Brian J. Buma

Brian Buma is a climate scientist and published author. His work focuses on dynamic change in ecosystems—from wildfires to landslides to the ordinary migration of species in response to changing climates. He utilizes a range of methods, from field expeditions to satellite imagery, to gain a unique perspective on regional and global questions. Buma led an expedition to the back of Glacier Bay, Alaska, to rediscover the oldest running permanent plot network in the world. These sites, monitored consistently since 1916, were lost in the late 1980s. He is also leading the field documenting the effects of snow loss on forests around the world, running studies in the boreal of Alaska and high country of Colorado and chairing international sessions on the topic. In 2019, Buma led an expedition to southern Chile to document the furthest-south trees in the world, found in the wild ocean islands of Cape Horn. His latest work explored the northernmost land on the planet, off the north coast of Greenland. A senior climate scientist with the Environmental Defense Fund and associated research professor at the University of Colorado Denver (and affiliate professor at the University of Alaska), Buma’s findings have been featured in National Geographic, the New York Times, Northwest Native News, High Country News, and international peer-reviewed journals.