I am the Community Organising Project Officer on The Wildlife Trusts’ Nextdoor Nature project. This includes connecting people and bringing communities together, then finding out what they would like to improve about their local environment. This could be setting up a walking group, a community garden, creating ‘wilder areas’ of land to help local wildlife or even creating wildlife habitat boxes.

I completed a First-Class degree in Marketing and Advertising, but after completing internships I realised that marketing wasn’t the industry for me. I have always enjoyed nature and wildlife, and quickly discovered that conservation would be perfect for me. I attended webinars and volunteered on Kent Wildlife Trust’s Wilder Blean project, educating visitors about the bison that we had introduced to the woods and answering questions from visitors. It was through this volunteering opportunity that I found out about my current role and decided to apply. My advice is to attend lots of webinars, ask questions and volunteer if you can!

Being mixed race, conservation isn’t an industry that has always felt welcoming of different ethnicities. It is encouraging that times are changing and more people like me are being given the opportunity to get involved in conservation. I am also a big fan of reptiles and amphibians, and I own an axolotl, a snake and a pacman frog (and a cat).

I am a Community Organiser for Kent Wildlife Trust. My role is to help communities take action for nature. My background is in Youth Work. I think a common misconception is that our role is about putting on events for people, when actually it’s about listening to communities and helping them to plan and deliver their own projects in the places that they live and work.

I would advise talking to people in conservation and asking how they got started. I don’t come from a traditional conservation background. I nearly didn’t apply for my current role as I thought I wasn’t experienced enough, I also thought that as a person with disability, that I might have additional barriers but when I spoke to the Wilder Engagement Manager for Kent Wildlife Trust I was encouraged to apply as my skills and experiences were valuable.

Hi everyone, I’m Bailey and I’m the Campaigns Officer at Essex Wildlife Trust. It’s my job to develop and lead campaigns that inspire people and encourage everyone to take action for nature. I absolutely love my job and worked hard to get here, achieving a degree in geography and then gaining valuable experience in environmental campaigning and work experience on a nature reserve. You might think that my role would involve a lot of protests and petitions which sometimes it does but most of our campaigns encourage small actions that we can all take to help our precious wildlife recover such as sowing wildflower seeds or building a hedgehog house.

My advice for any young person starting their career in conservation is to never stop learning. You are bound to meet some really passionate and knowledgeable people, ask them questions and write down new things you learn to help you remember. That is one of my favourite parts of working within wildlife, there is always a new species to discover or spectacle to experience.

I am responsible for engaging the public with nature through running events and activities – anything from pond dipping to fungi walks to a series of events looking at food through history.

I studied Animal management at university and followed up with another qualification at Askham Bryam college. I know I loved wildlife and people, so when a traineeship came up at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust I thought it would be ideal! Turned out it was something I was very passionate about and really excelled at, so when my traineeship finished I went straight into a Community Engagement Assistant job with the Trust. A common misconception about my role is that conservation is just about the practical work with wildlife and habitats. I think it is just as important to teach and inspire people about the natural world at their level – otherwise we will never manage change.

Don’t feel too pressured to go to University immediately or at all – you can take time out to think about what you want to do. There are always external pressures but follow your passion – you’ll end up there anyway and you’ll excel at it.

I’m an amateur mycologist (fungi) and a published author of a scientific paper – opportunities I wouldn’t have had without working for the Trust!

My role as Seasonal Engagement Officer involves hosting school and family visits on our reserves as well as getting involved in external events. The role of our team is to inspire these groups to take action for nature and get them excited about wildlife.

Although I have always been interested in nature and wildlife, I chose to study Geography and International Development at university – which I loved, but it didn’t have much of environmental focus. After working several retail and catering jobs I then got a role at the local Council as part of their Recycling Team. This really encouraged me to work within the environmental sector, I felt like I was making a difference and I really enjoyed the community engagement aspect of this role. So, despite not having specific training in the conservation field, I have been able to gain experience through previous jobs and volunteering to gain more knowledge about the sector.

I think one misconception about my role would be that you have to know everything about wildlife and the sites you work in and around. I think a passion and interest in the field is the best place to start. I have gained such a wealth of knowledge during my current role – which has been the best way for me to learn. Be persistent with your career aspirations and remember that any job you have will give you invaluable skills, even if it’s not directly related to the field you want to work in. Take any opportunities that come your way, whether that be training, volunteering or learning. Nurture and enjoy your interests outside of work and school, as this will set you in good stead for whatever career path you choose.

