Finding Your Career 2.0 in Conservation Science: One Woman’s Story Everyone’s career path is different, but much of what we hope to glean from our work is the same. We all want to love what we do. The poet Kahlil Gibran wrote that ‘to work with love is to charge all things you fashion with
Bird ringing in Costa Rica with Pablo Elizondo Pablo Elizondo partners up with local communities to protect endemic species in Costa Rica. Conservation Careers Blogger and former Costa Rica Bird Observatories volunteer Stella Diamant speaks with Pablo about his daily work, the importance of reaching out to local people and why budding conservationists should not
Conservation Careers Blogger Marta Calix reports live from the Ara Project in Costa Rica where she is working as a volunteer. The Ara Project is dedicated to saving Costa Rica’s two native macaws: the endangered Great Green Macaw and the Scarlet Macaw. In this fourth in a series of videos sent live from the field,
Last year we spoke to Rory Harding, the eighth Michael Hearn Intern at Save the Rhino, a one year fixed contract, paid internship based in London. We revisit this amazing position with this year’s successful intern – Aron White. He beat off 298 other applications to get the job, so we’re keen to share his secrets for
As a devotee of amateur nature recording with a passion for trees and woods, it’s fair to say that Citizen Science Manager for the Woodland Trust, Dr Kate Lewthwaite, is in her dream job. She tells us how a combination of biding her time and being proactive got her to where she is today, talks
Elizabeth Allen is the Collaborations and Communications Manager for The Cambridge Conservation Initiative. CCI is a unique collaboration between the University of Cambridge and leading Internationally-focussed biodiversity conservation organisations clustered in and around Cambridge, UK. It represents a critical mass of expertise — on a scale unparalleled anywhere in the world — at the interface of
Ben Garrod is an evolutionary biologist with a huge interest in primatology and bones! He has presented his first 6 part television series ‘Secret of Bones’ on BBC4, and has around 6 months left before he finishes his PhD in primate evolutionary biology at University College London. He is also a part-time lecturer at Anglia
Paul Furnborough is a Conservation Officer with Froglife where he works as a reserve warden on the Hampton Nature Reserve – home to 30,000 great crested newts – and coordinates volunteers and manages projects. He is now studying for a Masters by Research, and his dream conservation job includes working outdoors, studying wildlife, learning species
Being a naturalist, broadcaster and wildlife detective with Ed Drewitt 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
Conservation Research in Indonesia with Francis Cabana Conservation Careers Blogger Marta Cálix had the pleasure of interviewing Francis Cabana, who is a PhD student researching the nutritional requirements of slow lorises as part of the Little Fireface Project near Jakarta. Francis is also the Research Coordinator for the project and he´ll be staying there for the
Mike Tomkies was born in 1928, and following a period serving in the Coldstream Guards became a journalist, landing interviews with stars such as Elvis Presley, John Wayne, Ava Gardner and many more. After moving to the wilderness in Canada and later writing of his experiences there he emerged as one of the greatest nature writers
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
I first met wildlife artist Martin Aveling at the beginning of 2015 when I was working in South Africa. Anyone with this much talent coupled with a commitment to mitigating the plight of endangered species, is someone you need to know about in the conservation world. Martin grew up in the savannah of Central and East
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 Conservation Academy… What is Durrell Conservation Academy?
Brendan Costelloe is the Senior Policy Officer at the largest nature conservation charity in the UK; the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds). Here he tells us how and why he got into conservation, some of the important work he has done and some advice on how to get into this line of
Conservation Careers Blogger Marta Cálix had the pleasure of interviewing Francis Cabana, who is a PhD student researching the nutritional requirements of slow lorises as part of the Little Fireface Project near Jakarta. Francis is also the Research Coordinator for the project and he´ll be staying there for the next 14 months. In this interview he
Helping Kew put Conservation on the Map with Steve Bachman Steve is the Species Conservation Assessment Officer in the Herbarium at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The post is based in the Geographical Information systems (GIS) Unit, which is part of the Biodiversity Informatics and Economic Botany department. Also known as Kew Gardens, the non-departmental
Having Faith in Conservation: An Interview with Stephen Awoyemi 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
Conservation is a broad field with many career opportunities that fall under the conservation umbrella. One of the biggest challenges is following your path to discover your niche. Julie Brown spoke candidly with me about her non-linear path to her current role in conservation education. I, as a Conservation Career blogger, was extremely inspired by
Mining and energy operations have some of the most transformative impacts on the planet, with the power to strip landscapes, alter ecosystems and forever change societies. In this interview, Fauna & Flora International’s Business & Biodiversity Director, Pippa Howard, explains how working with business can create large-scale conservation benefits and how to join this emerging
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
The RSPB offer a diverse range of roles from internships to post-grad opportunities to permanent positions. In this short video, Professor Rhys Green tells us about his RSPB career in conservation science. [vimeo 85252022 w=560 h=315] If you’d like to read more about working for the RSPB, and their paid voluntary and internship opportunities, please click
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
Following the advice from Sarashka King’s ‘How to become a Conservation Volunteer?‘ Conservation Careers Blogger Hannah De Frond explores the many positives that you can gain from a volunteering experience, and why she would recommend it to anyone, especially those aiming to pursue a career in conservation. Field Skills You can gain many field skills
Julia Marton-Lefèvre: Making things happen Julia Marton-Lefèvre is the Director-General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the world’s largest conservation membership organization, which brings together states, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, scientists and experts in a unique worldwide partnership. She is the longest serving Director General, and has led the organization for over 7
What’s it like to work at the World Conservation Monitoring Centre? Emily worked as Assistant Programme Officer at The UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre. UNEP-WCMC is the United Nations Environment Programme’s specialist biodiversity assessment arm. They provide authoritative information about biodiversity and ecosystem services in a manner that is useful to decision-makers who are driving
Conservation Careers Blogger Marta Calix sends in her final report live from the Ara Project in Costa Rica where she is working as a volunteer. In this Vlog Marta tells us how you can get involved in the project. The Ara Project is dedicated to saving Costa Rica’s two native macaws: the endangered Great Green
Save the Rhino have a rare paid, year long internship programme (Michael Hearn Intern) which proves to be very popular with conservation job seekers. Last year they had 299 applications, and published the results of their shortlisting process, and provide some practical advice which all conservation job seekers can learn from. We thank Save the Rhino for
Conservation Careers Blogger Stella Diamant shares her recent work as a research scientist onboard one of The Ocean Cleanup’s ‘Mega Expedition’ vessels in the Pacific. She documents the plastic pollution in the Pacific Ocean, and it’s impact on wildlife. After 3 months spent working 24/7 in Hawaii to coordinate the ‘largest ocean research expedition in
I work as a Research Associate for the Sustainable Human and Environment Development Organization (SHEDO) – a very small organization working in Narmada district of Gujarat (India). In this region, the local population is coming into conflict with the interests of wildlife. I am carrying out research to better understand this conflict. Prior to this
