Conservation Careers Podcast

How can we restore woodlands to maximise biodiversity? What makes conservation research genuinely useful for the people working to protect nature? And how can you build a successful career in conservation science?

Today we're speaking with Professor Kirsty Park, Professor of Conservation Science at the University of Stirling, where she's worked for nearly 30 years.

Kirsty's research focuses on understanding how human activities affect biodiversity, and finding practical solutions to help nature recover.

She's also co-lead of the fascinating WrEN Project, which uses 150 years of woodland restoration to understand what works best for biodiversity.

In this episode, we explore what makes woodland restoration successful, the challenges posed by deer overpopulation, and how scientists can work with conservation organisations to turn research into real-world impact.

We also explore Kirsty's career journey, what it takes to become a conservation scientist, the skills and experiences that matter most, and her advice for students, career switchers and aspiring academics.

Finally, we discuss the state of conservation, the importance of communicating our successes, and why there's still plenty of reason for hope.

It's a woodlands, wildlife and wisdom episode. Enjoy.

How curiosity, experience and an openness to different paths can help you build a fulfilling career in conservation, with wildlife conservationist Iris de Winter.

What does a career in conservation actually look like?

For some people, there isn't one simple answer. You might be a scientist, lecturer, conservation practitioner and nature guide - combining different roles into a career that's uniquely your own.

Today's guest is Iris de Winter, an Assistant Professor in Wildlife Conservation at Utrecht University and Director of the Apenheul Primate Conservation Trust. She's also a nature guide, leading wildlife and conservation-focused trips to places including Madagascar and Uganda.

In this episode, we explore Iris's fascinating career journey - from an early interest in marine conservation and research on green turtles, through to studying lemurs in Madagascar and ultimately shifting her focus from understanding conservation problems to helping solve them.

We also explore what Iris has learnt from teaching the next generation of conservationists, the skills and qualities she sees in successful students, and why careers don't need to follow a perfectly linear path. We discuss the importance of curiosity, cultural sensitivity, collaboration, gaining experience and building a strong reputation in what is ultimately a very small conservation world.

And we discover another fascinating conservation career path - nature guiding - including how Iris turned her love of wildlife and travel into opportunities to lead conservation-focused trips around the world.

It's a conservation science, career exploration and wildlife adventure podcast.

Enjoy.

How conservationists are helping people and predators coexist - and what a 30-year career working with big cats can teach us about saving cheetahs in the wild, with Janet Hinostroza.

They're the fastest animals on land, capable of extraordinary acceleration and perfectly adapted for speed. But cheetahs are also facing growing pressure from habitat loss, fragmented landscapes and conflict with people.

So what will it take to secure their future in the wild?

Today's guest is Janet Hinostroza, a lifelong big-cat specialist whose career has spanned more than 30 years working with wildlife, including roles at the Cincinnati Zoo and San Diego Zoo and Safari Park, and who now supports the Cheetah Outreach Trust as an advisor and spokesperson.

In this episode, we explore what makes cheetahs such extraordinary animals, the threats they're facing and why coexistence with people is so central to their conservation.

Janet takes us inside the work of Cheetah Outreach Trust, where conservationists are partnering with livestock farmers, using approaches including livestock guarding dogs to reduce conflict and help farmers and predators share the same landscapes.

We also explore Janet's fascinating career journey - from being inspired by big cats as a child, through decades of working with animals in zoos, to focusing increasingly on conserving species in the wild. And she shares some valuable lessons for anyone hoping to build their own career working with wildlife.

It's a cheetahs, coexistence and conservation careers podcast.

Enjoy.

How to understand what you really want, explore new career possibilities and build a practical strategy for making your next move, with career coach Michelle Schafer.

Have you ever wondered whether it's time for a career change - but felt unsure about where to go next, what you have to offer, or how to actually make the move?

Today's guest is Michelle Schafer, a career coach and author of Cultivating Career Growth: Navigating Transitions with Purpose. Michelle knows career transitions from both sides. After two unexpected restructurings during her own career, she eventually discovered coaching and now helps people find work that energises them, with organisations that share their values.

In this episode, we take a practical journey through the career-change process. We explore the five questions to ask yourself before making a move, how to identify your transferable skills, and even how you can use AI as a thinking partner to uncover career possibilities you might never have considered.

We also explore how to overcome the limiting beliefs that can hold you back, use networking to open doors, and build a job-search strategy that gets you noticed. And once you've secured that all-important interview, Michelle shares practical advice to help you prepare, communicate your impact and show the value you can bring.

Whether you're considering a small career shift, moving into conservation from another sector, or contemplating a completely new direction, this episode will help you turn uncertainty into a clearer plan for what comes next.

It's a career clarity, confident change and practical action podcast.

Enjoy.

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Website

https://mschafercoaching.ca/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleschafercoaching/

How to understand what you really want from your career, explore new possibilities and make a successful career change, with author and career coach Helen O'Neill.

Hi there. Nick here from Conservation Careers and welcome to the podcast.

Have you ever had that feeling that something in your career just isn't quite right? You're not necessarily unhappy, but there's a niggle telling you that you might be ready for something different.

