Dr Krishna K. Shrestha
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Consultations and Appointments
Consultation Hours:
Consultation Rooms:
to make an appointment outside of these hours.
Research Areas | Units and Programs | Academic Qualifications | Professional Experience | Memberships and Associations | Biography | Publications and Outputs | Postgraduate Supervision
Research Areas:
- 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.
Units Taught and Programs
- PLAN9010 | Planning Dissertation (1 and 2).
- PLAN9018 | Planning Report
- PLAN9065 | Resource and Environmental Management
- PLAN9073 | GIS Based Planning Policy.
Academic Qualifications
- Graduate Certificate | Educational Studies (Higher Education)
- PhD | Geography, from The University of Sydney
- Master of Environmental Engineering Management | (MEEM) from University of Technology, Sydney
- Bachelor of Science | in Forestry (Distinction) from Tribhuvan University (TU) Nepal.
- Krishna has also completed the first year course-work towards an MA in Anthropology from Tribhuvan University in Nepal.
Professional Experience
- 2011 | Senior Lecturer in Environmental Planning and Management, University of Sydney
- 2009 | Program Director, Urban and Regional PLanning and Policy Program, University of Sydney
- 2007 | UQ Postdoctoral Research Fellow / Lecturer. University of Queensland.
- 2005 | Lecturer in Human Geography, Macquarie University
- 2004 | Research Assistant, School of Geosciences, University of Sydney
- 2003 | Tutor, School of Geosciences, University of Sydney.
Memberships and Associations
- Member | Academic Board, The University of Sydney
- Member | University Equity Advisory Committee, The University of Sydney.
- Contact Officer | Harrassmanet and Discrimination Services, University of Sydney.
- Member | Faculty representative for Rural Focus Group, University of Sydney
- Member | Research committee at Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning, University of Sydney.
- Member | University's research flagship Institute for Sustainable Solutions
- National Member | Community Advisory Committee, Special Broadcasting Services (SBS)
- Member | The NSW Landcare Inc. (since 2009).
- Justice of the Peace.
- Member | Institute of Australian Geographers (IAG) (since 2003).
- Member | Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) (since 2010).
- Member | Institute of Foresters Australia (IFA) (since 2001).
- Member | Association of American Geographers (AAG) (since 2010)
- Member | Nepal Foresters Association (NFA)(life member).
- Member | Mountain Forum (since 2007)
Biography
Krishna K. Shrestha is an environmental geographer and planner 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).
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.
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 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,
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
Publications and Outputs
Book Chapters | Journal Articles | Conference Presentations and Publications
Book Chapters
2011 | Shrestha, K. K., 'Environmental equity in community-based natural resource management: A case from community forestry in Nepal', In International Environmental Justice, Freeland and Gordon (eds.), ILM Publishers (In press).
2008 | Shrestha, K. K. and Sarker, A., '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.
2008 | Shrestha, K. K. and Dee, J. (2008), Planning for sustainable development: 'Wicked Problems' at Sydney's Malabar Headland, Dialogues in Urban Planning: Towards Sustainable Regions, Sydney University Press, Sydney: Gilmour and Blakely (eds.), pp. 3-26.
Journal Articles
2011 | Shrestha, K. K. and Mahjabeen, Z., Civic science, community participation and planning for knowledge-based urban development: Analysis of Sydney Metropolitan Strategy, International Journal of Knowledge-based urban development (In Press)
2011 | Shrestha, K. K., Environment and society: Sustainability, policy and the citizen, Australian Planner, 48(2), pp. 99-100.
2010 | Dressler, W., Buscher, B., Schoon, M., Brockington, D., Hayes, T., Kull, C., McCarthy, J. and Shrestha, K. K., From Hope to Crisis and Back Again? A Critical Genealogy of the Global CBNRM Narrative, Environmental Conservation, 37(1), pp. 5-15.
2009 | Mahjabeen, Z., Shrestha, K. K. and Dee, J., Rethinking community participation in urban planning: The role of disadvantaged groups in Sydney Metropolitan Strategy, Australasian Journal of Regional Studies, 15(1), pp.45-63.
2008 | Shrestha, K. K. and McManus, P., The politics of community participation in natural resource management: Lessons from community forestry in Nepal, Australian Forestry, 71(2), pp.135-146
2008 | Sarker, A., Ross, H. and Shrestha, K. K., Common pool approach for water quality management: An Australian case study, Ecological Economics, 8, pp.461-471.
2008 | Sarker, A. Ross, H. and Shrestha, K. K., Interdependence of Common Pool Resources: Lessons from a Nested Set of Catchments in Australia, Human Ecology, 36, pp.821-834.
2007 | Shrestha, K. K. and McManus, P., The Embeddedness of Community Forestry in Nepal, Journal of Small-scale Forestry, 6(3), pp.273-290.
Conference Presentations and Publications
2011 | Shrestha, K.K., Forging effective partnership for sustainable NRM: The changing role and relationship between landcare groups and CMAs in NSW, Institute of Australian Geographers Conference : Geography on the edge, July 3-6, University of Wollongong,
2011 | Mahjabeen, Z. and Shrestha, K. K., Towards inclusive urban governance: Access to opportunity for community participation in Sydney Metropolitan Strategy, Peer-reviewed contribution in the 3rd World Planning Schools Congress, Planning’s Future - Futures Planning: Planning in an Era of Global (Un)Certainty and Transformation, Paper number 129, 4-8 July 2011 Perth, Australia.
2011 | Shrestha, K. K., The equity-equality paradox in Nepalese community forestry, Paper presented in the American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting, April 12-16, Seattle, Washington, USA.
2010 | Neupane, S. and Shrestha, K. K., Climate Justice: Equity in Climate Change Adaptation Policies in Nepal and Australia, Paper presented in the International Graduate Conference on Climate Change and People, November 15-19, 2010, Kathmandu Nepal.
2010 | Shrestha, K. K., The politics of regional NRM in Australia, Paper presented at the New Zealand Geographical Society Conference with the Institute of Australian Geographers (IAG), July 5-8 2010, Christchurch, New Zealand.
2009 | Shrestha, K. K., Rethinking participatory forestry for equity: Views from Nepal, In Forests in Development-A Vital Balance, the XIII World Forestry Congress 2009, Buenos Aires, 18-25 October 2009, Accessible Online
2009 | Mahjabeen, Z and Shrestha, K (2009) Social Justice and City: community participation in Sydney’s Metropolitan Planning, in State of Australian Cities: National Conference 09 - City Growth, sustainability, vitality and vulnerability , held at Perth 24-27 November 2009 Accessible Online
2008 | Dee, J., Shrestha, K. K. and Crowther, M., 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.
2008 | Shrestha, K. K. and Dee, J., 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.
2008 | Dee, J. and Shrestha, K. K., 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.
2007 | Shrestha, K. K. and McManus, P., 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. Published as a Journal article.
2007 | Shrestha, K. K., The politics of urban environmental management in Malabar Headland Sydney, In Contemporary Geography For Australia, Paper presented at the Institute of Australian Geographers Conference, 2-6 July 2007, Melbourne.
2006 | Shrestha, K. K. and McManus, P., 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.
2006 | Shrestha, K. K. and McManus, P.,, 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.
2006 | Sarker, A., Shrestha, K. K. and Ross, H., 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.
2005 | Shrestha, K. K. and McManus, P., 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.
Postgraduate Supervision
- 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