Today’s guest is Sir William Worsley, Chair of the Forestry Commission (England). Sir William shares his rich experience in forestry management, conservation, and the evolving mission of the ForestryCommission since its founding in 1919. In our chat, we discuss the Commission's role in afforestation, timber production and wildlife conservation, and the importance of balanced woodland management. Sir William also shares his views on the economic and environmental significance of forests,...

What does it take to lead one of the world’s largest conservation organisations through a time when 41% ofUK species are in decline? And how can today’s conservation leaders inspire millions to fight for biodiversity? Today’s guest, Beccy Speight, CEO of the RSPB, offers her insights into what it takes to manage over 1.2 million members and 200 reserves across the UK. In this episode, we discuss the RSPB’s mission, the role of effective leadership, and Beccy’s own career path from local...

Have you ever wondered how your backyard or garden can help to save wildlife? Or why something as simple as leaving your leaves where they fall can make a big difference for local ecosystems? And what role does media, from television to online platforms, play in conservation efforts?  Today’s guest is David Mizejewski, a naturalist, author, and television presenter with the National Wildlife Federation. David has spent years educating the public on how small, everyday actions can protect...

Have you ever felt like an outsider or imposter in your career? Or wondered where (or even if) you can fit and belong? We're biologically hard-wired for connection, and research shows that it's vital to our physical and mental wellbeing. But when it comes to our careers, we often think we need to go it alone. In this special episode, we discuss the importance of community in our careers as conservationists, and how it's often key to our happiness, impact and wellbeing. Joining our host Dr...

Today’s guest is Romulus Whitaker, a renowned herpetologist and conservationist often referred to as the"Snake Man of India." Romulus shares his lifelong passion for snakes, conservation and the incredible biodiversity of India's rainforests. In this episode, we discuss what drew Romulus to snakes, especially the King Cobra, his experiences in the rainforest and the significance of water and forest conservation. We also delve into how Romulus started several conservation projects, including...

Today’s guest is Becky Park, the Programme Manager for the Osprey Leadership Foundation. They work to inspire young people about the natural world and to help them to develop into conservation leaders who can make a real difference, at both a grassroots and international level. We discuss the foundation's origins, its mission in conservation and leadership training, and how it connects the UK with countries along the Osprey migratory flyway, such as The Gambia. Becky shares a fascinating...

Why do so many people get into conservation because of a love of animals, only to discover that it’s all about people? And why if you’re interested in working as a social scientist particularly, should you focus on improving on your softer skills, especially if you want to get ahead in your career? We discuss these questions and many more with today’s guest Dr Laura Thomas-Walters. Laura is the Deputy Director of Experimental Research for the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. She...

Today we explore the world of conservation and diversity with digital storyteller Taurean Meacham. Working for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Taurean is the Program Coordinator for the Diversity Joint Venture for Careers in Conservation. In this episode we delve into Taurean's work to improve diversity, equity, inclusion and justice in conservation and beyond. We'll hear about how he survived a workplace mass shooting and subsequently retired from the United States Navy to become a...

Why do so many people get into conservation because of a love for animals, only to discover that it's all about people?   And why, if you’re interested in making an impact in conservation, should you focus on improving your communication skills to advance your career?  We explore these questions with today’s guest, Jon Monsoon.  Jon brings over 20 years of experience in wildlife conservation, public relations and communications management.   He has worked across corporate, government,...

How Passionate Individuals Can Transform Their Careers and Save Wildlife, With Our Guest Greg Cummings. How can someone transition from being a bartender in London to leading an organisation helping to protect Gorillas - one of the most charismatic species on the planet?  And how can they raise millions of dollars in the process - meeting influential people like Bill Gates and Leonardo DiCaprio along the way.  That’s what today’s guest Greg Cummings has achieved in his career, along with so...

How do you switch careers from working in IT and Quality Management for 20 years to making a real impact in conservation?  That’s exactly what today’s guest - Clare Roberts - has achieved in the past few years, and she’s here today to share her story.  We start by exploring her pre-conservation career in the corporate world of IT consultancy, where she used her free time to volunteer at home and abroad. We then discuss what triggered her decision to change her career focus to sustainability...

How corporate professionals can contribute to conservation efforts, with our guest Raoul Bollen. How can corporate professionals contribute to conservation efforts?  What skills can they bring from the boardrooms of the private sector to help wildlife charities specifically to develop and grow?  These are some of the topics we discuss with today’s guest Raoul Bollen.  Raoul has been on a career journey from the corporate sector, from leading Shell's HR in 10 countries in the Middle East and...

