His research generally focuses on the environment and civil society. Past research projects include hunting as a conservation strategy, disaster relief and religion, and the place of indigenous groups in global environmental governance. His publications have appeared in Conservation and Society, Nature and Culture, and Environmental Values, among others. His current work is on phosphorus pollution in Wisconsin and the place of civil society in mitigating non-point source pollution. He directs a National Science Foundation funded interdisciplinary research program titled the LAKES REU.