Faculty Profile
Douglas Johnston

Emeritus

dmjohnst@esf.edu

Education

1979       B.S. in Environmental Studies (Magna Cum Laude), State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry

1980       Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (Magna Cum Laude), State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry

1982       Master of Landscape Architecture, Harvard University, Graduate School of Design

1986       Ph.D., Civil and Environmental Engineering (Water Resources Planning and Management), University of Washington, College of Engineering

Academic Appointments

2013 – 2022    Professor and Chair, Department of Landscape Architecture, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York.

2009 – 2013         Interim Associate Dean for Research, Chair, Department of Landscape Architecture, Chair, Department of Community and Regional Planning, College of Design, Iowa State University

2007 – 2009         Professor and Chair, Department of Community and Regional Planning, Department of Landscape Architecture, College of Design, Iowa State University.

2007                       Professor, Department of Landscape Architecture, College of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

1994 – 2007         Senior Research Scientist, National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

1994 – 2007         Affiliate, Associate Professor, Department of Geography, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

1992 – 2007         Affiliate, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, College of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

1991 – 2007         Associate Professor, Department of Landscape Architecture, College of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

1990 – 2001         Director, Geographic Modeling Systems Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

1986 – 1991         Assistant Professor, Department of Landscape Architecture, College of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Other Appointments

1993-1994:  Visiting Associate Professor, U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Labs, Environmental Laboratory. 

2001:     Visiting Research Scientist. CEMAGREF (French Ministry of Environment, Agricultural and Environmental Research Center), Hydrology and Hydraulics Unit, Lyon, France.

Selected Grants and Contracts

• Landscape Modeling and Visualization

1990-     L.D. Hopkins, and D.M. Johnston.  “Development of a Prototype Decision Support
1994       System for Land Use Allocation for Army Training Lands.”  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory. (1990 -$40,000, 1991   $72,000, 1992 – $89,264, 1993 – $89,000, 1994 - $46,000)

1991-     Johnston, D.M. “Prototype Geographic Regulatory Information Program Development.”  1992      Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.  1991-$48,200; 1992-$46,361.

1992       Johnston, D.M.  “Develop a Decision Support System for Cultural Resource Management.”  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory.  $59,577.

1993       Knapp, G. and D.M. Johnston.  “Impacts of Environmental Trends Facing TRADOC Installations.”  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory. $89,000.

1994       Johnston, D.M.  “Development of a GIS Interface to the Great Lakes Water Control Data System.”  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, in conjunction with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory. $50,000.

1995-     Hopkins, L.D. and D.M. Johnston.  “Assessing the Effects of Ecosystem Disturbance on Biodiversity in the

1996       Arid and Semi-arid Environments of the American Southwest.”  Army  Research Office and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory.  1995 - $165,387. 1996 - $107,394

1995-     Johnston, D.M. and H. Mitasova.  “Development of GIS Tools for Erosion/Deposition

1999       Modeling and Multi-Dimensional Visualization.”  Strategic Ervironmental Research and Development Program, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CERL).  (1995 - $198,062, 1996 - $77,882, 1997 - $171,657,  1998 - $169,989, 1999 - $290,250.

1996-     Huang, T. and G. McConkie, Principal Investigators. “Advanced Displays and Interactive 1999     Displays Federated Laboratory” U.S. Army Research Lab and UIUC Beckman Institute.  Johnston, D.M.  Co-investigator:  “Spatial Query and Reasoning” $105,756 (total)

1997       Johnston, D.M., “Integration of Geographic Data Models and Visualization Software for Radar Clutter Modeling”.  DEMACO, Inc.  STTR with U.S. D.O.D.  Jan. 1, - Aug. 30, 1997.  $33,383.

1998       Smarr, L., P.I,. “National Computational Science Alliance”.  National Science Foundation.  D.M. Johnston, Co-Investigator:  "Environmental Hydroscience Applications Team.".  Approx. $750,000 per year (with partners from U. of Iowa, U. of Wisconsin, U. of Maryland, Old Dominion University, and NCSA).

1998       Sandore, B., D.M. Johnston and J. Johnson.  “History from a Bird's Eye:  An Aerial Photograph Digital Image Database and Archive.” Office of the Secretary of State, Illinois State Library. $32,364.

