Andrew Painting works as an ecologist for the National Trust for Scotland at Mar Lodge, located in the Scottish Highlands. Not only this, he is now the author of a wonderful new nature book – ‘Regeneration’. Our paths have crossed before, as is typical within the small world of conservation, so I took the opportunity
In this interview, we speak to Vishal Ahuja, teacher turned conservationist, who has dedicated himself to protecting the sacred langurs of Chamba, a now endangered Leaf Monkey. By studying their behaviour, engaging local communities and farmers, and restoring their natural habitats, he tells us his story and why he is so passionate about conservation. When
David is chairman and founding owner of The Environment Bank Ltd which he set up in 2006 to introduce the concept of compensation, via biodiversity offsetting, habitat banking and net gain, into the UK because of his concerns at the way biodiversity was treated within the planning and development sector. In this interview for Ecology Jobs
An Interview with Dr Stuart Butchart, Chief Scientist at BirdLife International In this conversation with Dr Stuart Butchart, Chief Scientist at BirdLife International, we talk about his fascinating career driving forward the conservation of birds and their habitats. Dr Butchart shares a wealth of advice for other conservationists with disabilities, and for anyone wishing to
Have you ever met someone and feel like you’ve known them for years? You just clicked? That happened with today’s guest for me. Marnix van Holland is the WWF Global Programme Manager for their Youth & Education work. Before the podcast we were chatting and getting to know one another, and in the space of about 10-15 minutes
Speaking with Dr Nikki Tagg, Head of Conservation at Born Free, gives insight into what it’s like to work in a large conservation organization striving to protect wildlife around the world. Born Free is a conservation charity with its head office UK based, additional offices in Kenya, Ethiopia and South Africa; and conservation projects worldwide.
In this episode we’re delving deeper into the world of applying for jobs in the conservation sector. Joining our host Dr Nick Askew is Dr Fernando Mateos-González of Bioblogía – or Nando he’s often known and Dr Stephanie Schuttler from the world of Fancy Scientist. During this second of a new pilot format of the podcast the conservation career super-team talk about their
Dr Andrew Digby is a conservation biologist who works for New Zealand’s Department of Conservation. He dedicates his time to saving two of New Zealand’s most vulnerable birds; the Takahē and the Kākāpō, and is the scientific advisor for the two teams responsible for their recovery. Andrew hasn’t always worked in conservation, however. Originally from
In this Conservation Careers interview, learn how you can get into conservation without a degree by upskilling as you go. “You don’t have to be a scientist to be a conservationist” This single statement is possibly one of the most powerful sets of words an aspiring conservationist could hear. Catherine Edsell is a world-renowned conservationist
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic I was fortunate enough to steal an hour of time from Rupert Koopman, the Conservation Manager for the Botanical Society of South Africa (BotSocSA). Prior to this role Rupert spent more than a decade as a botanist with CapeNature, focusing on Fynbos, threatened species and habitats in the
Tim Appleton MBE (now retired) is well known as the warden of Rutland Water nature reserve in the UK and co-founder of the British Birdwatching Fair. Guest blogger Stephen Thompson talked to him about his interest in wildlife, where his career began, the importance of volunteering and much more but not forgetting the biggest conservation
Do you work in wildlife conservation, but feel you’d like to have more impact, purpose and happiness in your career? Our new 12-week online course, the Conservation Career Accelerator, takes you through a step-by-step process to help you achieve just that. If you’d like to unlock more impact, purpose and happiness in your career, join
Do you think conservation jobs are just about watching and studying wildlife? Are you curious about what exists beyond research in the conservation sector? Do you want to know if it’s possible (and easy) to pivot into non-research jobs – like business, nonprofit or social enterprise? Then you’ll love this special podcast episode from two
Do you have experience in health care? Do you want a career that promotes health and wellbeing but also enhances the environment? Thrive’s revolutionary therapy centres are integrating nature and health care. Will you join them? Talking to Mark Lang, Thrive’s Communications Manager, it’s easy to feel the strong team ethics Thrive encourages. This was
Have you ever met someone and thought to yourself, how has this person done so much in such a short space of time? I felt like that speaking to today’s inspiring guest – Josh Powell. Joshua is a conservation biologist and presenter for the WWF Voices campaign on global biodiversity, covering conservation issues from the
