Patricia Townsend
Associate Professor and Urban Natural Resource Specialist
Washington State University
Phone: (425) 357-6020
Email: patricia.townsend@wsu.edu
Dr. Patricia Townsend works with stakeholders throughout the Pacific Northwest on issues related to sustainability, green infrastructure, renewable energy, climate change, sustainable materials, and ecosystem services. Much of her work is determining how to best implement applied research and translating university research for relevant stakeholders. She is a 2018-2019 Urban Green Infrastructure Applied Research Fellow with the Western Center for Metropolitan Extension & Research and often leads Metro Center projects related to sustainable urban systems and the intersection between clothing and textiles and the environment. Collaborators at departments and centers across WSU include AMDT, CEREO, CMEC, CSS, JCDREAM, SoE, and the WA Stormwater Center. Patricia also directs natural resources programs for WSU Snohomish County Extension, which include Beach Watchers, Sustainable Community Stewards, and Promotores del Medio Ambiente.
Patricia has been with WSU since 2012 and started by leading outreach on a USDA NIFA grant, Advanced Hardwood Biofuels Northwest (AHB), which included energy literacy education and stakeholder research. Her work led to connecting growers of poplar trees for ecosystem services with market opportunities. Patricia implemented programs for the Latino community including the needs of Latino agriculture workers. While in graduate school at the University of Washington, Patricia did her dissertation research on tropical forest restoration and conservation in Costa Rica. Prior to that, her career in design led to work in Italy and Peru. Currently, she is happy to be doing research and outreach to help both communities and the environment thrive in the Pacific Northwest. In her free time, Patricia enjoys expanding her urban farm, biking, speaking Spanish, and backpacking, including section-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in Washington state.
Selective creative work:
Patricia uses her design background and communication skills to create a variety of creative communication products.
Padowski, J. C., S. Breslow, C. Burgess, S.D. Day, B. Gaolach, E. Kolodziej, T. McHolm, K. Moffett, C.J. Schell, P.A. Townsend, J. Davison, K. Gardow, C. Horne, and A. Short-Gianotti. 2019. Report of Sustainable Urban Systems: Building Resilience and Equity into Growing Megapolitan Regions by Greening the Urban Human-Natural System. Workshop, July 30- Aug 1, 2019. https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/2158/2019/10/SUS-white-paper-final-Oct-31-2019.pdf.
Townsend, P. A., N. M. Haider, N. M. Hart, B. Nordaker, and K. W. Zobrist. 2013-2019. Advanced Hardwood Biofuels Northwest. http://hardwoodbiofuels.org/.
Haider, N. M., C. Gowan, N. M. Hart, and P. A. Townsend. 2018. AHB Project Overview. Infosheet. https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/2182/2017/10/Project-Overview-Infosheet.pdf.
Hart, N. M., C. Gowan, K. W. Zobrist, P. A. Townsend, and L. Kongshaug. 2017. The Story of AHB: Laying the Foundation for a Biofuels Industry. http://hardwoodbiofuels.org/video/the-story-of-ahb-laying-the-foundation-for-a-biofuels-industry/.
Haider, N. M, and P. A. Townsend. 2016. Environmental Benefits of Growing Poplar. AHB Policy Maker Briefing Paper. https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/2182/2016/07/policy-brief_july2016.pdf.
Townsend, P. A., S. Malmstead, T. Miller, J. Smesrud, and B. Nordaker. 2015. Poplar for Recycled Water Reuse and Phytoremediation. http://hardwoodbiofuels.org/video/phytomediation/.
Townsend, P. A., N. M. Haider, S. Kantor, and K. W. Zobrist, K.W. 2014. Everyday Products from Renewable Poplar Trees. https://hardwoodbiofuels.org/videos/everyday-products-from-renewable-poplar-trees/.
Selected academic publications:
Simmons, B., N. M. Hart, and P. A. Townsend. Growing Poplar for Environmental Applications in Washington State. In Press for publication as WSU Fact Sheet.
Townsend, P. A., M. A. Heppenstall, and R. Brooks. Sustainability and Sourcing of Woody Biomass for Industrial Boilers in the Pacific Northwest. In Press for publication as WSU Fact Sheet.
Hart, N. M. and P. A. Townsend. 2020. Biodiesel in the Pacific Northwest. WSU Fact Sheet.
Jayakaran A.D., K. B. Moffett, J. Padowski, P. A. Townsend, and B. Gaolach. 2020. Green Infrastructure in Western Washington and Oregon: Perspectives from a Regional Summit. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening. Vol. 50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2020.126654.
Gowan, C., S. Kar, and P. A. Townsend. 2018. Assessing Washington State Landowner Interest in and Concern toward Growing Bioenergy Crops. Journal of Extension. 56: 2. https://joe.org/joe/2018april/rb2.php.
Gowan, C., S. Kar, and P. A. Townsend. 2018. Landowners Perceptions and Interests in Bioenergy Crops. Biomass and Bioenergy. 110: 57-62. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0961953418300217?via%3Dihub.
Hart, N. M., P. A. Townsend, A. Chowyuk, and R. Gustafson. 2018. Stakeholder Assessment of the Feasibility of Poplar as a Biomass Feedstock and Ecosystem Services Provider in Southwestern Washington, USA. Forests. 9(10): 655. https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/9/10/655.
Townsend, P. A., N. M. Haider, S. T. Asah, and K. W. Zobrist. 2016. Extension Professionals Concerns, Challenges, and Opportunities in Supporting Biofuel Crop Production in the Pacific Northwest. Journal of Extension. 54: 6. https://www.joe.org/joe/2016december/pdf/JOE_v54_6rb1.pdf.
Townsend, P. A. and K. L. Masters. 2015. Lattice-work Corridors for Climate Change: A Conceptual Framework for Biodiversity Conservation and Social-ecological Resilience in a Tropical Elevational Gradient. Ecology and Society. 20: 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.5751/ES-07324-200201.