Micah Scudder

Dr. Micah Scudder is a Research Fellow at the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC), Australia, affiliated with the Forest Research Institute and the Tropical Forests and People Research Centre. He holds a PhD from UniSC and specializes in forest economics, sustainable small-scale forestry, and policy analysis, with a focus on Papua New Guinea (PNG). His research integrates socioeconomic, biophysical, and policy analyses to address challenges in forest management and community livelihoods.

Education: PhD in Forest Sciences from the University of the Sunshine Coast (2019).

Research Interests: Micah’s work centers on smallholder forest management, equitable resource distribution, and policy reforms to enhance tropical forestry sustainability. He explores financial viability of community forestry models, timber royalty structures, and agroforestry systems. His studies often employ discounted cash flow models and Monte Carlo simulations to assess economic feasibility.

Publications highlight his contributions to understanding eco-forestry failures in PNG, the role of portable sawmills, and informal timber markets. He advocates for policy changes to empower Indigenous landowners and improve forest resource equity.

Awards: None explicitly listed in the provided texts. His work is supported by organizations like ACIAR.

Labs/Teams: Active within the Tropical Forests and People Research Centre and collaborates with institutions like the Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research.