From an early age Lizzie Bruce has always loved being outdoors enjoying the Great British countryside. Today she is West Norfolk Assistant Warden for the Norfolk Wildlife Trust and she shares her conservation career secrets… Why do you work in conservation? If you asked me when I was school what my career would be, conservation wouldn’t
Alexandra Lamontagne is one of the founders of Carewildlife who put volunteers in touch with the right project for them. Here is more about her vision and where her passion started. Where does your passion for animals and conservation come from? I have always loved animals and had pet dogs and cats, I have been
If you want to be a conservation volunteer, there are many different types of experiences available for budding nature enthusiasts. Conservation Careers Blogger Sarashka King reveals some of the main types of voluntary work available in this first in a three-part topic… Join your Local Group Local groups are usually run by volunteers and can involve taking part in
Rab Nawaz is WWF Pakistan’s Director of the Sindh Region. Here he shares his passion for conservation, the Western Tragopan and Pakistan’s wildlife with Conservation Careers Blogger, Zehra Zawawi. What is your role at WWF Pakistan and what are your main duties? My title at WWF Pakistan is Director Sindh but I also look after
How I started in conservation communications Lucy McRobert is a talented conservation communicator, and Creative Director of a network of young people in the UK looking to start their professional careers in conservation. Here she tells conservation careers her story so far, and provides advice which others can follow… Why do you work in conservation?
How do you become a conservation officer? Alex is Senior Conservation Officer for BirdWatch Ireland – a voluntary conservation organisation in the Republic of Ireland, devoted to the conservation and protection of its wild birds and their habitats. It was formerly known as the Irish Wildbird Conservancy. WHY DO YOU HAVE A CONSERVATION JOB? Initially, because
Ten questions with Zoo Education Curator Rick LoBello Conservation Careers Blogger Naima Montacer was excited to speak to her friend and former boss Rick LoBello about his past. Rick LoBello is Education Curator at the El Paso Zoo. He has also worked in several National Parks including Big Bend, Yellowstone, Guadalupe Mountains, Carlsbad Caverns and
How can the Field Studies Council help your conservation career? Mel Cousins from the Field Studies Council talks to Conservation Careers about the Field Studies Council, and how they can help you along your chosen career path. What is the Field Studies Council? We’re an environmental education charity, offering opportunities for people of all ages
Conservation doesn’t have to be just about science… Derek Niemann shows how he has used his creative flair, passion, writing skills and wildlife knowledge to inject some imagination and originality into the world of science and editing, bringing wildlife and conservation into the hearts of adults and children. What is your current job title? Youth
Peter Smith Chief Executive Officer and founder of the charity called the Wildwood Trust. He graduated the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) in 1994. At that time, his job hunting stats looked pretty gloomy with over 500 applications and no job offers… In this insightful lecture, Peter shares his career journey and some secrets of
In this second installment of interviews with three primatologists, Kaitlin Wellens, Dr Kathryn Shutt and Dr Alejandro Estrada explain what it takes to be a primatologist, how to find opportunities and why more people are needed in this challenging field. When people think about primatology, what is most often misunderstood? Kaitlin: As with any exotic
I recently met Neil Aldridge under unforeseen circumstances, but the passion, the drive and the commitment that pours out of Neil when he talks about conservation issues is inspirational. Neil spent much of his early career volunteering and working with conservation organisations such as The Wildlife Trust, The Galapagos Conservation Trust and Natural England. However
Ed Drewitt is a naturalist, author, broadcaster, tour leader, birder, photographer, public speaker, bird ringer, zoologist, diver, feather expert, and Peregrin researcher. Here Ed kindly shares his conservation careers advice… Why do you work in conservation? I´ve always been interested in wildlife, particularly birds, since I was six or seven – and was encouraged by my family
Butterfly Conservation Survey Officer Zoë Randle talks to Conservation Careers Blogger Charlotte Rixon about why moths and butterflies matter, meeting Sir David Attenborough and dispelling those jumper-munching myths. How did you get into conservation? I got into conservation by lucky accident. I’d never wanted to go to university, because as far as I was concerned
If you want to be a conservation volunteer, there are many different types of experiences available for budding nature enthusiasts. Conservation Careers Blogger Sarashka King reveals some of the main types of voluntary work available in this second in a three-part topic… Residential/working holiday This is a good opportunity to have a holiday where you are trying something new or
Internationally renowned wildlife photographer David Cottridge has travelled the world, photographed most of Europe’s bird species and worked with the likes of Bill Oddie, Nick Baker and Chris Packham. He tells Conservation Careers Blogger Charlotte Rixon why wildlife photography matters and how to follow in his footsteps. How did you get started as a wildlife photographer?
