Dr Megan Evans
megan.evans@uq.edu.au
My research seeks to understand and inform the design, implementation and governance of environmental policy instruments. I have a particular interest in the use of market-based instruments for biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation and adaptation. I have a diverse background, including undergraduate degrees in mathematics and ecology, a PhD in public policy, and direct experience with policymaking. I sit on the editorial boards of Conservation Letters and Conservation Biology.
I am Research Fellow in the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science at the University of Queensland. I am also affiliated with the UQ Centre for Policy Futures, and I am Principal Scientist in the Land Restoration Fund Unit, Department of Environment and Science, Queensland Government.
From 2016 to 2018 I was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, the University of Queensland, working with the National Environmental Science Program – Threatened Species Recovery Hub (NESP TSR). In 2017 I completed my PhD at the Fenner School of Environment and Society at the Australian National University, where I investigated the challenges and complexities associated with conservation policy in Australia using an interdisciplinary, mixed methods approach. Previously, I was the inaugural Science Policy Intern at the Australian Academy of Science, and also worked with the Australian Government's Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities on the EPBC Act Environmental Offsets Policy (2012).
In 2018 I was awarded the UQ Faculty of Science 2018 Rising Star – Academic award (selected from 29 nominations). The award recognises individuals who demonstrate excellence and future potential in research, teaching, academic or professional service, or driving positive workplace culture.
Environmental markets, regulation and governance
Science-policy interface
Research Impacts
My research on biodiversity offset policy has directly informed Australian and international policy. Together with colleagues Professor Martine Maron, Professor Hugh Possingham and others, our collaborative work translated into the Australian Government's Offset Assessment Guide in 2012. This work subsequently informed the IUCN Biodiversity Offsets Policy (2016), the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Land Degradation Neutrality Conceptual Framework (2017), and the New Zealand Biodiversity Offsets Accounting System (2015).
My paper on how early-career researchers (ECRs) can achieve policy impact (Evans and Cvitanovic, 2018) was featured in several blogs and online news outlets, including a Nature News career feature. This paper is the top-rated contribution in Palgrave Communications on Altmetric (score of 568).
My work on the economics of land-based carbon offsets (aka carbon farming, Evans et al. 2015) informed the establishment of the Queensland Government's AUD 500 million Land Restoration Fund.
My research on deforestation was featured in the 2016 Australian State of the Environment Report. You can download the data here and here.
My work with colleagues from CSIRO has directly informed the Australian Department of the Environment's risk-based approach for prioritising monitoring and compliance efforts
My Honours research on threats to Australian species was featured in the 2011 Australian State of the Environment Report.
Doctor of Philosophy, Australian National University
Bachelor of Science with Honours Class 1, The University of Queensland
Bachelor of Arts, The University of Queensland
Bachelor of Science, The University of Queensland
Journal Article: Expanding the role of social science in conservation through an engagement with philosophy, methodology, and methods
Moon, Katie, Blackman, Deborah A., Adams, Vanessa M., Colvin, Rebecca M., Davila, Federico, Evans, Megan C., Januchowski-Hartley, Stephanie R., Bennett, Nathan J., Dickinson, Helen, Sandbrook, Chris, Sherren, Kate, St. John, Freya A. V., van Kerkhoff, Lorrae and Wyborn, Carina (2019) Expanding the role of social science in conservation through an engagement with philosophy, methodology, and methods. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 10 3: 294-302. doi:10.1111/2041-210X.13126
Journal Article: Book review: Economics and Environmental Change: The Challenges We Face, by Clement A. Tisdell
Evans, Megan C. (2018) Book review: Economics and Environmental Change: The Challenges We Face, by Clement A. Tisdell. Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 62 4: 713-715. doi:10.1111/1467-8489.12281
Journal Article: An introduction to achieving policy impact for early career researchers
Evans, Megan C. and Cvitanovic, Christopher (2018) An introduction to achieving policy impact for early career researchers. Palgrave Communications, 4 1: . doi:10.1057/s41599-018-0144-2
Developing response to management models for priority SoS species
(2017–2018) New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage
Borneo Futures Project
(2012–2014) People and Nature Consultancy International
Expanding the role of social science in conservation through an engagement with philosophy, methodology, and methods
Book review: Economics and Environmental Change: The Challenges We Face, by Clement A. Tisdell
An introduction to achieving policy impact for early career researchers
Effective incentives for reforestation: lessons from Australia's carbon farming policies
Evans, Megan C. (2018) Effective incentives for reforestation: lessons from Australia's carbon farming policies. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 32 38-45. doi:10.1016/j.cosust.2018.04.002
Roles for scientific societies to engage with conservation policy
Reed, Sarah E., Thomas, Sarah L., Bednarek, Angela T., Dellasala, Dominick A., Evans, Megan C., Lundquist, Carolyn, Mascia, Michael B., Mcpherson, Tsitsi Y. and Watson, James E.M. (2018) Roles for scientific societies to engage with conservation policy. Conservation Biology, 32 3: 513-515. doi:10.1111/cobi.13092
The many meanings of no net loss in environmental policy
Maron, Martine, Brownlie, Susie , Bull, Joseph W. , Evans, Megan C. , von Hase, Amrei , Quétier , Fabien , Watson, James E. M. and Gordon, Ascelin (2018) The many meanings of no net loss in environmental policy. Nature Sustainability, 1 1: 19-27. doi:10.1038/s41893-017-0007-7
Embrace complexity to improve conservation decision making
Evans, Megan C., Davila, Federico, Toomey, Anne and Wyborn, Carina (2017) Embrace complexity to improve conservation decision making. Nature Ecology and Evolution, 1 11: 1588-1588. doi:10.1038/s41559-017-0345-x
Land clearing on the rise as legal 'thinning' proves far from clear-cut
Reside, April, Cosgrove, Anita J., Silcock, Jennifer, Seabrook, Leonie and Evans, Megan C. (2017, June 20). Land clearing on the rise as legal 'thinning' proves far from clear-cut. , .
