Professor Jane Hill, OBE (Order of the British Empire), is a Professor of Ecology at the University of York in England. She is President and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society, a trustee of the South East Asia Rainforest Research Partnership and, formerly, a trustee of the British Ecological Society. Her research primarily
Conservation biologist Joshua Elves-Powell and co-authors have recently released ground-breaking new work on the poorly known wildlife trade in badgers in South Korea. They concluded that increased monitoring of the trade and more targeted research would improve the availability of information and thus enhance the quality of future policy approaches. Moreover, the conservation risks of
“Ultimately environmental protection is about the protection of human rights – you can’t separate the two.” Tatenda Muponde is an environmental lawyer at the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), a non-profit organisation and law clinic based in Cape Town, South Africa. She is part of a team of activist lawyers who defend the rights of
“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
“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,
What role does ‘urban greening’ have in the world of conservation? This is one question that Angus Cunningham, horticulturalist and CEO of Scotscape, considers, as he shares his enthusiasm for this new and burgeoning industry. While Scotscape is amongst the market leaders in the UK, the phenomenon is worldwide. “Wherever you are in the world”
Nadia Sherif is an early career conservationist from Alexandria, Egypt, working for Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE) as a Conservation Officer. Having always been passionate about the wildlife that surrounded her in Egypt, Nadia knew from a young age she wanted to forge herself a career in conservation, an unheard of career option in Egypt at
“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
“I think everyone’s conservation career paths are very different.” Ross de Bruin works in large carnivore conservation as a Field Researcher for Panthera, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the world’s 40 species of wild cats. Prior to this, he worked for the Cape Leopard Trust (CLT), a South African based leader in African leopard
Are you a conservation organisation looking to attract the best possible talent to support your mission? Do you struggle with too many, too few, or low quality applications? We help 1000s of conservationists stand out from the crowd when they apply for conservation jobs. In this article we’re switching things up to show how conservation
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 conservation, some issues tend to get a lot of attention from the donors when other, equally important issues, can be ignored. What do you do in this situation to raise the profile, and much-needed funding, to conserve the overlooked species, sites and ecosystems? To discuss this and more we’re speaking with Nina Seale from
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
If you needed a campaigner, Frances Goodrum is exactly the kind of person you would want on your side. Personable, articulate and accomplished, she would, without a doubt, get the job done and get it done right. So, as conservationists, we’re lucky that early on she chose to pursue a different path to her training
“If we want to conserve wildlife, maybe we need to eat it.” This is a surprising and provocative statement to my ears, but perfectly logical to Francis Vorhies, a Conservation Economist of more than three decades. Having worked in multiple countries, from private enterprises to NGOs and international agencies including the International Union for Conservation
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
Did you know that 88% of conservationists rely on fundraising? In a sector dominated by charities, the majority of conservation projects are funded by donors. These can include large grants secured from governments and foundations to smaller donations via public campaigns, appeals, events and membership drives. Whether it’s conserving frogs in Ghana, or reintroducing Bears
“I never thought I’d ever have a role in the environmental sector, but now I have a range of new skills and a much greater understanding of the state of the natural world.” Jessica Birabil came to Synchronicity Earth originally on a paid two-week work experience placement through our partner Voyage Youth. Her enthusiasm to
Lindsey Harris is the Head of Wildlife Trade at Fauna & Flora, a wildlife conservation charity which works with partners in over 40 countries to preserve habitats, protect endangered species and improve the livelihoods of local communities. She is the ultimate career switcher, identifying the aspects of jobs she enjoys most early on and expertly
Claire Adler came to Synchronicity Earth with a lifelong interest in conservation, a lot of anxiety about climate change – and a degree in medieval English literature. Claire shares how studying our past, from peat bogs to the origins of colonialism, taught her the skills and perspectives she needed to start her career in conservation.
Originally from Michigan, USA, David Mills has had a long relationship with Africa and mammalian carnivores since the 2000s. He started his conservation career in 2002, volunteering and working with cheetahs, leopards, and human wildlife conflict. Years later, for his PhD, David studied African golden cats in Uganda, a species which no one had studied,
Growing up in a rural part of Indonesia, rainforest conservationist Indah Sartika Sari knew very little about what conservation was or how to embark on a career in the sector. But she didn’t let this stop her, and her passion for protecting the nearby forests she knew and loved fuelled her towards the managerial position
“Some of the choices that you make are conscious and pre-planned. Very often, they’re by happenstance, and it’s taking advantage of those opportunities when they come through.” Paul Gosling is a specialist environment and sustainability recruiter with over 25 years of experience. He currently works as the National Director for Sustainability at Hays recruitment company,
Janne Raassina is an entrepreneur focusing on environmental restoration in Eastern Finland. He has a background in forestry and he focuses on restoring landscapes and water systems, such as rivers and lakes, into a more natural state. There’s been an explosion of new projects in the field of environmental restoration in recent years, with newfound
What role do zoos play in conservation, why is diversity important and how can you get upskilled to have more impact? We discuss these topics in front of an audience from within our CC Pro community on today’s podcast with Dr Helen Gath from the Durrell Conservation Academy. Helen is a conservation ecologist passionate about
“I knew what I wanted, and I went for it” says Dr Marisa Tellez. From about 5 years old, instead of playing with dolls, Dr Marisa Tellez was evolving her knowledge of the world’s top predators. Starting with her love for great white sharks, Marisa became fascinated by this species that survived the mass extinction
Flavia Tirelli is a Brazilian research scientist and conservationist focused on mammalian carnivores especially small wildcats. After completing her Masters at Federal University of Rio Grande o Sul (UFRGS) and her PhD at the private university (PUCRS) in Brazil, Flavia continues to follow her passion by monitoring wildcats and addressing issues of human-wildlife conflict that
There is no doubt sea turtles are one of the most marvellous but most endangered animals in our oceans. A study in Uruguay showed that 70% of green turtles had marine debris in at least one section of their digestive tract 1 – which is shocking. However, what if you can educate children, teenagers and
Today we’re speaking with Lucy Standing, who’s the Co-Founder of Brave Starts which offers career change and start-up business programmes to help people over 50 lead more purposeful lives. Lucy talks openly about the challenges mature people face in their careers and within the workplace. We discuss why age is being ignored in discussions about
Barbara Arizaga is the Director of Communications for the Galápagos Conservancy, an organization based out of the beautiful town of Puerto Ayora in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. The Galápagos Conservancy is committed to protecting one of the world’s most unique island chains and the animals that inhabit them, such as the critically endangered Pink Land