Climate change has never been more relevant. In the quest for solutions, one project in Siberia seeks to restore the mammoth steppe, a vast grassland ecosystem that once stretched from Alaska to Europe. This mammoth-sized plan could halt permafrost melt and stop the ticking time bomb of greenhouse gases stored within. The best part? It’s
Housing and caring for 68,000 plants is no joke! It takes a dedicated team of over 1,000 staff to look after the world’s largest botanical collection. Home to some of the most endangered plants in the world, Kew Gardens has made news headlines year after year for their devotion to plant conservation. Kew’s amazing horticultural
Shawn Heinrichs is an Emmy Winning Cinematographer, photographer and conservation storyteller. He is a co-founder of SeaLegacy, an organisation pushing for an abundant, healthy ocean and planet. Shawn uses imagery and words to share the compelling stories of ocean species who otherwise don’t have a voice. Are you interested in a career in conservation photography
Does the idea of working on coral reef conservation using cutting edge science excite you? How about living on an island helping tourists to participate and learn about coral conservation? Conservation Careers Blogger Bill Boteler interviewed Simon Dixon to learn about his work restoring damaged coral reefs. Simon is the Marine Discovery Centre Manager at
As an RSPB warden in the Norfolk Broads, Matthew is the custodian of one of the rarest fenland habitats in Europe. Many career switchers are hesitant to apply for warden roles, believing they would have to study for a biology degree or learn to identify every species on the reserve to be successful. However, in
How do you go from being an athlete playing on varsity football and basketball teams in Canada and Europe to setting up your own ecotourism operation, which helps to conserve wildlife in both Guyana and Belize? That’s the journey that our guest today, Jordan Flagel, has been on in his career so far. Jordan is
Dr Becky Cliffe is a British zoologist and a leading expert on sloth biology and ecology. She is the founder and executive director of the Sloth Conservation Foundation (SloCo), a non-profit organisation dedicated to saving sloths in the wild. In this interview, Becky talks about moving to Costa Rica, starting SloCo from scratch and the
Marine biologist Inka Cresswell talks about why she went down the filmmaking route of marine biology, how she chose particular courses and universities for her studies and her advice for others. What is your current job? My background is in marine biology but I am working as a researcher in the wildlife filmmaking industry, with
The International Ranger Awards recognise the remarkable work of rangers in protected and conserved areas around the world. Ten awardees will each receive a unique uniform patch, and their organisations will receive US$10,000 to support their work. The awards are open to the diversity of rangers across the world, recognising the wide range of work
Meg Hayward-Smith is a recent graduate and the founder of Falmouth Marine Conservation (FMC), a local conservation group based in Falmouth, Cornwall, who’s mission it is to raise marine awareness to empower the community to protect the local marine environment. Here she talks about what FMC does, what inspired her to start FMC and her
Are you fascinated by amphibians? Are you curious about what a career conserving frogs might be like, and how you can get involved in saving the world’s amphibian species? Blake Klocke is a PhD candidate at George Mason University studying amphibian conservation biology. He also works on projects at the genetics lab at the National
Have you ever met someone and wondered in awe about how they have done so much in such a short space of time? That’s a feeling I got when I first met Elliot Connor, who’s our guest on the podcast today. Elliot is a 17 year old Australian popular science writer, presenter, producer, and so
Are you thinking about a career in marine conservation? Have you thought about working for a charity? At a charity, you can spend your life helping others, especially those without a voice! The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) is the voice for Australia’s oceans. They’re the sole national charity devoted to defending marine life! Darren Kindleysides, the CEO, has led
Often, when it comes to marine conservation, it’s the small organisms and important ocean systems that are overlooked. In this interview, marine biologist and conservationist Dr Stephanie Sargeant gives insight into the forgotten fundamentals of marine conservation, such as plankton and trace gases. Steph is a Senior Lecturer in Environmental Sciences at the University of the
Have you ever picked up a can of fish in the supermarket and wondered what the MSC certified symbol actually means for the tuna in the can? Most of us know it means the fish is from sustainable stocks. But how is this judged and verified and how did the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) manage