I currently manage the part of Norfolk Wildlife Trust that works outside of our nature reserves. This includes running projects to restore wildlife habitats and advising landowners, including farmers, who want to manage land in a way that helps nature. We are also looking at new projects that capture carbon and help wildlife, like woodland planting and restoring peat.

I did a degree at agricultural college, then started by volunteering and working as a ranger - this meant building fences, paths, drystone walls and managing volunteers. I then worked on a community project and a few short-term contracts, including some time working as an environmental campaigner. Very varied! I don't have a masters in ecology, but was interested in botany as a child and taught myself plant identification. I spent a lot of time on training courses, volunteering and teaching myself lots of things about wildlife. I think conservation is one thing where an interest in what you do overtakes formal education and there are lots of routes and opportunities into it. I know some brilliant conservationists who are not university educated. Volunteering is a great way into conservation - most of all, just really enjoy nature. When I started out, women in conservation mainly went into working with children. This path was really not for me, so it took me ages to find my feet and find a path that worked for me. Thankfully things are a little more enlightened now! 

My team and I look after 21 nature reserves in South Yorkshire. I get out onto sites regularly into order to do practical management, including looking after our livestock that graze our nature reserves, inspecting sites and planning how their specific habitats or wildlife will be best supported.

I went to university, but part way through a degree in politics decided it wasn’t for me. I started to volunteer with local conservation groups, and then did a master’s degree in environmental management. I continued to volunteer and do some training alongside part time jobs for a couple of years before getting my first job managing nature reserves in the Peak District. My interest in nature has deepened over time; I started off being very interested in mushrooms and fungi but soon added interests in plants, moths, water beetles and more! A common misconception about my role is that I spend all my time outside. I spend a lot of time in the office, there is a lot of paperwork associated with owning land, getting subsidies for managing land in a positive way for wildlife and for seeking funding to do even more work for wildlife.

It’s a hard task to get into wildlife conservation; there is a lot to learn, and for nature reserve jobs lots of qualifications (eg. chainsaw, brushcutter, first aid) to do. But you can only get there by taking one step at a time, such as taking the opportunity to do First Aid training, learning to lay a hedge or how to identify plants.

Having a passion for wildlife, being a naturalist in my spare time as well as a professional conservationist, really helps to motivate me. It can be daunting to learn a new group of wildlife (I challenged myself to learn about moths during lockdown), but you can join a natural history society like BSBI, Yorkshire Naturalists Union or Doncaster Naturalists, and they will help you. They will teach you things (sometimes it’s just how to look for things!), tell you which books or equipment you might need, and help to check you’ve identified things correctly. You can teach yourself things too, but even to go out once or twice a year with like-minded people is a great experience.

I am the Coast and The Wash Warden for Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust where I look after and create habitats for wildlife.

After 15 years working in industry, I decided to follow a long-held dream to work in nature conservation. I did a one-year course in Conservation Management followed by a three-year degree in Zoology at the age of 32. Ten months residential volunteering at Gibraltar Point NNR finally got me my first paid role as an Estate Worker at Durlston Country Park (now NNR) in Dorset, and so my career began. The main misconception about my role is that I work with animals when actually it is mainly about habitats.

My advice to anyone getting into nature conservation is volunteer! Volunteer! Volunteer! Use your local nature conservation experts for as much information and expertise as possible. Most are very forthcoming with their knowledge. I feel very lucky and privileged to work in nature conservation. My biggest take is that now working life is not about waking up on Monday morning looking forward to the weekend.

Hi! I'm Meg, I'm 22 and I'm the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Officer for Norfolk Wildlife Trust. I work to make nature conservation more accessible and inclusive for everyone to work in and enjoy, no matter your background.

I never thought I could work in nature or environmentalism as I'm not great with statistics or numbers. Then I started learning about climate justice whilst I was working as a bartender after finishing school. Even though I'm not a scientist, I decided that I could still do something about climate change and injustice; I might be bad with numbers, but I am good with words and people. So, I started looking into inclusivity, decolonising, community-organising and eco-communication.

My next step was to go and study Literature and Creative Writing on a scholarship at uni. I was very sneaky and tailored my degree towards nature writing and social justice, which really supported me in applying for nature and inclusion-related jobs. 

If you're able to follow your own interests through studying or make projects around work, I really recommend it!

My interests and extra projects helped me to get a paid internship in communications at Norfolk Wildlife Trust and that's how my role as an EDI officer came about.

I'm queer, non-binary, neurodivergent and working class - I came into my job and was totally honest about myself, my identity and my values. More people like me (and different to me!) are coming into nature-related jobs all the time - it's a joy to work in this sector and know that I'm helping out nature and other people, whilst also changing how the environmental sector looks, works and feels. 