1999       Johnston, D.M. and H. Mitasova. “Landuse Impacts on Pilot Watershed Runoff and Erosion Processes.” State of Illinois Department of Natural Resources.  $26,000

1999       Johnston, D.M. and D. Timlin.  “Risks to Military Landuses Due to Exogenous Effects.” U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Construction Engineering Research Lab.  $25,000.

1999-     Johnston, D.M. and Curtis, D.  “The Mississippi RiverWeb Museum Consortium.”
2003       National Science Foundation, Informal Science Education Program. (UIUC Principal
                Investigator since 2000.)  $672,272 (UIUC)

2005-     Hamilton, P. Science Museum of Minnesota (PI), D.M. Johnston (co-PI).  “Water Planet.” 
2008       National Science Foundation.

 

• Geographic Information Systems and Development

1991       Johnston, D.M.  Utilize TIGER Files for Use in Emergency Management Response Systems.  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Construction Engineering Research Lab.  $10,700.

1991       Johnston, D.M.  “Data Development Efforts for Army Installations”.  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Construction Engineering Research Lab.  $36,000.

1991       Johnston, D.M.  “GRASS GIS Program Upgrades and Documentation”.  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory.  $67,246.

1992       Johnston, D.M.  “Development of Electronic Distribution Center for GRASS GIS Documents”.  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory.  $36,000.

1995       Johnston, D.M., D. Schneider, and D. Szafoni.  “Development of GIS for Natural Resources and Recreational Facilities.”  Illinois Department of Natural Resources.  $80,000.

1995       Johnston, D.M. and Z. Budic.  “Creating Local Nodes on the National Spatial Data Infrastructure.”  U.S.G.S. National Spatial Data Infrastructure Competitive Cooperative Agreement Program.  $29,307.

1995       Johnston, D.M.  “GIS Support Services”.  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory.  $19,080.

1995-     Johnston, D.M.  “Internet Access to the Multistate Aquatic Resources Information
2006       System”.  U.S. Department of Interior, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Fish and
                Wildlife Service,  and Illinois Department of Natural Resources.  1995 - $85,520, 1997 -   $29,996, 1998 –

$15,000, 1999 - $20,000, 2001-2006 $25,000 per year.

1996-     Johnston, D.M., and D. Szafoni. “Development of Geographic Information System

1998       Applications for Natural Resources and Recreational Facilities.”  Illinois Department of
                Natural Resources.  (1996-$85,000, 1997-$65,000, 1998-$60,000).

1997-     Johnston, D.M., P.I., “Indefinite Delivery Contract to the Geographic Modeling Systems Lab,  

2000       University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to Provide Research Services in the Area of Army Training
 Land and Natural Resources Characterization, Risk Assessment, and Management.”  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Construction Engineering Research Lab. Not-to-exceed $2,000,000. 

1997       Johnston, D.M., "Provide GRASS GIS Programmer Training”.  CADLAND, Inc.  Seoul, Korea.  $20,037.

1998       Johnston, D.M. “Network Data Serving for Enterprise Installation Management.”  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory. $71,483.

1998       Johnston, D.M. “Development of C-Based Raster GIS Function Library.” US Army Corps of Engineers, Construction Engineering Research Lab. $24,659

1998       Johnston, D.M.  “Quality Assurance/Quality Control Procedures on Fort Hood Integrated Training Area Management GIS Data Layers.” US Army Corps of Engineers, Construction Engineering Research Lab. $239,876.

1999       Johnston, D.M. and J. Westervelt.  “Research for Web-Based Interface Environment to Build New Modules and Connect Modules of the Land Management System (LMS).” U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Engineering Research and Development Center.  $150,000.

1999       Johnston, D.M.  “Develop Methods and Guidelines for Multiple Use of Historic Data.” U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineering Research and Development Center. $130,000.

1999       Johnston, D.M.  “Neural Network Applications in Support of Erosion and Carrying Capacity Modeling Efforts.” U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineering Research and Development Center.  $35,000.

2000-     Johnston, D.M. (P.I.) "Indefinite Delivery Contract to Provide Research and

2003       Development Services for Land Management Systems." U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineering Research and Development Center.  UIUC prime contractor with Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI), Inc, Menzie-Cura and Associates, and Environmental Resource Services, Inc as sub-contractors. Not-to-exceed $4.8million.

