Dr. Iree Wheeler

Iree Wheeler is an Assistant Professor of Natural Resource Management and Policy at the University of Idaho. Her research program focuses on visitor use management and recreation policy in parks and protected areas. Specifically, Iree examines how visitors respond to shifts in management actions and policy decisions, linking visitor experience with conservation outcomes. Utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods, her work explores system-wide interactions between outdoor recreation, local communities, and land management agencies.

Iree holds a PhD in Environment and Society from Utah State University, an MS in Resource Conservation from the University of Montana, and a BA from Seattle University. Her applied research expertise ranges from national park visitor studies across the U.S. to international visitor use planning for biodiversity hotspots like Bogd Khan Uul in Mongolia.