Micah Fisher, PhD

• PhD, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, Department of  Geography and Environment (United States)
• Mater of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa Department of Urban and Regional Planning 
• Graduate Certificate of Conflict Resolution, the Matsunaga Institute, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa
• Graduate Certificate of Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa
• Bachelor of Arts University of Richmond, Urban Policy and Practice 

My research focuses on land-use and watershed changes and the livelihoods that shape them. I am especially interested in expanding stakeholder engagement to develop solutions for complex environmental challenges. I apply a critical analytical approach of political ecology to understand the processes of environmental change. I am interested in:

• Community based natural resource management: research examining the effects of global land governance schemes to return land and forest to local and Indigenous communities.
• Participatory action research and adaptive management: Methodologies for improved public engagement.
• Landscape and watershed change analysis
• Disaster management: Approaches to climate change adaptation and resilience
• Forest policy and governance.
• Involving youth in future environmental governance.

I continue to work as a practitioner in urban and regional planning on sustainability and the environment, especially on disaster management and climate change adaptation initiatives. I am also interested in the pedagogical aspects of my work, teaching and learning in academic and practitioner settings. I have worked with the World Bank in the Sustainable Development Unit as a water management and urban and regional planning specialist, and for the USDA Forest Service International Programs managing climate change and forest governance programming. 

I have also consulted on several initiatives with the Center for International Forestry Research, and conducted evaluations for Social Impact on Millenium Challenge Corporation compact initiatives. I’ve also been on research teams implementing NOAA, USAID, and CIDA grants, and worked for the International Rescue Committee, Mercy Corps, The Asia Foundation, and the East-West Center.

Editorial work

Editor-in-Chief, Forest and Society

Blogsite: Learning from Disasters: About disaster management