2000       Johnston, D.M.  “Review of Scenario-Based Regional Planning Technologies Recommendations, and Application to Army Example”, U.S. Army Engineering Research and Development Center.  $17,268.

2000       Johnston, D.M and Donaghy, K. .  U.S. Army Engineering Research and Development Center.  Risk to Military Installations from Exogenous Urban Development, $23,500

2000       Johnston, D.M.  U.S. Army Engineering Research and Development Center.  Dynamic Integrated Natural Resource Management Plans (DINRMP) 2000-2001, $153,000.

2009       Borich, T., F. Owusu, D. Johnston, D. Swenson, C. Basmajian.  Iowa Housing  Needs Assessment.  Iowa Finance Authority.

2009       Wagner, Mimi, D. Johnston, and C. Rogers.   Iowa Water Trails Plan. Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

2009       Johnston, D., M. Haddad, C. Basmajian.  Iowa Economic Research and Analysis System. Iowa Department of Economic Development.  $87,000.
 

 

• Ecological Design

1994       Johnston, D.M. and T. Harkness.  “Nature Reconstructed: Ecology, Context, Design and its Interpretation.”  University of Illinois Research Board.  1994-95. $5,472.  Arnold Beckman Research Award recipient.

2000-     Sparks, R., J. Braden, M. Demissie, A. Isserman, D. Johnston Z. Nedovik-Budic, D.
2003       Schneider , D. White.  “Strategic Renewal of Large Floodplain Rivers.” National Science
                Foundation and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. $819,560.

2002       Braden, J., and D. Johnston. “The Downstream Economic Benefits of Stormwater Retention.” Sub-contract from Conservation Research Institute from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  EPA Award:  $55,000.

2005       Wilson, K.  Living Laboratories on the Wabash.  Purdue University.  2006. (Project Collaborator).

2005       Johnston, D.M. and M. Calkins.  “Cross-National Comparison of Sustainable Design Practices.”  $14,900.  Wadsworth Fund, University of Illinois.

2005       Johnston, D.M.  “Scaling Effects of Conservation Design Best Management Practices.” University of Illinois Research Board.  $6,292.

 

• Other Grants and Contracts

2010       Johnston, D.M., Iowa Finance Authority. Housing Needs Assessment and Evaluation of Local Housing Trust Fund program.  $25,000.

2011       Johnston, D.M.  Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.  Research in Support of Des Moines Region Sustainable Planning. $110,000.

Selected Publications

Books Edited or Co-Edited

1.             J.L. Wescoat Jr. and D.M. Johnston, ed. 2007. Places of Power: Economic and Political Driving Forces of Landscape Change, Springer Publishing (Neth.).

 

D.    Chapters in Books

1.             Poole, K., S. Galatowitsch, R. Grese, D. Johnston, J.T. Keller, D. Richey, L. Skabelund, C. Steinitz, and J. Woodward.  2001 “Building Ecological Understandings in Design Studio:  A Repertoire for a Well-Crafted Learning Experience.” In, Ecology and Design:  Frameworks for Learning. Edited by Bart Johnson and Kristina Hill.  Island Press.

 

2.             D.M. Johnston and J.B. Braden.  2007. “Green Greens: Economic Impacts of Environmental Improvement.” In J.L. Wescoat Jr. and D.M. Johnston, ed. Places of Power: Economic and Political Driving Forces of Landscape Change, Springer Publishing.

 

3.             D.M. Johnston and J.L. Wescoat, Jr.  2007. “Implications for Future Landscape Inquiry, Planning, and Design.” In J.L. Wescoat Jr. and D.M. Johnston, ed. Places of Power: Economic and Political Driving Forces of Landscape Change, Springer Publishing.
 

4.             D.M. Johnston.  2009.  “Watershed Based Flood Management”  In Cornelia Mutel, ed.  A Watershed Year: Anatomy of the Iowa Floods of 2008. 

 

E.    Monographs

1999       Johnston, D.M. “Toward Improved Geographic Information Services for a Digital Government.” Report of

NSF Digital Government Workshop. National Computational Science Alliance/University of Illinois at

                Urbana Champaign. 1999.

