Evi Indraswati’s story doesn’t unfold amidst the sterile silence of a laboratory, but within the harsh realities of communities in Indonesia’s Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (TNBBS), grappling with environmental degradation and unsustainable fishing practices. Witnessing their unwavering spirit and deep-rooted knowledge ignited a passion within Evi: to bridge the gap between these communities and
In his final year as a university undergraduate, Kumar Paudel founded the non-profit organisation Greenhood Nepal. It created a platform for young people like himself who lacked experience but wanted to contribute to the conservation field. Kumar shares how since its foundation in 2012 Greenhood Nepal and its team have ‘grown up’ together to become
In the realm of nature conservation, few individuals possess the dedication and passion exhibited by Maggie Muurmans, a lecturer that teaches on the Master of Conservation Biology at the University of Queensland, Australia. Aside from teaching and pursuing a PhD in community engagement, Maggie is also the co-founder of the NGO Ocean Connect based on
As we start a new year, we’re incredibly excited to officially welcome a new member to our team at Conservation Careers, Dr Fernando Mateos-González! Fernando, or Nando as he’s often known, is our new Head of Community, who’ll be leading our growing online community of aspiring and professional conservationists. Read on to get to know
How can working with and empowering local communities support long-term conservation? What makes community-based conservation successful? After emerging in the 1980s, community-based conservation has become a widely accepted tool for achieving conservation and socioeconomic benefits. In this free webinar from Conservation Careers, we’ll explore why local and Indigenous communities matter in wildlife conservation, and how we
With health and economic impacts at the forefront of global concerns, what’s happening to the people whose job it is to protect the future of our health, wealth and wellbeing – the planet? Rangers and researchers, fundraisers and filmmakers worldwide seek little recognition as guardians of the planet for future generations – the oceans we
It was a crisp autumn afternoon when I first met Emily Stevenson, Co-Founder of the Beach Guardian. Beach Guardian is a Community Interest Company (CIC) that holds beach cleaning events across several beaches in North Cornwall, which is in the Southwest of the UK. At just 22 years old, as well as running the Beach
It all started with octopuses… In southern Madagascar, the community of Vezo became concerned that their fisheries were in decline. Blue Ventures, an award-winning marine conservation organisation stepped in and supported temporary closures of fishing zones, as a result, octopus landings increased dramatically, and local incomes grew. News soon spread and Blue Ventures introduced the Locally
During my recent visit to Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya I met Moses Muthoki, the head of community development. Community-based conservation is huge part of the work of the conservancy. Here Moses shares his experiences and career advice for those wishing to follow his footsteps and work in community-based conservation… Moses’ role as head of
Meetings are a core part of our working lives, and yet studies have found that 50% of time spent in meetings is often wasted. When viewed as a whole that’s often billions, if not trillions, of dollars wasted annually, which could be put to much better use. But why do we spend so much of
“When enough people come together, then change will come and we can achieve almost anything. So instead of looking for hope – start creating it” – Greta Thunberg. In today’s world, the urgency for action is palpable. Biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution demand our attention, urging us to abandon the status quo. Yet, amidst
An island Nature Reserve where environmental conservation and industrial resource extraction go hand-in-hand? This may be hard to imagine but such a place does exist, and this is where Adam McVeigh calls home for two weeks, every month. As a Senior Environmental Scientist for Stantec consultancy in Australia, Adam works on a particularly unique island,
Have you considered going back to university and doing a Master’s Degree in order to become more employable within the sector? Perhaps you’ve looked at many programmes and wondered if they are tooling you up with the right skills employers value. In today’s podcast, we’re speaking with Dr Stephen Green who’s the course leader for
The Conservation Professional Development Programme is a totally new coaching programme proven to significantly improve the wellbeing, impact, and career direction of conservation professionals. Following successful pilots with The Wildlife Trusts and RSPB, we’ve launched our first public enrolment with 16 places available until 31st May. Who | The programme is targeted towards early and mid-career
Scientific writing requires details, data and absolutely no emotion, fostering credibility within journals. This approach ensures a rigorous foundation but often lacks the inspirational quality needed to engage a broader audience in conservation efforts. This is where Amber Hopgood bridges the gap between fact-based conservation and the need for greater understanding and support from the
The majority of environmental news is dominated by depressing, defeatist narratives that describe the decline of nature in every corner of the planet, with humans commonly blamed for this destruction. Helen and Christopher Neave challenge this, as 14 years ago, distressed by the environmental situation, they decided to take action. Although now ‘Make it Wild’
“I would love to see more wildlife influencers, and for them to be as popular and cool as fashion/lifestyle influencers” As of January 2024, around 62.3% of the world’s population are social media users. Communications have always been crucial for spreading conservation messages across the globe, but it seems that now, more than ever before,
In this episode, we speak with the Deputy Global Conservation Director at WWF International, Cristianne Close. Cris describes herself as ‘passionate about creating positive change in the world, especially aiming to make the impossible, possible’. We discuss how she gave up a fast-paced corporate career to follow her purpose and work in conservation. Now,
Do you remember the first time your passion for the environment felt nurtured? Was it after an education workshop or outdoor experience with an educator? Did you make a change of habit after it? If you do, chances are those educators are thrilled the same way Yolanda Sánchez is, every time she finishes an activity!
