Ms Nicola McGunnigle
School of Society and Culture
College of Education, Behavioural and Social Science
Nicola is a Higher Degree by Research candidate, having just completed cross-disciplinary research on the benefits and challenges of regenerating forest on abandoned agricultural land for sustainable development in the middle hills of Nepal. This research has brought together over twenty years’ professional environmental science experience and her understanding of community development in Nepal. Through interviews and community surveys her research provides farmers’ perceptions to policy makers as well as observations of transition in the socio-ecological landscape.
Nicola is a Higher Degree by Research candidate, having just completed cross-disciplinary research on the benefits and challenges of regenerating forest on abandoned agricultural land for sustainable development in the middle hills of Nepal. This research has brought together over twenty years’ professional environmental science experience and her understanding of community development in Nepal. Through interviews and community surveys her research provides farmers’ perceptions to policy makers as well as observations of transition in the socio-ecological landscape.
| Date | Position | Institution name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 - 2023 | Lecturer, tutor | University of Adelaide |
| 2016 - ongoing | Principal Environmental Geologist | AECOM Australia Pty Ltd |
| 2015 - 2016 | Funding Advisor | International Nepal Fellowship |
| 2006 - 2015 | Associate Environmental Geologist | URS Australia Pty Ltd |
| 2003 - 2005 | Consents Officer | Hawkes' Bay Regional Council |
| 2002 - 2003 | Compliance Officer | Otago Regional Council |
| 2000 - 2002 | Environmental Geologist | Tonkin & Taylor |
| 1999 - 1999 | Volunteer teacher | World Youth International |
| 1997 - 1998 | Geologist | Pasminco |
| 1995 - 1997 | Geologist | Pasminco |
| Date | Institution name | Country | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 - 1995 | University of Waikato | New Zealand | MSc (first class hons) |
| 1990 - 1992 | University of Waikato | New Zealand | BSc |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2025 | McGunnigle, N., Bardsley, D., Nuberg, I., & Pandit, B. H. (2025). Is rewilding too wild? Assessing the benefits and challenges of forest succession on abandoned land in the mid-hills of Nepal. People and Nature, 7(2), 415-433. Scopus3 WoS2 |
| 2025 | McGunnigle, N., Bardsley, D., Nuberg, I., Cedamon, E., & Pandit, B. H. (2025). Intermediate levels of socio-ecological disturbance drive higher biodiversity in naturally regenerating forests: A case study from Nepal. Journal of Rural Studies, 115, 103582. Scopus2 WoS3 |
| 2025 | McGunnigle, N. K., Bardsley, D. K., & Nuberg, I. K. (2025). Rewilding in the developing world as an alternative development pathway: The example of forest regeneration in the middle hills of Nepal. Environmental Development, 55, 16 pages. Scopus1 WoS1 |
| 2023 | McGunnigle, N., Bardsley, D., Nuberg, I., Cedamon, E., & Pandit, B. H. (2023). The Succession of Farmers' Perceptions of Transitioning Landscapes - A Case Study of Agroforestry in the Middle Hills of Nepal. Human Ecology, 51(4), 699-717. Scopus7 WoS6 |
| 2023 | McGunnigle, N., Bardsley, D., Nuberg, I., Cedamon, E., & Pandit, B. H. (2023). Correction to: The Succession of Farmers’ Perceptions of Transitioning Landscapes – A Case Study of Agroforestry in the Middle Hills of Nepal. Human Ecology, 51(4), 719. |
Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship
Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research project, ACIAR FST/2017/037, “Enhancing livelihoods from improved forest management in Nepal – EnLiFT2".
The Crawford Fund Student Travel Award
GEOG 1104 Sustainability and Society
GEOG 2142 - Climate Change
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