Ecological consequences of land clearing and policy reform in Queensland
Reside, April E., Beher, Jutta, Cosgrove, Anita , Evans, Megan C., Seabrook, Leonie, Silcock, Jennifer L., Wenger, Amelia S. and Maron, Martine (2017) Ecological consequences of land clearing and policy reform in Queensland. Pacific Conservation Biology, 23 3: 219-230. doi:10.1071/PC17001
The anatomy of a failed offset
Lindenmayer, David B., Crane, Mason, Evans, Megan C., Maron, Martine, Gibbons, Philip, Bekessy, Sarah and Blanchard, Wade (2017) The anatomy of a failed offset. Biological Conservation, 210 A: 286-292. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2017.04.022
Using offsets to mitigate environmental impacts of major projects: a stakeholder analysis
Martin, Nigel, Evans, Megan, Rice, John, Lodhia, Sumit and Gibbons, Philip (2016) Using offsets to mitigate environmental impacts of major projects: a stakeholder analysis. Journal of Environmental Management, 179 58-65. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2016.04.054
Better planning outcomes requires clear consideration of costs, condition and conservation benefits, and access to the best available data: reply to Gosper et al., 2016
Evans, Megan C., Tulloch, Ayesha I. T., Law, Elizabeth A., Raiter, Keren G., Possingham, Hugh P. and Wilson, Kerrie A. (2016) Better planning outcomes requires clear consideration of costs, condition and conservation benefits, and access to the best available data: reply to Gosper et al., 2016. Biological Conservation, 200 242-243. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2016.06.009
A loss-gain calculator for biodiversity offsets and the circumstances in which no net loss is feasible
Gibbons, Philip, Evans, Megan C., Maron, Martine, Ascelin, Gordon, Le Roux, Darren, von Hase, Amrei, Lindenmayer, David B. and Possingham, Hugh P. (2016) A loss-gain calculator for biodiversity offsets and the circumstances in which no net loss is feasible. Conservation Letters, 9 4: 252-259. doi:10.1111/conl.12206
Taming a wicked problem: resolving controversies in biodiversity offsetting
Maron, Martine, Ives, Christopher D., Kujala, Heini, Bull, Joseph W., Maseyk, Fleur J. F., Bekessy, Sarah, Gordon, Ascelin, Watson, James E. M., Lentini, Pia E., Gibbons, Philip, Possingham, Hugh P., Hobbs, Richard J., Keith, David A., Wintle, Brendan A. and Evans, Megan C. (2016) Taming a wicked problem: resolving controversies in biodiversity offsetting. Bioscience, 66 6: 489-498. doi:10.1093/biosci/biw038
Deforestation in Australia: drivers, trends and policy responses
Evans, Megan C. (2016) Deforestation in Australia: drivers, trends and policy responses. Pacific Conservation Biology, 22 2: 130-150. doi:10.1071/PC15052
Clear consideration of costs, condition and conservation benefits yields better planning outcomes
Evans, Megan C., Tulloch, Ayesha I.T., Law, Elizabeth A., Raiter, Keren G., Possingham, Hugh P. and Wilson, Kerrie A. (2015) Clear consideration of costs, condition and conservation benefits yields better planning outcomes. Biological Conservation, 191 716-727. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2015.08.023
Locking in loss: baselines of decline in Australian biodiversity offset policies
Maron, Martine, Bull, Joseph W., Evans, Megan C. and Gordon, Ascelin (2015) Locking in loss: baselines of decline in Australian biodiversity offset policies. Biological Conservation, 192 504-512. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2015.05.017
Carbon farming via assisted natural regeneration as a cost-effective mechanism for restoring biodiversity in agricultural landscapes
Evans, Megan C., Carwardine, Josie, Fensham, Rod J., Butler, Don W., Wilson, Kerrie A., Possingham, Hugh P. and Martin, Tara G. (2015) Carbon farming via assisted natural regeneration as a cost-effective mechanism for restoring biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. Environmental Science and Policy, 50 114-129. doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2015.02.003
Why do we map threats? Linking threat mapping with actions to make better conservation decisions
Tulloch, Vivitskaia, Tulloch, Ayesha, Visconti, Piero, Halpern, Benjamin S., Watson, James E. M., Evans, Megan C., Auerbach, Nancy A., Barnes, Megan, Beger, Maria, Chadès, Iadine, Giakoumi, Sylvaine, McDonald-Madden, Eve, Murray, Nicholas J., Ringma, Jeremy and Possingham, Hugh P. (2015) Why do we map threats? Linking threat mapping with actions to make better conservation decisions. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 13 2: 91-99. doi:10.1890/140022
The development of the Australian environmental offsets policy: from theory to practice
Miller, Katherine L., Trezise, James A., Kraus, Stefan, Dripps, Kimberley, Evans, Megan C., Gibbons, Philip, Possingham, Hugh P. and Maron, Martine (2015) The development of the Australian environmental offsets policy: from theory to practice. Environmental Conservation, 42 4: 306-314. doi:10.1017/S037689291400040X
The Value of Using Feasibility Models in Systematic Conservation Planning to Predict Landholder Management Uptake
Tulloch, Ayesha I. T., Tulloch, Vivitskaia J. D., Evans, Megan C. and Mills, Morena (2014) The Value of Using Feasibility Models in Systematic Conservation Planning to Predict Landholder Management Uptake. Conservation Biology, 28 6: 1462-1473. doi:10.1111/cobi.12403
Prioritizing conservation investments for mammal species globally
Wilson, Kerrie A., Evans, Megan, C., Di Marco, Moreno, Green, David C., Boitani, Luigi, Possingham, Hugh P., Chiozza, Federica and Rondinini, Carlo (2011) Prioritizing conservation investments for mammal species globally. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 366 1578: 2670-2680. doi:10.1098/rstb.2011.0108
Extinctions: Conserve not collate
Evans, Megan, Possingham, Hugh and Wilson, Kerrie (2011) Extinctions: Conserve not collate. Nature, 474 7351: 284-284. doi:10.1038/474284a
What to do in the face of multiple threats? Incorporating dependencies within a return on investment framework for conservation
Evans, Megan C., Possingham, Hugh P. and Wilson, Kerrie A. (2011) What to do in the face of multiple threats? Incorporating dependencies within a return on investment framework for conservation. Diversity and Distributions: a journal of conservation biogeography, 17 3: 437-450. doi:10.1111/j.1472-4642.2011.00747.x
The spatial distribution of threats to species in Australia
Evans, Megan C., Watson, James E. M., Fuller, Richard A., Venter, Oscar, Bennett, Simon C., Marsack, Peter R. and Possingham, Hugh P. (2011) The spatial distribution of threats to species in Australia. Bioscience, 61 4: 281-289. doi:10.1525/bio.2011.61.4.8
What works for threatened species recovery? An empirical evaluation for Australia
Taylor, Martin F. J., Sattler, Paul S., Evans, Megan, Fuller, Richard A., Watson, James E. M. and Possingham, Hugh P. (2011) What works for threatened species recovery? An empirical evaluation for Australia. Biodiversity and Conservation, 20 4: 767-777. doi:10.1007/s10531-010-9977-8
The capacity of Australia's protected-area system to represent threatened species
Watson, James E. M., Evans, Megan C., Carwardine, Josie, Fuller, Richard A., Joseph, Liana N., Segan, Dan B., Taylor, Martin F. J., Fensham, R. J. and Possingham, Hugh P. (2011) The capacity of Australia's protected-area system to represent threatened species. Conservation Biology, 25 2: 324-332. doi:10.1111/j.1523-1739.2010.01587.x
Australia's species need an independent champion
Ritchie, Euan, Nimmo, Dale, Driscoll, Don, Heard, Geoffrey, Watson, James, Evans, Megan C. and Doherty, Tim (2017, October 12). Australia's species need an independent champion. The Conversation, .
This staff member is a UQ Expert for media in the following fields:
environmental policy, land clearing, biodiversity, environmental offsets, carbon farming
They are happy to lend their expertise to your articles or broadcasts and share their research discoveries and insights with the community via media channels.
For additional assistance with story ideas, general advice and information or help with seeking further experts, please email the UQ Media Team or telephone (07) 3365 1120.
ResearcherID: G-5081-2010
ORCID: 0000-0001-6763-310X
Google Scholar ID: aaABYLIAAAAJ
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