How The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Africa use partnerships, science, and sustainable finance to tackle the biodiversity crisis, with our guest Ademola Ajagbe. Today we’re speaking with an old friend and colleague Ademola Ajagbe, the Regional Managing Director atThe Nature Conservancy (TNC) for Africa. Ademola discusses the urgent challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss, emphasizing the need for scalable solutions and partnership-based approaches for meaningful impact. He shares...

Meetings are a core part of our working lives, and yet studies have found that 50% of time spent in meetings is often wasted. When viewed as a whole that's often billions, if not trillions, of dollars wasted annually, which could be put to much better use. But why do we spend so much of our precious lives clogged up in a confetti of mediocre meetings?! With calendars full back-to-back often borne as a badge of importance, rather than being seen as a problem to tackle. Here to talk about...

Have you considered going back to university and doing a Master's Degree in order to become more employable within the sector?   Perhaps you’ve looked at many programmes and wondered if they are tooling you up with the right skills employers value.   In today’s podcast, we’re speaking with Dr Stephen Green who’s the course leader for an exciting new Master's programme, designed and delivered in partnership with Conservation Careers, to train you in the core skills used by...

In this episode we’re speaking with the Deputy Global Conservation Director at WWF International, Cristianne Close.  Cris describes herself as ‘passionate about creating positive change in the world, especially aiming to make the impossible, possible’.  In this episode, we discuss how she gave up a fast-paced corporate career to follow her purpose and work in conservation.   Now, as a senior staff member at WWF, Cris explains how her business acumen is helping her tackle one of the...

Have you ever felt like escaping the rat race and travelling the world? Seeking impact, adventure and new experiences? Perhaps volunteering for nature conservation organisations, and setting yourself for a career change or education when you return? But with the world as your playground … where do you start? How do you plan such a trip to ensure your time and money are well spent? Today we’re speaking with Julia Rogers founder of EnRoute Consulting. As a professional gap year counsellor - a...

Increasingly, the private sector is taking a growing interest in their impact on wildlife, and this could lead to a much-needed step change in conservation efforts. But why do companies care about nature? How can they assess and minimise their impacts? And what sort of jobs are opening up for conservationists seeking to work in this exciting area of change? Here to discuss these topics and many more is today's inspiring and thoughtful guest, Michael Burgass, Director at the consultancy...

How do you raise nearly $100,000,000 per year to protect and conserve America’s 420+ National Park Sites?  Sites important for recreation, education, and the conservation of endangered landscapes, natural communities and species.  We discuss this, amongst many other things, with Lise Aangeenbrug.  Lise is the Chief Program Officer at America’s National Park Foundation, the official nonprofit partner of the National Park Service charged with generating the funding needed to protect...

Have you ever felt like you’re energetically exhausted, mentally distant from your job, or less able to produce results at work? There’s a chance that these symptoms could be related to burnout. According to The World Health Organization (WHO), burnout is a syndrome “…resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” As conservationists, our work is our passion, but that passion doesn’t make us immune to burnout. In fact, it might even make us more...

If you’ve spent time in the UK and visited a local nature reserve, then chances are you’ve been to a site managed by one of the 46 individual Wildlife Trusts that collectively represent 2,000 staff, 35,000 volunteers and nearly 1 million members.   Helping to coordinate this huge force for nature is the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts of which today’s guest is their Deputy Chief Executive.  Patience Thody left the commercial banking sector and switched her career towards wildlife...

How important are volunteers in conservation?  What are the different types of work you can do as a volunteer, and how can it benefit your career?  We answer these and many more questions in discussion with today’s guest Rhoda Ludford.  Rhoda is the Volunteering Development Consultant with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds - Europe’s largest wildlife conservation organisation with over 2,000 staff, 10,000 volunteers and 1 million members.  Rhoda has worked for the RSPB...

We ran a live event in partnership with Conservation Optimism, to explore and celebrate the work of Dr Charu Mishra - the world’s foremost expert on snow leopard conservation, and double Whitley Gold Award Winner. Conservation Optimism is a global community dedicated to inspiring people to make a positive difference for nature, and co-hosting the live event with me was Sofia Castelló y Tickell.  Together we spoke to Charu, who is the Executive Director of the International Snow Leopard...

Why should more conservationists learn to study people?   To better understand them as individuals, communities and societies, alongside their complex behaviours and interactions.  This is what today’s podcast is all about, and it’s something termed social science.  Here to discuss the power of social science for conservation is today’s guest Dr Rebecca Jefferson.  Rebecca runs Human Nature, a social enterprise which seeks to empower conservationists to have a more positive impact...