Dr Krishna K. Shrestha
Title: Dr
Name: Krishna K. Shrestha
Qualifications: BSc Forestry (TU, Nepal), MEEM (UTS), PhD (Sydney), GradCert (Higher Ed)
Position: Lecturer in Environmental Planning & Management
Location: Room 549, Wilkinson Building (G04), 148 City Road, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006
Phone: +61 2 9351 3668
Fax: +61 2 9351 3031
Email:
Krishna K. Shrestha is an environmental geographer with core interests in the political ecology of natural resource planning, policy and management. His current research focuses on the multi-scalar politics of collective action, equity and sustainability in community-based natural resource management particularly in a comparative context of Australia and South Asia (Nepal and India). He has an interdisciplinary background and holds a Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies (Higher Education), a PhD in Geography from The University of Sydney, a Master of Environmental Engineering Management (MEEM) from University of Technology, Sydney and a B. Sc. in Forestry (Distinction) from Tribhuvan University (TU) Nepal. He has also completed the first year course-work towards an MA in Anthropology from Tribhuvan University in Nepal.
Krishna joined the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning at the University of Sydney in 2007 as a Lecturer in Environmental Planning and Management. Before taking up this position, he was with the School of Natural and Rural Systems Management (NRSM) at the University of Queensland where he taught undergraduate and postgraduate courses in natural resource policy & management, and designed and implemented an interdisciplinary research program on decentralised natural resource management and socio-environmental justice. Previously he worked at the Department of Human Geography at Macquarie University and the Division of Geography at the University of Sydney. He also worked with the Department of Forests in Nepal.
Research
Krishna’s research passion is to design and deliver a scientifically rigorous and socially contextualised interdisciplinary research program in the political ecology of natural resource and environmental planning and management and socio-environmental justice.
His active research program lies at the intersection between wider economic and political processes and the equity and sustainability outcomes of decentralised nature resource management at the local level. His current projects are in Nepal and Australia. Recently completed research projects are – a) the environmental planning stalemate concerning the Malabar Headland Sydney; b) collaborative planning in Queensland, and c) the politics of equity and sustainability in decentralised natural resource management in NSW. He has also completed projects in equity and sustainability in Nepalese community forestry. He uses a ‘critical realist’ and ‘pragmatic approach’ to environment and development problems in which rigorous explanation is generally balanced with the provision of policy alternatives. Krishna focuses on grounded analysis of socio-ecological dynamics through a multi-scale perspective where the role of unequal power relations in constituting a politicised environment is a central theme. His research projects give particular attention to the ways in which problems of natural resource management are linked to systems of social hierarchy and political and economic control which affect poor and minority groups. Most of his work has been based on empirical social science research or action-research, particularly in South Asia (Nepal and India) and Australia.
Krishna’s active research projects are in the areas of:
- Political ecology of environmental planning and management;
- Collective action and community-based natural resource management;
- Environmental equity and justice, and sustainability;
- Climate change adaptation by community groups;
- Towards student-centred assessment in higher education
Teaching
Krishna’s teaching philosophy is based on the belief that teaching is a collective journey – a journey that is conditioned by active dialogue and inclusive participation between the teacher and student. He believes that the journey is a part of an overall life-journey where learning never ends. He also recognises that he is one of many teachers that students are likely to encounter along their educational journey. He understands that students arrive from very different paths and face different challenges. Within this philosophy,
Krishna’s teaching goal is to maximise student learning and satisfaction while maintaining acceptable scholarly standards of the particular degree program by providing a supportive and collaborative learning environment and a teaching strategy which encourages collaborative, critical and reflective learning.
His teaching revolves around debates about human-environmental interactions particularly in relation to natural resource and environmental planning, policy and management, and socio-environmental justice in the Asia-pacific context. He co-ordinates and contributes to teaching in a number of postgraduate Units – a) Resource and Environmental Management, b) Planning Dissertation, c) Planning Report, d) History and Theory in Urban Planning and e) Environmental Design and Planning.
He strongly believes in student-centred teaching and research supervision. In this, he sees his role as supervisor who helps to foster both the generic and specific research skills of the student. He tailors his approach to the individual needs and skills of the student with two interrelated purposes in mind: 1) to encourage students to undertake projects that form part of their background and interests or projects which are consistent with his existing research program; and 2) to encourage students to talk and interact with one another and to share their experiences and where appropriate to cooperate in the collection and analyse of data.
Current research students (As a member of the supervisory committee):
- Zeenat Mahjabeen (PhD Candidate)
“Community participation in regional planning: A critical investigation of Sydney Metropolitan planning in Australia” - Amit Bhattarai (PhD Candidate)
“Ecological footprint analysis and its application to Kathmandu Valley: Past and present” - Adrienne Keane (PhD Candidate)
“The influence of natural World Heritage Areas upon the urban plans of cities” - A number of Masters Dissertation students.
Other Activities
Krishna is actively engaged with a number of professional organisations. He is a voting member of the Institute of Foresters Australia (IFA), a member of Institute of Australian Geographers (IAG), a life member of Nepal Foresters Association (NFA) and a member of Mountain Forum. He has an active link with government agencies, non-government organisations, and community and industry groups in Australia and overseas for collaborative research and teaching, particularly in the field of natural resource planning, policy and management. He is also a reviewer for a number of international journals.
