Land Repurposing Research Round Up

Collaborative learning series for researchers, students and land repurposing implementers

As land repurposing continues to gain momentum in both practice and research, Environmental Defense Fund and our partners aim to keep the research community connected and informed through this quarterly speaker series. Our goal is to showcase the latest science, tools, and strategies shaping land repurposing efforts, emphasizing climate resilience, water sustainability, equity, and multi-benefit outcomes. We invite researchers to share both finalized and preliminary findings, highlight new studies, and spotlight emerging work from researchers and students. By fostering collaboration and grounding research in real-world applications, we hope to strengthen the knowledge base that supports thoughtful, effective land repurposing

Each session:

Highlights emerging research, data, and tools
Creates space for interdisciplinary dialogue
Addresses land repurposing opportunities, challenges, and implementation

Mark Your Calendar

Thursday, October 16th 1:00 to 2:00 pm
Teams Meeting (Link)

Perspectives on Land Repurposing: Insights from Farmers, Stakeholders, and Newspaper Analyses

Amy Quandt, Associate Professor of Environmental Geography, San Diego State University

The seminar will draw from three recent publications:

Quandt, A., Larsen, A.E., Bartel, G., Okamura, K., and D. Sousa. 2023. Sustainable groundwater management and its implications for agricultural land repurposing. Regional Environmental Change 23:120. Doi: 10.1007/s10113-023-02114-2

Quandt, A., Sousa, D., Bartel, G., Dunbar, W., Keiser, J., Marschalk, S., Perez, A., Williams, M., Larsen, A.E., and A.J. MacDonald. 2025. Groundwater recharge as an adaptive response to flood events in the San Joaquin Valley, California. Water Policy 27 (8): 785–803. Doi: 10.2166/wp.2025.188

Bartel, G., Quandt, A., Larsen, A.E., and D. Sousa. 2025. Identifying producer perspectives on groundwater management and repurposed land strategies in Kern County, California. Water Policy. Accepted.

Bio: Dr. Amy Quandt is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography at San Diego State University. She is an environmental social scientist and human ecologist whose work focuses on agroforestry, natural resource management, and rural livelihoods, particularly in East Africa and California. Amy also explores the use of mobile technologies in agricultural development and studies community perceptions of drought and climate change.

She earned her Ph.D. in Environmental Studies from the University of Colorado Boulder, an M.S. in Resource Conservation from the University of Montana Missoula, and a B.S. in Biology from the University of Puget Sound. Before joining SDSU, Amy was the global coordinator for the Land-Potential Knowledge System Project, which helps smallholder farmers access biophysical information through the LandPKS mobile app.

Fluent in Swahili, Amy has spent five years living and working in East Africa with organizations including the World Agroforestry Centre, Kenya Red Cross Society, Peace Corps Tanzania, and USAID. Her research has been published in leading journals such as Environmental Science and Policy, Climatic Change, and World Development.

Agrivoltaics Suitability: Multi-Criteria Decision Making in a Repurposing Context

Sarah Sarfaty Epstein, UC Berkeley Energy & Resources Group

California’s agricultural regions are rethinking land and water use to meet groundwater sustainability goals. This presentation examines agrivoltaics, the combined use of land for solar energy and crop production, as a strategy to build climate resilience across the food, energy, and water sectors. Using a multi-criteria decision-making framework, Sarah Sarfaty Epstein identifies where agrivoltaic systems are most suitable in California and how stakeholder input shifts those patterns. The research also explores connections between agrivoltaics, managed aquifer recharge, and other groundwater conservation efforts, offering insights for basin-level planning and the Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program. The findings show that thoughtful integration of environmental, technical, and social criteria can advance both agricultural and energy transition goals across the state.

Bio: Sarah Sarfaty Epstein is a Master of Science candidate in the Energy and Resources Group at the University of California, Berkeley. Her research focuses on landscape-scale climate resilience and decision-making in California’s agricultural sector, with an emphasis on the intersections of water, energy, and food systems.

Before graduate school, Sarah worked as an Associate at Ross Strategic, supporting projects in food systems, rural development, and energy resource planning. She is passionate about advancing environmental and social justice through collaborative, science-based solutions. Born and raised in the East Bay, Sarah is dedicated to fostering resilient and equitable futures for California’s communities and ecosystems.

To receive updates or if you’re interested in being a speaker, please fill out this form:

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse