PhD programme:

Environmental Management and Development

Supervisor(s) and panel members:

Professor Jeff Bennett, Crawford School of Economics and Government
Kenton Lawson, Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resources Economics

Topic title and description:

Application of choice modelling to the development of natural resource management strategies in NSW

Increasing environmental problems in Australia such as declining water quality and quantity, land clearing, climate change, loss of native species and salinity have raised public awareness and concern over natural resource management (NRM). Government expenditure on the environment has risen significantly during the past few years (Treasury, 2007). Due to budget limitations only some of the environmental problems can be addressed. This raises a question of how these funds should be allocated in order to achieve the best value for money and to ensure that the best outcomes are obtained.

The objective of this study is to explore the application of Choice Modelling to estimate the values held by residents of NSW for a range of environmental benefits provided by potential NRM strategies in three NSW catchments (Namoi, Lachlan and Hawkesbury-Nepean). Key methodology issues that will be investigated include scope, scale effects and the incentive compatibility of Choice Experiments. These values will be estimated in a format that makes them suitable for integration into the bio-physical modelling constructs of MOSAIC (an integrated spatial optimisation model developed by ABARE with NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change) and consistent with the welfare economic principles that underpin benefit cost analysis. The results of the study will assist NSW Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs) with prioritization of their natural resource management investments. This research project is embedded in one of the EERH projects (Community Values for Catchment Management).

Scholarships and Fellowships:

Commonwealth Environment Research Facility through the Environmental Economics Research Hub

Publications:

• Mazur, K., Bennett, J., 2009, Location differences in communities’ preferences for environmental improvements in selected NSW catchments: A Choice Modelling approach. Conference paper presented at 54st Annual Conference of the Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, Cairns, Queensland, Australia, 10 - 13 February.

• Mazur, K., Bennett, J., 2009, A Choice Modelling Survey of Community Attitudes to Improvements in Environmental Quality in NSW Catchments, EERH Research Report No.13.

• Mazur, K., Bennett, J., 2008, Using focus groups to design a choice modelling questionnaire for estimating natural resource management benefits in NSW, EERH Research Reports No 2.

• Mazur, K., Bennett, J., 2008, Choice modelling in the development of natural resource management strategies in NSW, EERH Research Reports No 1.

• Apted, S. and Mazur, K. 2007, Potential Economic Impacts from the Introduction of GM Canola on Organic Farming in Australia, ABARE Research Report 7.11 Prepared for the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Canberra.

• Mallawaarachchi, T., Mazur, K., Lawson, K. 2007, Modelling environmental risk and land management tradeoffs in the Great Barrier Reef catchment, ABARE, Conference paper presented at 51st Annual Conference of the Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, Rydges Lakeland, Queenstown, New Zealand, 13 - 16 February.

• Yainshet, A., Rodriguez, G. and Mazur, K. 2006, Broader economic impacts of native vegetation conservation in southern and western Queensland, ABARE Report to the Natural Resource Management Division of the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Canberra.

• Apted, S., Berry, P., Short, C., Topp, V., Mazur, K., and Mellor, T. 2006, International Competitiveness of the Australian Vegetable Production Sector ABARE eReport 06.5, Canberra.

Employment history:

Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Research Economist, 2005 - present

Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Policy Analyst, 2004-2005

Agricultural Bank in Krakow, Poland - Financial Analyst, 2000-2002

Mailing address:

J.G. Crawford Building (BLD 132)
Lennox Crossing,
The Australian National University
Canberra, ACT 0200