience 64: 300-310.

Halfacre, A.C., J. Byrne, M. Horhota, K. Kransteuber, S.C. Trombulak, B. DeKnight, B. Andersen, and N. Jenks-Jay. 2013. Shaping sustainability at Furman and Middlebury: Emergent and adaptive curricular models. In High Education for Sustainability: Cases, Challenges, and Opportunities from Across the Curriculum (L.F. Johnston, ed.). New York: Routledge.

Rudnick, D.A., S.J. Ryan, P. Beier, S. Cushman, F. Dieffenbach, C.W. Epps, L. Gerber, J. Hartter, J. Jenness, J. Kintsch,  A.M. Merenlender, R.M. Perkl, D.V. Preziosi, and S.C. Trombulak.  2012.  The role of landscape connectivity in planning and implementing conservation and restoration priorities. Issues in Ecology 16: 1-20.

Trombulak, S.C., R.F. Baldwin, J.J. Lawler, J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, and M.G. Anderson. 2012. The Northern Appalachian/Acadian ecoregion, North America.  In Climate and Conservation: Landscape and seascape science, planning, and action (J.A. Hilty, C.C. Chester, and M.S. Cross, eds.).  Washington, D.C.: Island Press.

Al-Abdulrazzak, D., and S.C. Trombulak.  2012. Classifying levels of protection in marine protected areas. Marine Policy 36: 576-582.

Noss, R.F., A.P. Dobson, R. Baldwin, P. Beier, C.R. Davis, D.A. Dellasala, J. Francis, H. Locke, A. Nowak, R. Lopez, C. Reining, S.C. Trombulak, and G. Tabor. 2012. Bolder thinking for conservation. Conservation Biology 26: 1-4.

Chester, C.C., J.A. Hilty, and S.C. Trombulak. 2012. Climate change science, impacts, and opportunities. In Climate and Conservation: Landscape and seascape science, planning, and action (J.A. Hilty, C.C. Chester, and M.S. Cross, eds.).  Washington, D.C.: Island Press.

Trombulak, S.C. 2011. Becoming a neighbor.  In The Way of Natural History (T. Fleischner, ed.) Trinity University Press.

Trombulak, S.C., and R.F. Baldwin, editors. 2010. Landscape-scale Conservation Planning. New York: Springer.

Baldwin, R.F., R. Perkl, S.C. Trombulak, S.C., and W.B. Burwell. 2010. Modeling ecoregional connectivity. In Landscape-scale Conservation Planning (S.C. Trombulak and R.F. Baldwin, eds.) New York: Springer.

Hamilton, L.S., and S.C. Trombulak. 2010. Greater Northern Appalachian bioregion. Pp. 152-160 in Connectivity Conservation Management: A Global Guide (G.L. Worboys, W.L. Francis, M. Lockwood, eds.). Earthscan: London.

Trombulak, S.C., and R.F. Baldwin. 2010. Introduction: Creating a context for landscape-scale conservation planning. In Landscape-scale Conservation Planning (S.C. Trombulak and R.F. Baldwin, eds.) New York: Springer.

Trombulak, S.C., R.F. Baldwin, and G. Woolmer. 2010. The Human Footprint as a conservation planning tool. In Landscape-scale Conservation Planning (S.C. Trombulak and R.F. Baldwin, eds.) New York: Springer.

Trombulak, S.C.. 2010. Assessing irreplaceability in systematic conservation planning. In Landscape-scale Conservation Planning (S.C. Trombulak and R.F. Baldwin, eds.) New York: Springer.

Baldwin, R.F., S.C. Trombulak, and E.D. Baldwin. 2009. Assessing risk of large-scale habitat conversion in lightly settled landscapes. Landscape and Urban Planning. doi: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2009.01,004.

Richmond, L., and S.C. Trombulak. 2009. Distribution of red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus) with respect to cover-object characteristics in the Green Mountains of Vermont. Northeastern Naturalist 16: 13-26.

Trombulak, S.C., M.G. Anderson, R.F. Baldwin, K. Beazley, J.C. Ray, C. Reining, G. Woolmer, C. Bettigole, G. Forbes, and L. Gratton. 2008. The Northern Appalachian/Acadian Ecoregion: Priority Locations for Conservation Action. Two Countries, One Forest / Deux Pays, Une Forêt Special Report 1.

Woolmer, G., S.C. Trombulak, J. Ray, P. Doran, M. Anderson, R. Baldwin, A. Morgan, and E. Sanderson. 2008. Rescaling the Human Footprint: A tool for conservation planning at an ecoregional scale. Landscape and Urban Planning 87: 42-53.

Baldwin, R.F., J.C. Ray, S.C. Trombulak, G. Woolmer. 2007. Relationship between spatial distribution of urban sprawl and species imperilment: response to Brown and Laband. Conservation Biology 21: 546-548.

Baldwin, R.F., S.Trombulak, M. Anderson and G. Woolmer. 2007. Projecting transition probabilities for regular public roads at the ecoregion scale: a Northern Appalachian/Acadian case study. Landscape and Urban Planning 80: 404-411.

Trombulak, S.C. 2007. Wilderness and wild lands in the Northern Appalachian region of North America: An ecological perspective. Pp. 510-514 in Science and stewardship to protect and sustain wilderness values: Eighth World Wilderness Congress symposium (A. Watson, J. Sproull, and L. Dean, eds.). Proceedings RMRS-P-49. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. Fort Collins, CO.

Baldwin, R.F., and S.C. Trombulak. 2007. Losing the dark: a case for a national policy on land conservation. Conservation Biology 21: 1133-1134.

Daly, H.E., B. Czech, D.L. Trauger, W.E. Rees, M. Grover, T. Dobson, S.C. Trombulak. 2007. Are we consuming too much – for what? Conservation Biology 21: 1359-1362.

Trombulak, S.C., and T.L. Fleischner. 2007. Natural history renaissance. Journal of Natural History Education 1:1-4.

Baldwin, R.F., S.C. Trombulak, G. Woolmer, K. Beazley, C. Reining, J. Nordgren, and M. Anderson. 2007. The importance of Maine for ecoregional conservation planning. Maine Policy Review 16: 66-77.

Other activities

Advisory Committee, Vermont Invertebrate Database Alliance

I used to be involved in a lot more, but seriously, being both the Director of Sciences and Director of the Middlebury School of the Environment during my final years before retirement took up a lot of time, so I pared back on boards and committees. 

plus, some rules to live by …

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