 

F.    Articles in Journals  (* Peer Reviewed, #Derived from Thesis, + Invited)

1. *Johnston, D.M. and L.D. Hopkins.  1987. "Uncertainty in Expert Systems for Planning Analysis."  Town Planning Review 58(3), pp. 342-346.

 

2. *Geselbracht, J.J., and D.M. Johnston. 1988.  "Issues in Rule Base Development," Journal of the Water Resources Planning and Management Division, ASCE.  114(4), pp. 457-468.

 

3. #*Johnston, D.M., and R.M. Palmer.  1988. "Application of Fuzzy Decision Making:  An Evaluation."  Civil Engineering Systems.  5(2), pp. 87-92.
    
4. *Stuebe, M., and D.M. Johnston. 1990. "Runoff Volume Estimation Using GIS Techniques."  Water Resources Bulletin.  26(4), pp. 611-620.
    
5. +Johnson, J. and D.M. Johnston. 1993  "Nature Constructed:  Ecological Design and Public Understanding."  Orion, Winter 1993, pp16-27.
    
6. *Mattingly, R., E. Herricks, and D.M. Johnston. 1993. "Channelization and Levee Construction In Illinois - Review And Implications For Management". Environmental Management, v17, n6, p781-795.
    
7. +Brown, B., Harkness, T, and Johnston, D.M.  1998. "Eco-Revelatory Design:  Nature Constructed/Nature Revealed.” Landscape Journal, 144pp. Special Issue.
    
8. +Johnston, D.M. 1998. "TRACES:  Revealing Nature Through Models of Landscape Dynamics."  Landscape Journal, p 4-5. Special Issue.
    
9. *Choi, Song-Hyun, and D. Johnston. 1999. “Natural Environmental Assessment and Management Using Geographic Information Systems.  Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology.  13(2).
    
10. *Ellis, Christopher and D.M. Johnston. 1999. "Qualitative Spatial Representation for Situational Awareness and Spatial Decision Support”.  Lecture Notes in Computer Science.  1661: 449-460. 1999.
     
11. *Braden, John B., and Douglas M. Johnston. 2004. “The Downstream Economic Benefits From Stormwater Management.” Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, American Society of Civil Engineers, v 130, n 6:498-505.
     
12. *Sparks, R., C. Ahn, M. Demissie, A. Isserman, D. Johnston, Y. Lian, Z. Nedovic-Budic, & D. White. 2005. “Linking hydrodynamics, conservation biology, and economics in choosing naturalization alternatives for the Illinois River, USA” Archiv für Hydrobiologie Supplement 155/1-4:521-538. Large Rivers Volume 15, No. 1-4.
     
13. *Johnston, D.M., J.B. Braden, and T.H. Price. 2006. “Downstream Economic Benefits of Conservation Development.” Journal of. Water Resources Planning and Management, American Society of Civil Engineers, v 132, n 1, p 35-43
     
14. *Ahn, C, D.M. Johnston, R.E. Sparks, D.C. White.  2006. “Analysis of naturalization alternatives for the recovery of moist-soil plants in the floodplain of the Illinois River”.  Hydrobiologia / Developments in Hydrobiology  The International Journal on Limnology and Marine Sciences.  v 565, n 1, pp. 217-228.
     
15. *Kan, R., Z. Budic, D. Johnston, R. Sparks, and D. White. 2006. Estimating the Local Impacts of Recreational Use and Lodging Facility Siting in a Naturalized Floodplain. Journal of Urban Planning and Development, American Society of Civil Engineers. J. Urban Plng. and Devel. 132, 201 (2006), DOI:10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9488(2006)132:4(201).
     
16. Sarah Taylor Lovell, Douglas M Johnston. 2009. Creating multifunctional landscapes: how can the field of ecology inform the design of the landscape? Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment: Vol. 7, No. 4, pp. 212-220.
     
17. Lovell, S. Taylor and D. M. Johnston. 2009. Designing Landscapes for Performance Based on Emerging Principles in Landscape Ecology. Ecology and Society 14 (1): 44. [online] URL: http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol14/iss1/art44/

Creative Works

• System Design (Environmental Information Systems) (Selected Work)

1. “Land Condition / Trend Analysis System”. 1989.  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Construction Engineering Research Laboratory.
    