My role at Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust is Individual Giving Lead, which sits in the fundraising team. I work closely with our members and donors to raise vital funds needed to help wildlife in my county. Day to day, I act as a main point of contact for our supporters and communicate how their donations are making a difference for wildlife. From writing newsletters to organising special walks on our nature reserves, my job is varied and involves working with a wonderful variety of people.

A common misconception is that you must go down the traditional science route to have a meaningful career in conservation. In reality, so many skills are needed to make a difference for our natural world - think outside the box! I studied English & History at University and worked as a scuba diving instructor in Asia for many years before my fundraising career at a Wildlife Trust began. Whilst I love nature and the outdoors, it was my communication skills and passion for working with people that landed me the role. 

I'm working as part of the team to restore the biodiversity, water level, carbon capturing abilities and use of upland peat landscapes for people and wildlife. My role helps the team deliver the practical work on the ground by making sure they have the resources and support to do this.

I did an undergraduate and two postgraduate degrees in Archaeology. After this, I initially applied to do a funded postgraduate project which focused on engaging hard-to-reach groups of people with history, but I found that the reality of academic work and the heritage sector was quite different to what I expected. This in combination with mental health struggles and family bereavement led me to volunteer with Norfolk Wildlife Trust and then the County Wildlife Recorders, as I knew I’d always loved being outside. I got a job working as an Allotments Officer for Norwich City Council, and then realised I wanted to work in a wildlife focused career, ideally with a focus on climate change. In the beginning I was quite disheartened as I kept missing out on roles to people with more direct experience, but during the pandemic and after a house move I was able to volunteer with the South West Peak Landscape Project, and finally got my job working for the Yorkshire Peat Programme!

A common misconception about my role is that it’s just spreadsheets! People assume an admin role is all desk-based but working for Yorkshire Wildlife Trust I have been able to use the organisation skills I already have while building up my skills by helping out other team members assisting with surveying days and joining them on training sessions. It’s great to have the opportunity to do both!

When you look at other people’s lives it can seem like they’ve followed a clear trajectory to get to where they want to be but you can’t see all the times they didn’t succeed, the things they’ve had to give up to focus on what they wanted, or the support they’ve had to get there. There is always also an element of luck which you can’t control about opportunities that come up at the right time for you. Don’t be disheartened if you don’t get where you want to straight away.

I’m emotionally driven and I need to feel like I’m making a positive impact with my work. I need to work with similarly minded people who can geek out with me about the things I love. I’m a big supporter of ‘Everybody Outdoors’, a campaign to raise awareness of clothing, gear and representation for plus size bodies in the outdoors.

I am responsible for responding to planning applications, giving feedback on anything related to ecology; bird surveys, bat surveys and advising on any protected sites close to the development area which might require protection.

I studied Geography and Biology at A level. I then studied Human Geography and Town Planning at university. I worked as a Planning Officer for a local authority in West Yorkshire for three years. I had a desire to do more to ensure nature is protected from harmful development, and this is what led me to my current role at the Trust.

A common misconception about my role is that many people think that I’m here to object to every development proposed, but that’s not true. It is very rare that we will object to an application and often we will speak to developers about our concerns and work with them to make a development more beneficial to wildlife.

My advice is to study something that you find interesting, not just something that others expect you to study or tell you will get you a good job. You have to have passion for what you do otherwise it will become a chore. If you find something you are passionate about then don’t be afraid to pursue it, learn more about it and find a way to get involved. Maybe try volunteering for a while to test the waters and see how a job feels.

A bit about me: I enjoy playing Table Top RPGs in my spare time like Dungeons and Dragons, and crocheting clothes.

My job title is ‘Head of Digital Transformation’ and I work for the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts, the central charity of the UK wide grassroots focused Wildlife Trusts. My job is to help the federation of 47 independent charities make the most of digital by co-developing and delivering changes, new ways of working and new digital technologies. I deliver training and workshops and it is my job to support the delivery of our digital ambitions. My background is in a linked sector (heritage, which includes what can be termed ‘natural heritage’) and I have always worked in charities and the public sector. I am trained in Business Analysis and Process Reviews, which involve looking at how to improve processes for everyone.

To work at an environmental charity, you don’t always need a qualification in an environmental or scientific discipline, you could have transferable skills in a number of different things that could be valuable to the organisation. It’s worth thinking about what these transferable skills are! My most useful skill in my job is facilitation, rather than hard technology skills, as I have to work with lots of different people from different organisations. The work of the Trusts is really vital, and I wanted to make a difference, and because my skills are more general ‘organisational skills’ I can bring them and use them here even though I don’t spend a lot of time out on reserves.