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
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
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
Ethno-conservationist and marine biologist Adjany Costa never expected to be in a political position, but she can now impressively introduce herself as Adviser to the President of Angola for Environmental Affairs and, in her previous position, the youngest Minister in Angolan history. We discussed her job responsibilities, motives for working in conservation and work with local communities. What steps did you take to get to
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
“Local people should be at the forefront of the solutions to the challenges facing their wildlife. Sometimes, change can only come when the people most affected and impacted take charge. Local communities play an important role in fighting poaching and illegal wildlife trade, which are major threats affecting lions and other wildlife.” – Moreangels Mbizah Moreangles Mbizah
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
Lana Müller has been involved in carnivore research and community-based conservation for almost a decade and has experience working in multiple National Parks and community conservancies across Africa. She has been instrumental in the on-going success of organisations like the Cape Leopard Trust and the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust. She is currently the Operations and
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
With responsibility for conservation programmes and partnerships in Madagascar, Mozambique, the Comoros, Belize and Timor-Leste, Frances Humber, Conservation Programmes Manager, Blue Ventures is the London-based ‘fixer’ who makes sure that projects are on track, looking after the critical behind-the-scenes work of providing technical support to staff in the field and managing relationships with funders. Having completed
Have you ever caught yourself feeling too small to make a difference? It’s a common experience among conservationists and, considering the severity of global issues including biodiversity loss, resource exploitation, and climate change, it’s not surprising we feel overwhelmed. However, focusing on individual conservation stories it’s easy to see big changes can come from small
“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
“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 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
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
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
After graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 2005, Canadian Aram Kazandjian took the expected route into the corporate sector. Fast forward 12 years and he was living in a national park in Sierra Leone as Manager of Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary. Aram shares his route into conservation and discusses how typical ‘business’ skills are
Why should more conservationists learn to study people? To better understand them as individuals, communities and societies, alongside their complex behaviours and interactions. This is what today’s podcast is all about, and it’s something termed social science. Here to discuss the power of social science for conservation is today’s guest Dr Rebecca Jefferson. Rebecca runs Human Nature, a
“To work with nature, we need to understand the systems that are in play. The key to success is systems thinking. Taking all parts of the equation into consideration, and looking at how project’s goals fit into and can work with those systems, not fighting against them”. Joshua Muñoz Jiménez is a specialist in regenerative
Why is communications so important for conservationists? What communications skills are employers are looking for? And how can you start developing these skills, today? We answer these questions and more in this special edition of the Conservation Careers Podcast. Sir David Attenborough said that “Conservation is now a communications challenge”. Awareness of this challenge is
“I think empowerment to protect what we have, often comes from celebrating what we’ve got”. Leanne Cullen-Unsworth is the CEO of Project Seagrass, an amazing charity working in the UK and across the globe to celebrate, protect and restore ecologically important seagrass meadows. This incredibly valuable ecosystem was often overlooked in planning and management policies,
“I love the water, a little bit of wind and clouds, so, it’s a good place for me to stay”, says Greilin Fallas Rodriguez, a proud Costa Rican biologist working in the mysterious Cloudbridge Reserve. She excitedly shares that she has found her slice of paradise, having grown up in the beautiful countryside of San
How do people and nature interact? How does nature benefit people? Which interactions have the greatest impacts, and how can research into these questions help tackle some of the biggest issues facing wildlife today? These are some of the questions which today’s guest has dedicated his career to tackling. Kevin Gaston is a Professor of
The Bénoué ecosystem in northern Cameroon is the hotspot for lions in West and Central Africa. However in this area, which includes three national parks – Faro, Bénoué and Bouba-Ndjidda – and 32 hunting zones, only 250 lions remain across the vast 30,000 km² landscape. The region has faced severe threats from habitat loss and
In the world of primate research, few scientists get the opportunity to research both Chimps and Bonobos (our least studied close relative) in the wild. Here researchers Miguel Adán Pascual and Daiane Galdino talk about their incredible field experiences in the African forests. They also discuss finding fieldwork opportunities together as a couple, as well
