Welcome
My name is Dr. Brooke McWherter. I work at the intersection of research and consulting to help people and organizations navigate challenges in agriculture and natural resource management. My focus is on connecting social science with real-world practice—supporting more sustainable, practical, and people-centered solutions.
Here you’ll find more about my research and consulting work, and how these pieces fit together.
Research
I am a natural resource social scientist. I apply a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative and quantitative approaches to understand landowner and practitioner decision-making and engagement. I believe in collaborative applied social science research that supports program and policy design.
My research has examined the role of mentorship in informing adoption of adaptive grazing systems in Canada, livestock producer tolerance of black vultures in Indiana, and landowner compliance with a watershed conservation program in Bolivia.
My current work explores how different experts (extension, climatologists, food sector stakeholders) perceive the future of our cropping landscapes (learn more at thrivingfuturecropscapes.org)
Want to collaborate with me? Get in touch!
Consulting
Tailored strategies for sustainable progress
I apply my training as a social scientist to help organizations integrate human dimensions into natural resource management and agriculture. Through Tributary HD Consulting, I support agencies, nonprofits, and research teams with services such as stakeholder engagement planning, incorporating social science indicators into monitoring and evaluation, and professional facilitation for collaborative initiatives.
My approach is grounded in evidence and emphasizes co-created knowledge, engaging processes, and practical solutions that help clients achieve sustainable, measurable impact.
Brooke McWherter: People, Place, Practice 