Do you have an interest in the conservation of nature? Do you have something to say about it? Do you want us to help you say it? Check out the ECOS Student Writing Competition sponsored by Conservation Careers… ECOS, published by the British Association of Nature Conservationists, provides leading edge comment on policies and debates and challenges in
One of the best ways for nonprofit organizations to acquire funding is to solicit for grants that come from foundations, trusts, or government departments. Nonprofit grants, government grants, and federal grants generally are given to organizations from the local, state or federal government agencies or private organizations. Many nonprofit organizations are great at fundraising and
My last interview was with Kathryn Phillips from the Lancashire Wildlife Trust in north-west England. I run the communications campaign for Kathryn’s Forest Schools project and that interview is part of the work that goes into raising the Trust’s profile, publicising its activities, and strengthening the case for conservation. Writing articles, film-making, and wider communications
In this episode we’re speaking with ocean writer and PR freelancer Melissa Hobson. Mel is passionate about communicating how we can all make a difference for the marine environment, our planet and people’s lives. She’s a certified scuba diver and has worked in PR for over a decade – at first outside of conservation and
“We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.” – Anne-Marie Bonneau. Conservationist, zoologist and award-winning wildlife photographer Lara Jackson is an inspirational female patron, who is passionate about using her unique skills in photography to tell stories about critically endangered species. Throughout her global
“If you take care of the little things, the big things take care of themselves” – Renford Reese For many, it’s hard to imagine the intricate inner workings of agricultural ecosystems, especially in a place like Australia. With diversity across temperate and tropical environments, we tend to take the contribution of floral resources and their
The wild population of African grey parrots has greatly reduced due to the pet trade, hunting and habitat loss. And in some parts of Nigeria, there is a growing substantial risk of even more habitat loss, due to Government plans to expand palm oil plantations. Because the expansion plans include habitats of these amazing parrots
As a student in Portugal, a conversation with botanist Jorge Paiva spurred Sara Barrios to apply for an internship that led her to the Herbarium at Kew Gardens. Some 16 years later, fresh from fieldwork in the British Virgin Islands, Sara spoke to me about her role as Conservation Partnership Coordinator for the UK Overseas
Do you love learning about the natural world and have a sense of adventure? Do you wish you could get out from behind a screen, step out of your comfort zone, and step into wild nature? You can! Natucate is an agency that specialises in organising projects for nature travel, wilderness experiences, voluntary work, internships,
In early 2022, Conservation Careers Director Dr Nick Askew, Head of Community Dr Fernando Mateos-González, and I recorded a podcast titled ‘Career-changing moments’ – about the moments that completely changed our careers. Ever since that conversation, this question keeps popping into my mind… In our careers (and life), is it better to swim or float?
In many parts of the world, it’s that time of year again! In this episode we discuss what it’s like to study and work within academia, how to survive it, enjoy it and more..! Joining our host Dr Nick Askew is Dr Fernando Mateos-González of Bioblogía – or Nando he’s often known – and Dr
To have an impact as a conservationist, you need fundraising skills in order to turn your ideas into reality. In a sector dominated by charities, the majority of conservation projects are therefore funded by donors, who provide an estimated 90 billion pounds in funding each year. These include large grants secured from governments, foundations and
Would you like to receive a grant to support your conservation projects as well as gain opportunities to build connections with peers, access expert mentorship and participate in training courses? The Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP) – a 35 year-old capacity-building partnership between BirdLife International, Fauna & Flora International and the Wildlife Conservation Society – will
Insects are fascinating and important creatures. But how do you make people fall in love with bugs? Professor Dave Goulson, a Professor of biology at the University of Sussex, UK, and an author/campaigner, tries to spread his love for insects via his books. If you get as excited as me seeing some bees buzzing about
After a long and successful career in arts design, Manon Fontaine changed the brushes and the puppets to binoculars and animals’ tags. Keep reading if you want to know why and how an artist in her 40s managed to turned into an international all-round wildlife conservationist. Who is Manon Fontaine? I am a very curious,
