How to get a career in conservation WITHOUT a science background | Diary of a Tentwife 

Hello. In the same field as you are. Got any idea or information in how to do it?

I’m sorry for missing this at the time, what path did you end up taking?

You are so welcome, I am glad it was helpful!

Haha I was going to say, bird, snake, skunk... oh Theo!!!!!!!!!😂

Ciaran O'Reilly Hi Ciaran, thanks so much for your comment. Great that you have such great experience already (and small world that you know GRI!) The education/community angle is a great way in. Working for a holistic conservation organisation like GRI I’ve realised how critical education/community is to everything we do, it’s the route of everything and if that was “solved” we wouldn’t even need the Wildlife Rescue or the Resource Protection programmes! I think there is a lot of opportunity to work in one, get experience and then move across. An example of the cross over I have seen - someone who is involved with/carries out a community outreach awareness campaign about the importance of identifying, reporting orphan or injured wildlife, and would have to be involved in first response. Would then often be around when rescues happen, get more involved in hands on aspect of it and therefore more direct experience with wildlife. If that makes sense!

@@DiaryofaTentwife Thanks a lot for the response, that makes sense. Learning more about Behaviour Change Communication would also make a lot of sense for such roles. Thanks again and best of luck - we're expecting our first child in 3 weeks (based in Berlin now) so I wish you the best with the birth and all that follows

@@ciaranoreilly.planbe Oh wow, exciting (and nerve-wracking times!) congrats! Yes for sure for Behaviour Change Communication! Good luck with both work and parenting!

Hi Madeline, I am so sorry for the very late response on this! I answered your question in my latest video! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-3ynvzPWOcX8.html

Hi there! Is there an online course you could do? and then perhaps somewhere you could volunteer to get practical experience?

Luther Evans I’m so sorry for missing this comment at the time! (I blame new baby sleep deprivation!) it does sound like Environmental Studies would be better suited if that’s the career path you would like to take. Look up organisations that carry out that type of work and see if you can volunteer or help with anything - I appreciate that may be difficult in the current climate but it won’t always be this way! For example one of our major donors the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation do a lot of policy work. Thanks so much for the subscribe!

@@DiaryofaTentwife I appreciate the reply! I guess I'm more interested in the broader picture/ sociology aspects of wildlife conservation than the biology or environmental science type of work. I'm not really an outdoorsy type of person and I've always wanted to be able to wear a suit and tie at my job. I was also thinking about environmental journalism/ press. Today I was trying to learn more about intelligence careers/ analyst for wildlife trafficking to see if that is a viable option. I've been trying to consider all of my options to determine which is best for me.

Luther Evans I know quite a few people who wear suits to work and spend very little time in the field (often maybe a visit a year to project sites - if that sometimes!) but still feel very connected to what is going on. I would think in the current climate there would be a great deal of ground work you could do for the environmental journalism option. Start writing, write for blogs, start your own - anything to just get your name and your take on issues out there. Sooner than you think you will be asked to write for someone and become more well known. The intelligence analyst route is definitely a very interesting option. There are so many organisations with anti trafficking elements where those skills are a necessity and can obviously be done remotely. Sounds like you definitely have some good plans!!

@@DiaryofaTentwife Thank you! For the intelligence analyst option, do you know of any organizations that have internships/ training, seek volunteers or hire graduates for anti-wildlife trafficking specifically? The information I've found so far is just CIA/ general intelligence careers and the focus isn't generally on environmental matters, though the other topics are also very important. The only organization I know of is Earth League International, but they hire people who are already pros.

Luther Evans I’m not sure where you are based but you may find you need to start in a more general area and gain experience to then be able to specialise and move across into conservation issues. I don’t know of many anti-trafficking units but I am guessing they don’t shout about themselves BUT if you start to keep an eye on anti-poaching units for now most of them will have intelligence lead units/and involved in the trafficking side as well. The person I know who is high up in an anti trafficking unit worked in the police force in Holland before moving to Africa and working in anti trafficking.

Hmm, both r very valid careers! I would say do conservation first and then do mental health bc there r a lot of transferable skills! What r u thinking of doing in conservation?

Rusty Roo You definitely haven’t left it too late at all! Use your skills to get into the sector. There are also conservation charities that started with art/get a huge chunk of their funding through art, David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation for start. If you follow someone like @emilylamb_art on Instagram you will see how she has used her incredible skills to raise money for conservation and travel to conservation projects all over the world. I would start with contacting some organisations locally, with some examples of your graphic design maybe and ask if you can volunteer to help them with anything (may be hard during these covid-19 times but is there anything you could do distantly for now? Design a poster to fundraise for them/brochure etc start following the organisation on social media and start being an advocate for them, or save up and volunteer abroad (not a plug but for example we have a “media and marketing” volunteer placement which would allow you to use your skills in a conservation setting and see if it’s right for you, make contacts etc. You haven’t left it too late at all and there will definitely be a way in.

I would think there is a huge amount of transferrable skills and experience that could be put to use in conservation!!

Matthew Verian Yeah for sure!! Our Resource Protection Department has a fire fighting unit as controlled burns (and uncontrolled burns) are a common occurrence in Zambian national parks (and parks in many other countries as well)

@@DiaryofaTentwife Thank you!!