Robin Rotman

University of Missouri Columbia, School of natural resources, Faculty Member

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I hold a tenure-track teaching and research appointment in the MU School of Natural Resources. I also have courtesy appointments in the MU School of Law and the MU Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.My research interests include environmental law and policy, environmental justice, land use, water resources, and renewable energy. My publications include both law journals and peer-reviewed science and social science journals.

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Papers by Robin Rotman

Spatiotemporal Patterns for Agroforestry Tree Crops in the U.S. Corn Belt for USDA Census of Agriculture Periods 2012–2022

by Andria Caruthers, Robin Rotman, and Justin Dijak

Agriculture, 2024

Within the U.S., there is a growing need to integrate environmentally friendly practices into con... more Within the U.S., there is a growing need to integrate environmentally friendly practices into conventional agriculture. Agroforestry enhances environmental and resource stewardship in agricultural landscapes while offering potential economic benefits to farmers. Despite rising interest, limited information on its application in the U.S. hinders development efforts. A spatiotemporal analysis of current farm operations can provide crucial insights. This study examined patterns of agroforestry and tree crop adoption in the U.S. Corn Belt using USDA Census data (2012, 2017, and 2022) and spatial tools (Global Moran’s I, Local Moran’s I, and Moran scatterplots). The tree crops included in the analysis were chestnut (Castanea spp.), hazelnut (Corylus spp.), improved northern pecan (Carya illinoinensis), elderberry (Sambucus spp.), and pawpaw (Asimina triloba). The results showed increasing farm operations with agroforestry and tree crops over time for all census periods. Agroforestry had the strongest spatial cluster patterns, with Local Moran’s I revealing R2 values rising from 0.30 to 0.35 between 2017 and 2022. Chestnut, hazelnut, and improved pecan had clustered spatial patterns, but had decreasing spatial autocorrelations from 2012 to 2022, while elderberry clustered in 2017 but not 2022. This study reveals an upward trend in agroforestry adoption and the spatial expansion of certain tree crops in the U.S. Corn Belt, highlighting potential for region-specific agroforestry development. The findings offer insights to guide strategies and programs supporting sustainable agricultural practices.

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Agriculture 14.12 (2024) - Caruthers et al.

by Robin Rotman and Andria Caruthers

Agriculture, 2024

Within the U.S., there is a growing need to integrate environmentally friendly practices into con... more Within the U.S., there is a growing need to integrate environmentally friendly practices into conventional agriculture. Agroforestry enhances environmental and resource stewardship in agricultural landscapes while offering potential economic benefits to farmers. Despite rising interest,
limited information on its application in the U.S. hinders development efforts. A spatiotemporal analysis of current farm operations can provide crucial insights. This study examined patterns of agroforestry and tree crop adoption in the U.S. Corn Belt using USDA Census data (2012, 2017, and 2022) and spatial tools (Global Moran’s I, Local Moran’s I, and Moran scatterplots). The tree crops included in the analysis were chestnut (Castanea spp.), hazelnut (Corylus spp.), improved northern pecan (Carya illinoinensis), elderberry (Sambucus spp.), and pawpaw (Asimina triloba). The results showed increasing farm operations with agroforestry and tree crops over time for all census periods. Agroforestry had the strongest spatial cluster patterns, with Local Moran’s I revealing R2 values rising
from 0.30 to 0.35 between 2017 and 2022. Chestnut, hazelnut, and improved pecan had clustered spatial patterns, but had decreasing spatial autocorrelations from 2012 to 2022, while elderberry clustered in 2017 but not 2022. This study reveals an upward trend in agroforestry adoption and the spatial expansion of certain tree crops in the U.S. Corn Belt, highlighting potential for region-specific agroforestry development. The findings offer insights to guide strategies and programs supporting sustainable agricultural practices.

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Hastings Envt'l L.J. 93 (2024) - Rotman and David Pennington

by Robin Rotman and Aidan David-Pennington

UC Law Environmental Journal, 2024

“Sustainability” is in—but what does that term mean, when applied to products, services or brands... more “Sustainability” is in—but what does that term mean, when applied to
products, services or brands? This article explores existing Federal Trade
Commission (“FTC”) oversight of “sustainable” claims in marketing, centering on the FTC’s Guidelines for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims (often referred to as the “Green Guides”). It analyzes thousands of public comments filed in a recent FTC quasi-rulemaking docket to inform proposed revisions to the Green Guides. The article suggests that the FTC include guidance on “sustainable” claims in its next revision to the Green Guides, and further recommends that the FTC formally extend the Green Guides to include claims made about brands and brand operations in response to growing use of “sustainable” claims in brand-level advertisements. This increased oversight of “sustainable” claims will instill confidence in consumers about the sustainable products they buy, help marketers make genuine “sustainable” claims, and foster competition and innovation in businesses to meet the demand for sustainable products.

