“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
“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
I first met Dung Nguyen Van, Free the Bears Vietnam Programme Manager, in Cat Tien National Park (Vietnam) in 2017. He was very much a man on a mission as the brand-new bear sanctuary was due to open that July, and his pride for what they had achieved was unmistakable. What I didn’t realise was
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,
Daniela Ventura is a Caribbean wildlife biologist and bird bander based in Havana, Cuba. Fascinated by nature from a young age, Daniela started studying biology at the University of Havana as soon as she finished high school. She continues to work there since her graduation as both a biology lecturer and bird research scientist. Daniela
“I had a yellow rain jacket that was just white with guano, and I learnt pretty quickly that I had to close my mouth when looking up”. They do not teach you everything in school; sometimes the field turns into your school. Mathieu Charette, an ornithologist from Montreal, Canada, and director of the Toucan Ridge
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
The beautiful British Virgin Islands (BVI) are a chain of more than fifty volcanic islands between the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. The country is home to a huge variety of rare plant and wildlife species. Nancy Pascoe, Deputy Director for Science, Research and Environmental Policy at the National Parks Trust of the
Jetske Bouma is a Dutch environmental economist working for PBL, the Environmental Assessment Agency the Netherlands (Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving). With over twenty years of experience in research and policy evaluation in this field, Jetske has worked internationally on important environmental economic projects from Costa Rica to India. As a teenager wanting to make a
Alicia Hayden is a UK-based wildlife artist, filmmaker, animator, writer, and photographer. She has a degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Oxford and a master’s degree in Wildlife Filmmaking from the University of the West of England. Alicia currently works as an Illustrator and Junior Researcher for the BBC Natural History Unit in
Are you an NGO seeking to build or expand an ecolodge? Apply here for USD $50,000 in funding until 15th April 2023 Rowens Cristancho is a Latin American conservation officer working for the small, non-profit organisation, Conservation Allies (CA). Their mission is to help local NGOs across the globe maximise funding by eliminating the administrative
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
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
