Originally from the Seychelles, Michelle completed both her Bachelor(Hons) and her PhD studies at James Cook University, Australia, where she now works as a researcher. Her interests lie on projects which  explore trade-offs between economic development and environmental protection.

Current and recent research projects involved in include:

• Promoting sustainable tourism development for small islands (2017-2018 - in collaboration with the University of the Philipines and Zhejiang University)
• Harnessing the science of social marketing & behavior change for improved water quality in the Great Barrier Reef: An action research project (2016-2018)
• Multiple benefits & knowledge systems of Indigenous Land Management Projects/Programs (ILMPs) - Economic perspectives (2016-2018)
• Research priorities for Indigenous Protected Areas across Northern Australia (2015)                      
• Review of integrated models, frameworks and decision support tools to guide management and planning in Northern Australia (2015)
• Regional economic impact of agriculture extension programs in Laos (2015)
• State of Wet Tropics Report 2014/15
• Economic costs of macro-algae production (2014-2015)                                               
• Socio-economic systems and reef resilience  (2012-2014) 
• Relative social and economic values of residents and tourists in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area  (2012-2014)                                                                                                      
• Searching for cost-effective methods of achieving key biodiversity outcomes in Northern Australia: are there economies of scale or scope?   (2012-2014)
• Socio-economic activity and water use in the Tropical Rivers region (2010-2011)

Interests

Research

• Natural resource management and economics • Non-market valuation techniques • Environmental modelling techniques • Sustainable tourism development • Tourism certification schemes • Tourism economics • Protected areas

Research Disciplines

• Sociology (4410)
• Environmental management (4104)
• Cultural studies (4702)

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

• Addison J, Stoeckl N, Larson S, Jarvis D, Bidan Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC , Bunuba Dawangarri Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC , Ewamian Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC , Gooniyandi Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC , Yanunijarra Ngurrara Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC and Esparon M (2019) The ability of community based natural resource management to contribute to development as freedom and the role of access. World Development, 120, pp. 91-104, DOI:10.1016/j.worlddev.2019.04.004.
• Larson S, Stoeckl N, Jarvis D, Addison J, Prior S and Esparon M (2019) Using measures of wellbeing for impact evaluation: proof of concept developed with an Indigenous community undertaking land management programs in northern Australia. Ambio, 48 (1), pp. 89-98, DOI:10.1007/s13280-018-1058-3.
• Esparon M, Farr M, Larson S and Stoeckl N (2018) Social values and growth and their implications for ecosystem services in the long-run. Australasian Journal of Regional Studies, 24 (3), pp. 327-346.
• Stoeckl N, Hicks C, Farr M, Grainger D, Esparon M, Thomas J and Larson S (2018) The crowding out of complex social goods. Ecological Economics, 144, pp. 65-72, DOI:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2017.07.021.
• 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, DOI:10.1111/cobi.12808.
• Farr M, Stoeckl N, Esparon M, Larson S and Jarvis D (2016) The importance of water clarity to tourists in the Great Barrier Reef and their willingness to pay to improve it. Tourism Economics, 22 (2), pp. 331-352, DOI:10.5367/te.2014.0426.
• Tran L, Stoeckl N, Esparon M and Jarvis D (2016) If climate change means more intense and more frequent drought, what will that mean for agricultural production? A case study in Northern Australia. Australasian Journal of Environmental Management, 23 (3), pp. 281-297, DOI:10.1080/14486563.2016.1152202.
• Esparon M, Stoeckl N, Farr M and Larson S (2015) The significance of environmental values for destination competitiveness and sustainable tourism strategy making: insights from Australia's Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 23 (5), pp. 706-725, DOI:10.1080/09669582.2014.998678.
• Larson S, Stoeckl N, Farr M and Esparon M (2015) The role the Great Barrier Reef plays in resident wellbeing and implications for its management. Ambio, 44 (3), pp. 166-177, DOI:10.1007/s13280-014-0554-3.
• Esparon M, Gyuris E and Stoeckl N (2014) Does ECO certification deliver benefits? An empirical investigation of visitors' perceptions of the importance of ECO certification's attributes and of operators' performance. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 22 (1), pp. 148-169, DOI:10.1080/09669582.2013.802325.
• Stoeckl N, Farr M, Larson S, Adams V, Kubiszewski I, Esparon M and Costanza R (2014) A new approach to the problem of overlapping values: a case study in Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Ecosystem Services, 10, pp. 61-78, DOI:10.1016/j.ecoser.2014.09.005.
• Stoeckl N, Esparon M, Farr M, Delisle A and Stanley O (2014) The great asymmetric divide: an empirical investigation of the link between indigenous and non-indigenous economic systems in Northern Australia. Papers in Regional Science, 93 (4), pp. 783-801, DOI:10.1111/pirs.12028.

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ResearchOnline@JCU stores 26+ research outputs authored by Dr Michelle Esparon from 2011 onwards.

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

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.