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Integrative highway rights-of-way management to reduce stormwater run-off and enhance habitat

Restoration Ecology, 2024

Nature-based management along highway rights-of-way (ROW) has been a focus in several states to b... more Nature-based management along highway rights-of-way (ROW) has been a focus in several states to benefit pollinators through supporting diverse and native vegetative communities. There is the potential to enhance the ecological benefits of this practice by integrating stormwater management into restoration plans and incorporating other complex, multidisciplinary factors. Historically, lack of technical assistance and limited resources has led managers to use unsustainable roadside practices that reduce the potential ecological services of the ROW; however, integrative management can aid in the prioritization of management efforts and link objectives of various resource agencies. In this literature review, we address the ecological impacts of highways and roadside management and propose a conceptual model to support managers in the development of sustainable roadside restoration plans.

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Functional analysis of web-based GIS tools for environmental justice assessment of transportation projects

Transportation research. Part D, Transport and environment, Mar 1, 2024

Supplement to conservation easements, not replacement, is the appropriate role of habitat leasing

Wildlife Society bulletin, Jan 17, 2024

Does the community choice aggregation approach advance distributed generation development? A case study of municipalities in California

Journal of Cleaner Production

Use of Multiple Stream Temperature Logger Models Can Alter Conclusions

by Robin Rotman and Jodi Whittier

Remote temperature loggers are often used to measure water temperatures for ecological studies an... more Remote temperature loggers are often used to measure water temperatures for ecological studies and by regulatory agencies to determine whether water quality standards are being maintained. Equipment specifications are often given a cursory review in the methods; however, the effect of temperature logger model is rarely addressed in the discussion. In a laboratory environment, we compared measurements from three models of temperature loggers at 5 to 40 °C to better understand the utility of these devices. Mean water temperatures recorded by logger models differed statistically even for those with similar accuracy specifications, but were still within manufacturer accuracy specifications. Maximum mean temperature difference between models was 0.4 °C which could have regulatory and ecological implications, such as when a 0.3 °C temperature change triggers a water quality violation or increases species mortality rates. Additionally, precision should be reported as the overall precision ...

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Sediment transport on the Freiston Shore managed realignment site: An investigation using environmental magnetism

Geomorphology, 2008

This paper presents the first attempt to use environmental magnetism to quantify sediment provena... more This paper presents the first attempt to use environmental magnetism to quantify sediment provenance on a managed realignment (MR) site. MR is one technique for creating/restoring intertidal habitats and improving the standard of coastal flood protection. Monitoring of MR sites is essential for determining how successful they are at achieving these aims, and normally includes measurement of sedimentation rates through the use of accretion plates and sediment erosion tables (SETs). One limitation of this technique is that the provenance of sediment accreting on realigned surfaces cannot readily be quantified. Our results demonstrate that magnetics-based fingerprinting can successfully apportion sediment source contributions to created/restored coastal saltmarshes with an efficiency similar to that of existing un-mixing models applied to other habitats (82.87%). Analysis of mineral magnetic properties (χ FD , IRM soft and SIRM) demonstrated that the majority of sediment accreting on the Freiston Shore MR Site (Lincolnshire, UK) is derived from established saltmarshes seaward of the breached embankment. This indicates that the MR site may be growing at the expense of neighbouring saltmarshes-thereby undermining the habitat-creation objectives used to justify MR. It is recommended that future MR monitoring programmes consider the provenance of post-breach deposits to help identify any adverse impacts that wetland creation/restoration may have on existing habitats. Further testing of environmental magnetism in coastal saltmarshes and MR sites is necessary to validate wider use of the technique.

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Perceptions of Missouri Landowners With Land Trust Conservation Easements: Motivations, Challenges and Suggestions

Society & Natural Resources

Policy comparison of lead hunting ammunition bans and voluntary nonlead programs for California condors

Wildlife Society Bulletin

The endangered California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) is negatively affected by lead poisoni... more The endangered California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) is negatively affected by lead poisoning from spent lead‐based hunting ammunition. Because lead poisoning is the primary mortality factor affecting condors, the California Fish and Game Commission banned lead hunting ammunition during 2008 in the southern California condor range followed by a statewide ban implemented in 2019. In contrast, the Arizona Game and Fish Department instituted an outreach and awareness program encouraging voluntary use of nonlead hunting ammunition in the northern portion of the state during 2005 and a similar program was launched in Utah during 2012. The juxtaposition of policy tools provided a unique opportunity to evaluate the intended efforts to mitigate lead exposure in condors and their respective positive and negative effects. Herein we reflect upon the effectiveness of lead policy actions in the 3‐state region on the basis of condor blood‐lead levels, population status, and hunter awareness...