Emily Cunningham is a key figure in the field of UK marine conservation and works tirelessly as an advocate for healthier oceans. Her vision is for local politicians to recognise the key role they can play in the fight for ocean recovery, and for local communities to feel empowered to protect our seas. In this
Lydia Greene is a lemur scientist carrying out research at North Carolina’s Duke Lemur Center. Based in Durham, United States, the center is internationally acclaimed for its pioneering work conducted via non-invasive methods of research. Housing over 200 lemurs and bushbabies branching across 13 species, the center is believed to hold the most diverse population
Wildlife conservation is all about protecting and celebrating biodiversity. But, when we look at the industry’s workforce, we see a heart-breaking diversity deficit. Making work in the conservation sector accessible and equitable for all will require equally diverse solutions, and improving representation is a key step. “Nature is all about spectrums and understanding differences”. I
Dr. Anne Savage didn’t plan to spend 40 years studying and trying to save the Cotton-top Tamarin in Colombia. After studying cotton-tops as a graduate student, she found that mobilizing communities was the only way to reverse forces leading to extinction and she helped found Proyecto Titi, a non-profit now run by Colombians. Here she
I remember as a student desperately trying to stay up to date with the latest conservation news to make my essays relevant and individual. I was feeling swamped by all the articles, news stories and journals I was advised to read regularly. As I now move into a career in communications, keeping up with emerging
In 2021, Ryan Eddowes and Amber Stanley set up Our Cities Wild Islands, an environmental service aiming to rewild green areas within cities, encouraging nature to thrive. Rewilding activities are conservation efforts aimed at restoring and protecting natural processes and wilderness areas, whilst creating a balance between people and the environment. While projects may start
What unique challenges do women in conservation face? How can women better manage ‘imposter syndrome’? Is perfectionism a form of self-sabotage? Can women have it ALL – career, personal and family life? Explore the barriers and opportunities for the women who’ve dedicated their careers to conserving ‘mother Earth’! Join us for Women in Conservation Part
What’s worse than a rejection when applying for a conservation job? Silence. It’s waiting days (or weeks or months) in limbo without knowing… If your application was received? If you were competitive? If small changes could help your chances? One of the biggest challenges conservation job seekers report is lack of response and feedback from
Professor Amy Dickman is a conservation biologist at the University of Oxford who was recently appointed as the new Director of the University’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU). Amy has a particular interest in resolving conflict between humans and large carnivores, and has spent many years working alongside communities in Africa to consider solutions which
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
Misty MacDuffee is a biologist and program director with the Wild Salmon Program of British Columbia, Canada’s Raincoast Conservation Foundation. She focuses on fisheries ecology in salmon ecosystems; for the past 15 years she has led diverse studies examining the salmon of the BC coast, including field, lab, technical, and conservation evaluation. With the knowledge
In 2021, Conservation Careers celebrated its eighth year helping conservationists achieve career success. We’re proud to say that we supported nearly 700,000 conservationists this year on their path to helping wildlife thrive. 2021 has been quite a ride, but we’ve seen lots of momentum building. Many aspiring conservationists, career switchers and professional conservationists have used
Do you like the sound of creating new habitats, leaving a positive legacy of nature behind you? That is soon to be the reality of working as an ecological consultant, as the upcoming Environment Bill will make it a legal requirement for new construction developments to have a positive impact – a ‘net gain’ –
This week we welcomed five new Social Media Officers to the Conservation Careers team as part-time, remote volunteers. We know that it can be hard – and sometimes impossible – for conservationists to receive feedback from employers about their job applications (just check out our survey Conservation Job Applications | Key Stats). To help, we’re
Clare Celeste Börsch is a collage artist living in Berlin. She’s developed a technique for converting digital images of nature into large scale collages, using archives of naturalist art that go back hundreds of years. A lifelong nature lover, she hopes to convey the beautiful biodiversity of our planet through immersive collages that will motivate
