Matthew Fagan

Matthew Fagan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography & Environmental Systems at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), holding a Ph.D. from Columbia University (2014). His research integrates remote sensing, landscape ecology, and conservation biology to study forest dynamics across tropical and temperate ecosystems.

His primary research interests focus on:

• Landscape-scale habitat degradation and restoration
• Remote sensing applications for forest monitoring
• Policy effectiveness in tropical conservation corridors
• Socio-ecological drivers of agricultural expansion
• Connectivity and reforestation processes

Recent publication trends reveal increasing emphasis on machine learning integration with high-resolution satellite imagery for tropical forest monitoring, particularly in assessing degradation patterns, carbon sequestration potential, and the distinction between natural regeneration versus plantation forestry. His work increasingly addresses the intersection of climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and poverty reduction through land use studies in Africa and Latin America.

Dr. Fagan leads the "Earth from Above" research laboratory, which conducts field and remote sensing work in Costa Rica, Maryland, and the Caribbean, with specific projects examining timber plantation impacts, riparian forest connectivity using LiDAR, and conservation of endangered species like the Bahama Oriole.