2. “Interactive Digital Landscape Architecture Slide Library”.  1989-1991. With Marilou Hinrichs.
   Developed with funding from the Educational Technologies Board, the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.
    
3. “TRAINER (Training Requirements Analysis and Integration with Environmental
   Resources.”1990-1995.  Developed for the U.S. Army Integrated Training Area Management
   Program, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Construction Engineering Research Lab.
    
4. “Great Lakes Information Management System (GLIMS)”. 1993.  Developed for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District.
    
5.  “Illinois Streams Information System (ISIS).” 1994-1996. Developed for the State of Illinois
   Department of Natural Resources. 1986-90, 1994-1996.
    
6. “Multi-state Aquatic Resources Information System (MARIS).” Developed for USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDI Fish and Wildlife Service, USDI Forest Service, and state natural resources agencies.
    
7. “GEOVIEW.” 1997.  National Center for Supercomputing Applications. Developed for CAVE virtual reality environment.
    
8. “Illinois Digital Aerial Photograph Archive” 1997.  Sandore, E., D.M. Johnston, and J. Johnson.  Developed for UI Digital Library System.
    
9. “Fort Hood Internet MAP SERVER” 1998..  Developed for U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Labs.
    
10. "TRACES:  Revealing Nature Through Models of Landscape Dynamics." 1998. Exhibited in "Eco-Revelatory Design:  Nature Constructed/Nature Revealed." (Project lead, and software designer for 3D immersive application of landscape dynamics and video documenting the project)
     
11. “River Pilot Simulator.”  Science Museum of Minnesota. (Permanent Exhibit)  National Science Foundation(Technical lead, and primary designer of exhibits,computer interfaces, and scientific modeling for permanent exhibits installed in museum galleries.)
     
12. Digital River Basin, St. Louis Science Center (Cyberville Gallery) , Science Museum of  Minnesota, (Mississippi River Gallery) and  Illinois State Museum (Changes – Dynamic Illinois Environments Gallery).  National Science Foundation (Technical lead, and primary designer of exhibits, computer interfaces, and scientific modeling for permanent exhibits installed in museum galleries.)
     
13. Dynamic Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan system.  2002. Adopted by the US. Army Corps of Engineers for use on installations. (Project Principal Investigator and designer for project developing software to improve environmental management documentation on military installations.)

 

14. Iowa Economic Development Mapping and Analysis.  2011.  Iowa Department of Economic Development. (Project Principal Investigator and designer of comprehensive database infrastructure for asset mapping and cluster analysis).
     

• Landscape Architecture Design (Selected Work)

1. "Landscape Restoration Plan for Freihoelser Forst Training Area, West Germany." 1989.  Principal Investigator.  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Construction Engineering Research Laboratory.
    
2. "The Worker's Garden." 1994. Johnston, D.M. and T. Harkness. Design Honor Award, Illinois Chapter, American Society of Landscape Architects.

 

3. "Eco-Revelatory Design:  Nature Constructed/Nature Revealed."  Exhibition Co-Curator with Brenda Brown and Terry Harkness).

Venues: Temple Buell Gallery, UIUC, Sept. 28 - October 23, 1998

• Chicago Cultural Center, April 1- April 30, 1999
• Boston Architectural Center, September 11 - October 17, 1999
•     National Building Museum, Washington, DC.   Through October 22, 2000
  (Co-organizer/exhibition design, generator of project based on previous work on ecological design and public understanding)

 

4. Emiquon Preserve Visitor Use Plan (with Prof. Terry Harkness, and Austin Tao &
   Associates. The Nature Conservancy. 2005-2006 (Co-designer for visitor use master plan for nearly 8,000 acre floodplain restoration project along the Illinois River, including four principal interpretive sites of natural and cultural (Native American) resources.  Lead on hydrologic analysis, visualizations, and visitor interpretive elements).

 

5. Lake Michigan Shoreline Preserve. (With Prof. Terry Harkness).  Openlands and Corlands, Chicago, IL. 2006  (Co-designer for public access plan to Lake Michigan bluff and ravine complex undergoing restoration.  Site is one of few publicly accessible lakeshore and ravine sites with unique remnant habitat. Primary responsibility for site hydrology, preliminary engineering design, visualization, and visitor interpretation and educational design).