Gillian Kerr has worked within Canada's environment community for over 30 years as an ecological economist and environmental policy expert, including 12 years with the Department of Environment in Alberta. She is an active academic and applied researcher, teacher, supervisor, facilitator, and champion of understanding the value of nature. Gillian's recent work includes Smart Prosperity Institute, ECCO FARM Mongolia grassland project, Conference Board of Canada, Deloitte, and the Southwest Nova Biosphere Reserve. She is currently working with the North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance, and on an evaluation of Canada's various Extended Producer Responsibility programs. She has been teaching at RRU for 20 years. As an avid volunteer, Gillian co-leads the Annapolis River Festival in NS and sits on the board of the Centre for Local Prosperity and Atlantic Food Action Coalition.
Experience
- Integrated natural science, economics and social sciences for policy and planning
- Applied ecosystem services & nature based solutions
- Environmental and ecological economic research and analysis
- Strategic thinking and analysis
- Environmental policy and strategy design
- Project planning, budget and execution
Education
2020-2021
Postdoctoral Fellow. Ocean Frontier Institute's Future Ocean and Coastal Infrastructures (FOIC), Work Package 6
Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia
2019-2020
Postdoctoral Fellow. ResNet Theme 1
McGill University, Montreal, Quebec
2018
Doctor of Philosophy, Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies Program. Critical analysis of the policy implementation gap in Alberta in using market-based instruments for environmental management.
University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta
2004
Master of Environmental Management (Arts)
Royal Roads University, Victoria, British Columbia
2009 & 2014
Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) Teaching in a Classroom (2009) and Teaching On-Line (2014) Completed. These 10 week courses provide instructors with the skills to teach face to face and on-line courses.
Royal Roads University, Victoria, British Columbia
2000
Bachelor of Environmental Science (Distinction)
Royal Roads University, Victoria, British Columbia
1994
Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing and Economics
Mount Allison University, Saskville, New Brunswick
Research
Research interest
Green infrastructure, ecosystem services and nature based solutions
Climate change community resilience
The nexus between community and climate solutions
Publications
Sutton, K.; Tonge, C; Berglund, L., Kerr, G. & K. Sherren (2022). Coastal resident perceptions of nature-based adaptation options in Nova Scotia. Canadian Geographer. https://doi.org/10.1111/cag.12818
Scott, B., Hill, N., Belliveau, A., Churchill, J., Klymko, J., Basquill, S., Brazner, J., McLean, K. & G. Kerr (2022). The Annapolis Valley Sand Barrens: An Introductory Guide (VERSION 1). https://www.annapolisriver.ca/annapolis-sand-barrens
Kerr, G, Hotzer, J.; Baird, J. & G. Hickey (2021). On the uptake of ecosystem services decision support tools by government actors in Canada. Facets. https://doi.org/10.1139/facets-2020-0090
Kerr, G. & Bjornlund, H., (2018). The social discourses on market-based instruments to manage non-point-source water pollution in the Oldman River Basin, southern Alberta. Water International, 43:3, 336-348. DOI: /10.1080/02508060.2018.1429882
Kerr, G. (2020) Ecosystem Services Assessment of Delta Farmland & Wildlife Trust Stewardship Programs. Prepared for Mr. Drew Bondar, Executive Director Delta Farmland and Wildlife Trust Retrieved from https://deltafarmland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/EGS-Final-Report_for-distribution_Nov-2020.pdf
Zbeetnoff, D & G. Kerr (2020) Cost-Benefit Analysis of Delta Farmland & Wildlife Trust Stewardship Programs. Prepared for Mr. Drew Bondar, Executive Director Delta Farmland and Wildlife Trust. Retrieved from https://deltafarmland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/CBA-Final-Report_for-distribution_Nov-2020.pdf
Preston, S. & Raudseep-Hearne, C. (2017). Completing and Using Ecosystem Service Assessment for Decision-Making: An Interdisciplinary Toolkit for Managers and Analysts Value of Nature to Canadians. Study Taskforce Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Governments of Canada. Ottawa, Ontario. Retrieved from http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2017/eccc/En4-295-2016-eng.pdf
