Marisha Ewart

Biography

Marisha Ewart is a Research Assistant and PhD Candidate in the Faculty of Business, Law and Art. Her PhD research explores the behavioural responses of commercial tourism operators to marine protected area management agency policy instrument mixes. This thesis incorporates two case studies, the Whitsundays Planning Area of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and Cape Byron Marine Park. Data was collected through written sources (legislation, policy documents, grey and academic literature) and interviews with tourism operators, local tourism associations, government agencies and management agencies. The findings support marine protected area practitioners in designing policy instrument mixes to achieve long-term conservation and sustainable use more effectively.

Marisha is also working as a Research Assistant on the Nguthungulli-Julian Rocks Visitor Management Study, which assesses the sustainability of the SCUBA dive and snorkel industry at Nguthungulli-Julian Rocks (Byron Bay, NSW), using a Threat and Risk Assessment Framework.

Marisha is eager to expand on the application of policy design and business management knowledge from recent focus on tourism in Australian protected areas to sustainable development more broadly, including the circular economy and climate change mitigation and adaptation.