My research interests relate broadly to the humn dimensions of environmental conservation and management, with an emphasis on small-scale fishing communities in the tropics. In particular, I work to identify the social factors that influence positive livelihood outcomes from conservation, development, and natural resource management. Much of my work has focused on how tourism alters the relationship between humans and the natural environment (e.g. through shifting livelihoods, implementation of Marine Protected Areas, and influence on socio-cultural values and behaviour). More recently, my research has focused on the role of social capital in influencing sustainable livelihood outcomes in small-scale fishing communities in Asia and the Pacific. 

My work tends to be applied and locally or regionally specific, with an overarching objective to develop comparative methods and evaluation tools relevant to multiple scenarios. To date, I have conducted research in the Caribbean, Latin America, the Mediterranean and in the Asia Pacific region. I use a combination of quantitative and qualitative ethnographic methods and am working to develop ways to integrate social and ecological science data in spatial contexts, thus providing comprehensive scientific support to environmental decision-making.

Learn more about my Lab at www.livelihoodslab.com

Teaching

• EV3020: Human Dimensions of Nature, Environment and Conservation (Level 3; TSV)
• EV5009: Foundations of Natural Resource Management (Level 5; CNS & TSV)
• EV5020: Human Dimensions of Nature, Environment and Conservation (Level 5; TSV)
• EV5209: Principles and Practices of Protected Area Management (Level 5; TSV)
• SC5009: Professional Project (Level 5; CNS & TSV)
• SC5900: Special Topic (Level 5; TSV)
• SC5901: Special Topic 1 (Level 5; TSV)
• SC5902: Special Topic 2 (Level 5; TSV)
• SC5903: Literature Review (Level 5; TSV)
• SC5909: Minor Project and Seminar (Level 5; TSV)
• SC5912: Minor Project, Seminar and Literature Review (1 of 2) (Level 5; TSV)
• SC5913: Minor Project, Seminar and Literature Review (2 of 2) (Level 5; TSV)

Interests

Research

• Human dimensions of conservation and natural resource management
• Marine Protected Areas
• Sustainable livelihoods
• Marine ecotourism
• Sustainable aquaculture

Experience

• 2013 to present - Lecturer, College of Marine and Environmental Sciences (Townsville, Australia)
• 2012 - Lecturer, The School for Field Studies (Bocas del Toro, Panama)
• 2009 to 2012 - Lead Researcher, Division of Strategic Issues and Applications for Society, Balearic Islands Coastal Observing and Forecasting System (Spain)
• 2006 to 2008 - Postdoctoral Researcher, Mediterranean Institute of Advanced Studies (Balearic Islands, Spain)
• 2002 to 2003 - Doctoral Research Assistant, Coastal Resources Centre, University of Rhode Island (USA)
• 2001 to 2002 - Program Assistant, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, UNESCO (Paris, France)

Research Disciplines

• Environmental Science and Management (0502)
• Human Geography (1604)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Ecosystem Assessment and Management (9605)
• Environment (9699)
• Environmental Policy, Legislation and Standards (9607)

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• Diedrich A, Benham C, Pandihau L and Sheaves M (in press) Social capital plays a central role in transitions to sportfishing tourism in small-scale fishing communities in Papua New Guinea. Ambio,
• D'Lima C, Everingham Y, Diedrich A, Mustika P, Hamann M and Marsh H (in press) Using multiple indicators to evaluate the sustainability of dolphin-based wildlife tourism in rural India. Journal of Sustainable Tourism,
• MacKeracher T, Diedrich A and Simpfendorfer C (in press) Sharks, rays and marine protected areas: a critical evaluation of current perspectives. Fish and Fisheries,
• MacKeracher T, Diedrich A, Gurney G and Marshall N (2018) Who trusts who in the Great Barrier Reef? Exploring trust and communication in natural resource management. Environmental Science & Policy, 88. pp. 24-31
• Mizrahi M, Diedrich A, Weeks R and Pressey R (in press) A systematic review of the socioeconomic factors that influence how marine protected areas impact on ecosystems and livelihoods. Society and Natural Resources,
• Sandanam A, Diedrich A, Gurney G and Richardson T (2018) Perceptions of cyclone preparedness: assessing the role of individual adaptive capacity and social capital in the Wet Tropics, Australia. Sustainability, 10 (4).
• Diedrich A, Stoeckl N, Gurney G, Esparon M and Pollnac R (2017) Social capital as a key determinant of perceived benefits of community-based marine protected areas. Conservation Biology, 31 (2). pp. 311-321
• Trave C, Brunnschweiler J, Sheaves M, Diedrich A and Barnett A (2017) Are we killing them with kindness? Evaluation of sustainable marine wildlife tourism. Biological Conservation, 209. pp. 211-222
• Barnett A, Abrantes K, Baker R, Diedrich A, Farr M, Kuilboer A, Mahony T, McLeod I, Moscardo G, Prideaux M, Stoeckl N, Van Luyn A and Sheaves M (2016) Sportfisheries, conservation and sustainable livelihoods: a multidisciplinary guide to developing best practice. Fish and Fisheries, 17 (3). pp. 696-713
• Diedrich A and Aswani S (2016) Exploring the potential impacts of tourism development on social and ecological change in the Solomon Islands. Ambio, 45 (7). pp. 808-818
• Aswani S, Diedrich A and Currier K (2015) Planning for the future: mapping anticipated environmental and social impacts in a nascent tourism destination. Society and Natural Resources, 28 (7). pp. 703-719

Book Chapters

• Gerhardt K, Diedrich A and Jaiteh V (2018) Social science and its application to the studies of shark biology. In: Shark Research: emerging technologies and applications for the field and laboratory. Marine Biology Series. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, USA, pp. 319-336

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 26+ research outputs authored by Dr Amy Diedrich from 2007 onwards.

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

• Maximising Potential Impact of Marine Protected Area Placement: An Integrated Socioeconomic Perspective. (PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Understanding the social dynamics of tilapia pond aquaculture in a rural developing pacific islands context (PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Conservation Targeting and Prioritization in the Prairie Pothole Region (PhD , Primary Advisor)
• A holistic approach to shark fisheries science and management: The role of contempory indigenous knowledge (PhD , Primary Advisor)

Completed

• Socio-economic drivers affecting marine turtle conservation status: causes and consequences (2018, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Effects of land use on butterfly (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) abundance and diversity in the tropical coastal regions of Guyana and Australia (2018, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• The Ecological State and Fishing Practices of Coral Reefs in South Buton (2018, Masters , Secondary Advisor)
• Multidisciplinary insights into the conservation and biology of sea turtles in Mozambique (2017, PhD , Secondary Advisor)

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.