Have you ever felt like escaping the rat race and travelling the world? Seeking impact, adventure and new experiences? Perhaps volunteering for nature conservation organisations, and setting yourself for a career change or education when you return? But with the world as your playground … where do you start? How do you plan such a
Does it feel like you’re trapped in a ‘catch-22’? You need conservation experience to land a conservation job… but you need a conservation job to get experience! We asked our conservation community about the biggest barriers they face to working in conservation – and ‘Getting conservation experience’ was the #1 challenge. While other job sectors have clear
Have you ever looked back on your life and wondered how you ended up where you are now? You too? Join Charlotte Daniels, then! Charlotte is a Primatologist based in Nairobi, Kenya. She currently works as a United Nations Volunteer for the UN Environment Programme, working on the Vanishing Treasures project and supporting the Secretariat
Increasingly, the private sector is taking a growing interest in their impact on wildlife, and this could lead to a much-needed step change in conservation efforts. But why do companies care about nature? How can they assess and minimise their impacts? And what sort of jobs are opening up for conservationists seeking to work in
Tucked away in a remote corner of southwestern Uganda lies a hidden gem, the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its exceptional biodiversity, it is home to nearly half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. A forest oasis in the midst of one of Uganda’s poorest and most densely
How do you raise nearly $169,000,000 per year to protect and conserve America’s 420+ National Park Sites? Sites important for recreation, education, and the conservation of endangered landscapes, natural communities and species. We discuss this, amongst many other things, with Lise Aangeenbrug. Lise is the Chief Program Officer at America’s National Park Foundation, the official
There are many threatened species in the world, but Southeast Asia’s Critically Endangered species are particularly vulnerable to extinction. With limited conservation attention on these species in the region, the IUCN SSC Asian Species Action Partnership (ASAP) was formed to end species extinctions of birds, amphibians, mammals, freshwater fish, and reptiles. ASAP is a partnership
Have you ever felt like you’re energetically exhausted, mentally distant from your job, or less able to produce results at work? There’s a chance that these symptoms could be related to burnout. According to The World Health Organization (WHO), burnout is a syndrome “…resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” As
You’re passionate about our planet. Driven by purpose. Seeking a career that matches your values and makes a real difference. But you’re not sure how to find conservation jobs or to network in the sector. You’re struggling to get conservation experience and become competitive for jobs (without spending lots of time and $£). You put
If you’ve spent time in the UK and visited a local nature reserve, then chances are you’ve been to a site managed by one of the 46 individual Wildlife Trusts that collectively represent 2,000 staff, 35,000 volunteers and nearly 1 million members. Helping to coordinate this huge force for nature is the Royal Society of
You may notice the landscape of conservation is evolving, becoming increasingly diverse each day, with a growing number of people expressing their interest in getting involved. Numerous opportunities are available, indicating a positive outlook for the future of ocean health. However, amid this positivity, a challenging reality remains – the task of enhancing ocean literacy