Conservation easements: A tool for preserving wildlife habitat on private lands

Wildlife Society Bulletin

Conservation easements are an essential tool for conserving private lands, and they have great po... more Conservation easements are an essential tool for conserving private lands, and they have great potential for enhancing wildlife habitat and biodiversity. Private land conservation in the United States is likely to increase in the coming years, in light of Executive Order No. 14,008, issued by President Joseph Biden on January 27, 2021, which set a goal of conserving at least 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030 (Executive Office of the President 2021). There is, therefore, a need to evaluate the effect of conservation easements on wildlife habitat and biodiversity and to make recommendations for further enhancing the effectiveness of easements. Herein we propose a shift from primarily negative clauses and restrictive language to a more affirmative approach, developing language to proactively improve management of properties under conservation easement in order to maximize benefits to wildlife and ecosystems. In addition, we identify areas for further research on landowner perception...

Data sharing in transboundary water management

Frontiers in Water

Half the world's population resides within 310 transboundary lake and river basins shared amo... more Half the world's population resides within 310 transboundary lake and river basins shared among 151 riparian nations. Approximately 60% of these basins lack cooperative frameworks to share water. The complexities of sharing water necessitate identifying approaches for managing transboundary international freshwater resources. While much has been written about the histories, theory, and mechanisms of transboundary water management, conflict, and cooperation among riparian nations, we draw attention to scholarship written about what we believe is the central tool for cooperation: data and data sharing. The 1997 United Nations' Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses (UN Watercourse Convention) recognizes sharing water resources data is vital to river basin cooperation. Data sharing builds trust between riparian states, aids in mitigating conflict, and improves environmental, economic, and social outcomes. Despite calls to increase data ...

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Greenwashing No More: The Case for Stronger Regulation of Environmental Marketing

Administrative Law Review, 2020

Fraudulent and deceptive environmental claims in marketing (sometimes called "greenwashing") are ... more Fraudulent and deceptive environmental claims in marketing (sometimes called "greenwashing") are a persistent problem in the United States, despite nearly thirty years of efforts by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to prevent it. This Essay focuses on a recent trend in greenwashing-fraudulent "organic" claims for nonagricultural products, such as home goods and personal care products. We offer three recommendations. First, we suggest ways that the FTC can strengthen its oversight of "organic" claims for nonagricultural products and improve coordination with the USDA. Second, we argue for inclusion of guidelines for "organic" claims in the next revision of the FTC's Guidelines for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims (often referred to as the "Green Guides"), which the FTC is scheduled to revise in 2022. Finally, we assert that the FTC should formalize the Green Guides as binding regulations, rather than their current form as nonbinding interpretive guidance, as the USDA has done for the National Organic Program (NOP) regulations. This Essay concludes that more robust regulatory oversight of "organic" claims, together with efforts by the FTC to prevent other forms of greenwashing, will ultimately bolster demand for sustainable products and incentivize manufacturers to innovate to meet this demand.

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Use of Multiple Temperature Logger Models Can Alter Conclusions

Water, 2020

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Realigning the Clean Water Act: Comprehensive Treatment of Nonpoint Source Pollution

Nonpoint source pollution is the biggest threat to water quality in the United States today. This... more Nonpoint source pollution is the biggest threat to water quality in the United States today. This Article argues for stronger federal controls over nonpoint source pollution. It begins by examining the history of water quality regulation in the United States, including the passage and amendment of the Clean Water Act and the evolving definition of "navigable waters" over time. The Article then discusses recent rulemaking and litigation developments, including the Clean Water Rule, the Navigable Waters Protection Rule, and the County of Maui, Hawaii v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund case. It offers three recommendations. First, the Article calls for a congressional amendment to the Clean Water Act to require binding controls on nonpoint source pollution. Second, recognizing that an amendment to the Clean Water Act may not be politically viable, it offers an approach for controlling nonpoint source pollution through an amendment to the Safe Drinking Water Act. Finally, it identifies tools that interested states, local governments, and citizens' groups can utilize to take action on nonpoint source pollution under existing law. This Article concludes that reductions in nonpoint source pollution will lead to significant improvements in the water quality of our nation's lakes, rivers, wetlands, and coastal areas, to the benefit of human and environmental health.

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Robin Rotman

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