Maite den Butter Wins Best Master's Thesis in Economics

Congratulations to Maite den Butter for winning the Dutch REMagine Awards for the best master’s thesis in economics and business under the category “Broad Perspectives on Prosperity”.

Maite den Butter, a graduate of the MSc Economics of Sustainability (MME-D) program at Wageningen University, received the REMagine Award for her thesis examining the effects of Marine Protected Area (MPA) establishment on the well-being of coastal communities in Indonesia. While much of the existing literature focuses on the ecological benefits of MPAs, her research explores their broader social and economic impacts. In particular, the study investigates how conservation policies can shape livelihoods and welfare outcomes for people living near protected marine ecosystems.

Using household survey data and empirical analysis, Maite examined how communities living near long-established MPAs in Papua and West Papua experience changes in well-being following conservation interventions. Her research highlights how marine conservation policies can influence livelihoods, local economic opportunities, and overall community welfare. The findings contribute to a growing body of work that seeks to better understand the human dimensions of marine conservation.

The thesis was supervised by Anna Lou Abatayo and Andries Richter at Wageningen University. The study contributes to ongoing research at the group on marine systems, conservation policy, and the social-ecological dynamics of resource management. By examining both environmental and social outcomes, the work illustrates the importance of integrating economic and behavioral perspectives into marine conservation research.

We warmly congratulate Maite on this well-deserved recognition. Her achievement reflects the high quality of student research within the university. We look forward to seeing how her work continues to contribute to research on sustainable ocean governance and marine conservation.

More information is available at REMagine Award.