Krishna’s interests also include a range of administrative activities and community services. He currently serves on a number of committees at the University, viz: Faculty representative for eLearning Committee for the Science and Technology Cluster, Member of the Teaching and Learning Committee for the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning, Faculty Representative for the Rural Focus Group and Faculty representative for the Faculty of Economics and Business at The University of Sydney. He is a Justice of the Peace (Qualified) QLD and provides services for witnessing and certifying documents in the domain of the State of Queensland and Australia. He is also a national member for the Community Advisory Committee at the Special Broadcasting Corporation (SBS), advising the SBS Board on community issues, concerns and expectations in regards to the development, review and evaluation of multi-cultural and multi-lingual programs and polices. Previously Krishna served as a Discrimination and Harassment Contact Officer for staff and students at The University of Queensland and he maintains this interest.
Selected Publications
Shrestha, K. K. and Dee, J. (2009), “Towards collaborative assessment: Engaging students in the design and implementation of assessment in the Discipline of Urban and Regional Planning and Policy”, A Research Report for Teaching and Learning Committee, Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning, The University of Sydney.
Mahjabeen, Z., Shrestha, K. K. and Dee, J. (2009), “Rethinking community participation in urban planning: The role of disadvantaged groups in Sydney Metropolitan Strategy”, Australasian Journal of Regional Studies (In press).
Shrestha, K. K. and McManus, P. (2008), “The politics of community participation in natural resource management: Lessons from community forestry in Nepal”, Australian Forestry, vo.71, no. 2, pp. 135-146.
Sarker, A., Ross, H. and Shrestha, K. K. (2008), “Common pool approach for water quality management: An Australian case study”, Ecological Economics, vol. 68, pp. 461-471.
Shrestha, K. K. and Sarker, A. (2008), “Collaborative planning and sustainability: Exploring ecosystems as common-pool resources in the Lockyer Catchment”, Dialogues in Urban Planning: Towards Sustainable Regions, Sydney University Press, Sydney: Gilmour and Blakely (eds.), pp. 44-69.
Sarker, A. Ross, H. and Shrestha, K. K. (2008), “Interdependence of Common Pool Resources: Lessons from a Nested Set of Catchments in Australia, Human Ecology, 36, pp. 821-834.
Shrestha, K. K. and Dee, J. (2008), “Planning for sustainable development: Investigating environment-development decision making in Sydney’s Malabar Headland, Dialogues in Urban Planning: Towards Sustainable Regions, Sydney University Press, Sydney: Gilmour and Blakely (eds.), pp. 3-26.
Dee, J., Shrestha, K. K. and Crowther, M. (2008), “Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Planning Education: Value Conflicts in Sydney’s Port Botany Expansion”, In ANZAPS Conference proceeding 2008, Planning education in a globalised world, pp. 79-91.
Shrestha, K. K. and Dee, J. (2008), “Community participation in decentralised natural resource management in Australia: who wins, who loses? Paper presented at the Institute of Australian geographers Conference 2008 - Coming Out of the Cold at 50, 29th June – 3rd July 2008, University of Tasmania, Hobart.
Dee, J. and Shrestha, K. K. (2008), “The policy-implementation gaps in decentralised natural resource management in Australia”, Paper presented at the Institute of Australian geographers Conference 2008 - Coming Out of the Cold at 50, 29th June – 3rd July 2008, University of Tasmania, Hobart.
Shrestha, K. K. and McManus, P. (2007), “The Embeddedness of Community Forestry in Nepal”, Journal of Small-scale Forestry, vol.6, no.3, pp. 273-290.
Shrestha, K. K. and McManus, P. (2007), “The politics of community involvement in conservation and use of forest resources: Lessons from community forestry in Nepal”, In Growing Forest Values, The 2007 Institute of Foresters of Australia and New Zealand Institute of Forestry Conference, 2 – 7th June 2007, pp. 345-360.
Shrestha, K. K. and McManus, P. (2006), “Collective action of local communities in forest conservation and utilisation: Critical reflections from Community Forestry in Nepal”, In Small-scale Forestry and Rural development – The intersections of ecosystems, economics and society, Proceedings of IUFRO 3.08 Conference, 18 – 23rd June 2006, Galway, Ireland: Wall, S. (eds.), pp. 458-477.
Shrestha, K. K. and McManus, P. (2006), “The equity-equality paradox in decentralised natural resource management: reflections from Community Forestry in Nepal”, Paper presented at International Geographical Union (IGU) Brisbane Conference, Regional Responses to Global Changes: A View from the Antipodes, 3-7th July, 2006, Brisbane, Australia.
Sarker, A., Shrestha, K. K. and Ross, H. (2006), “Commons in catchments: Opportunities and challenges for collaborative natural resource management”, Paper presented at International Geographical Union (IGU) Brisbane Conference, Regional Responses to Global Changes: A View from the Antipodes, 3-7th July, 2006, Brisbane, Australia.
Shrestha, K. K. and McManus, P. (2005), “Sustaining inequity? Rethinking the History of Nepalese Forest Policies”, In A Forest Conscienceness: Proceedings of 6th National Conference of the Australian Forest History Society Inc, Millpress, Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Calver et al (eds.), pp. 681-691.
Shrestha, K. K. (2005), “Collective Action and Equity in Nepalese Community Forestry”, PhD Thesis (unpublished), Division of Geography, The University of Sydney, Australia.
For further information on research, teaching and other activities, please contact Krishna - , or on + 61 2 93513668.