What’s involved in conservation campaigning? Julie Melrose is Assistant Director for the Conservation Council Australian Capital Territory. She is a passionate advocate for progressive social and environmental change with over seven years experience managing a variety of projects and campaigns like Earth Hour for WWF. WHY DO YOU HAVE A CONSERVATION JOB? I have been
What’s it like to work in European fisheries policy? Amelie Knapp is a Policy Officer at European Commission Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. Here she tells us what it’s like to work on fisheries policy within the European Union, and she shares her career secrets. What work do you do? I work to ensure
Save the Rhino International – Interview with Rory Harding, Michael Hearn Intern 2013 Save the Rhino International are now looking for applicants to be the ninth Michael Hearn Intern at Save the Rhino, a one year fixed contract, paid internship based in London. Here we speak with the outgoing Intern Rory Harding about his experiences and
Ben Phalan is currently a post-doctoral researcher in Conservation Science within the Department of Zoology at the University of Cambridge. He researches how to balance agricultural demands with the preservation of biodiversity, specifically birds, as well as looking at the trade-offs between conservation and development. What is your job title? I am a post-doc
“Everybody has a creative potential and from the moment you can express this creative potential, you can start changing the world” – Paulo Coelho When faced with saving the world from the growing pressures of the human population, conservationists have many hurdles to overcome. Like fighting a fire on several fronts, we must tackle deforestation, poaching,
Andrew Balmford is Professor of Conservation Science in the Zoology Department at the University of Cambridge. His research seeks to tackle fundamental questions about the relationship between people and the global loss of nature – is conservation worthwhile, why is nature being lost, how much would conservation cost, and how can we achieve it efficiently? In this interview with
One week in Cusuco National Park was more than enough to fundamentally change my perception of Honduras. Before coming to this cloud forest in the Merendon mountain range, all that came to my mind when thinking about this part of the world was lowland rainforest, jaguars, and hot, humid temperatures. Instead, on the way to the
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
Alienor Chauvenet is a quantitative ecologist and recent winner of the RSPB Conservation Science Award. She works as an ecological modeller for the National Wildlife Management Centre in York, and as a research assistant at the Institute of Zoology in London. With two jobs in two cities 250 miles from each other, she lives a
John is the Lahontan Cutthroat Trout Conservation Coordinator for Trout Unlimited. Trout Unlimited is a USA based NGO with about 180 professional staff and 150,000 grassroots members whose mission is to conserve, protect and restore North America’s trout and salmon fisheries and their watersheds. Why do you work in conservation? As a young student in
If you want to be a conservation volunteer, there are many different types of experiences available for budding nature enthusiasts. Conservation Careers Blogger Sarashka King reveals some of the main types of voluntary work available… Fundraising/ events Sarashka King at local Wildlife Trust stand helping to recruit members at the Cambridge Botanical Gardens Festival of Plants 2014, credit to
Stephen Awoyemi is Founding Chair of the Religion and Conservation Research Collaborative. He is originally from Nigeria and is additionally currently studying for his Master’s Degree in Conservation Leadership at the University of Cambridge. What is your job title? I currently work in conservation in two capacities. I serve as president elect for the Society for Conservation
How can the Field Studies Council help your conservation career? Mel Cousins from the Field Studies Council talks to Conservation Careers about the Field Studies Council, and how they can help you along your chosen career path. What is the Field Studies Council? We’re an environmental education charity, offering opportunities for people of all ages
Durrell Conservation Academy – helping conservationists everywhere! Theo Blossom is the Training Coordinator for Durrell Conservation Academy based in Jersey, UK. Durrell are world leaders in conservation training – offering a unique learning experience wherever you are in your career. Theo kindly takes some time out of his busy schedule to tell us about Durrell