And if so, how do you work out what you really want, explore your options and make a successful career change - without taking a huge leap into the unknown?

Today's guest is Helen O'Neill, career coach and author of People Who Pivot. After 20 years working in the corporate world, Helen made her own career transition and now specialises in helping people navigate career change and build careers that work for them.

In this episode, we explore how the world of work is changing, how to recognise when it might be time for a change, and Helen's practical approach to making a successful pivot. We cover career audits, strengths and values, finding your 'red threads', overcoming limiting beliefs, building your personal board of directors, testing new career ideas, and even how to leave your old career well.

It's a career change, self-discovery and practical action podcast.

Enjoy.

How to discover your purpose, find greater fulfilment, and build a life aligned with who you really are, with our guest Maren Oslac.

Have you ever reached a point where, on paper, life looks pretty good - you've worked hard, achieved success, ticked all the boxes - but something still feels missing?

Today's guest is Maren Oslac, co-founder of The Soulful Leader Project. For decades she's explored what it really means to live a life of purpose, combining a successful career as a professional ballroom dance instructor with a lifelong journey into leadership, spirituality, and personal growth. Today she helps people reconnect with what she calls their Life Mission - finding work and a way of living that's deeply aligned with who they are.

In this conversation we explore why so many people feel disconnected despite outward success, what it really means to live in alignment with your purpose, and practical ways to discover your own path. We also discuss meaningful work, career change, burnout, leadership, and why understanding yourself may be the most important career decision you'll ever make.

It's a purpose, personal growth, and meaningful careers podcast.

Enjoy.

Download Maren's free "The Achievement Trap" guide here.

How conservationists can create lasting impact by empowering communities, transforming environmental education, and building inclusive conservation movements, with our guest Cindy-Lee Cloete.

Conservation isn't just about protecting wildlife. It's about people too. The most successful conservation projects don't happen in isolation - they happen when communities are empowered to care for the places they call home.

Today's guest is Cindy-Lee Cloete, CEO of WESSA - the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa. Growing up in a small community in Namaqualand, Cindy-Lee developed a deep connection with nature that has shaped an extraordinary career in conservation. Today she leads one of Africa's oldest environmental organisations, helping to integrate conservation, environmental education, and community action across South Africa.

In this conversation we explore Cindy-Lee's remarkable journey into conservation, why environmental education is one of the most powerful tools for protecting nature, how WESSA has evolved over the past century, and why the future of conservation depends on courageous collaboration, inclusive leadership, and putting communities at the heart of environmental action.

It's a community conservation, environmental education, and conservation leadership podcast.

Enjoy.

How conservation organisations can use immersive technology to educate, inspire, and reconnect people with nature, with our guest Camille Mougenot.

Have you ever wondered whether technologies like virtual reality, augmented reality, and immersive storytelling could help people care more deeply about wildlife and the natural world?

Today I'm joined by Camille Mougenot, Director of International Partnerships at Wild Immersion - an organisation designing immersive conservation experiences for zoos, aquariums, museums, science centres, and conservation organisations around the world.

Wild Immersion believes that technology shouldn't replace nature - it should help reconnect us with it. Through breathtaking 360° films, virtual reality, augmented reality, and interactive experiences, they're helping people encounter wildlife in entirely new ways, while strengthening conservation education and inspiring lasting behaviour change.

In this conversation, we explore how immersive technology is transforming conservation education, what makes an educational experience truly memorable, and how Wild Immersion designs projects from the first spark of an idea through to a finished visitor experience. We also discuss the importance of storytelling, emotion, and community in helping people connect with nature, before turning to Camille's own career journey and her advice for anyone interested in combining conservation, education, technology, and creativity.

It's a conservation education, immersive technology, and storytelling podcast.

Enjoy.

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• https://wildimmersion.io/en/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-wild-immersion/

How entrepreneurs, innovation, and restoration businesses can help save coral reefs and build a new restoration economy, with our guest Sam Teicher.

Coral reefs cover less than one percent of our oceans, yet they support around a quarter of all marine life and provide food, livelihoods, and coastal protection for around a billion people. Yet they're disappearing at an alarming rate.

Today I'm joined by Sam Teicher, Co-Founder and Chief Reef Officer at Coral Vita - an Earthshot Prize-winning conservation business that's pioneering a new approach to coral reef restoration. Instead of relying solely on traditional conservation funding, Coral Vita is proving that a for-profit business can help restore nature at scale while creating jobs, supporting local communities, and protecting one of the world's most important ecosystems.

In this conversation we explore why coral reefs matter, what's driving their decline, and how Coral Vita grows and restores climate-resilient corals. We also discuss the Earthshot Prize, conservation entrepreneurship, the idea of a restoration economy, and whether businesses can become one of conservation's most powerful tools. Finally, Sam shares his own career journey and practical advice for anyone who wants to make a meaningful impact for nature.

It's an ocean conservation, conservation entrepreneurship, and restoration innovation podcast.

Enjoy.

How marine scientists can combine conservation, entrepreneurship, storytelling, and tourism to create impact, with our guest Justin Blake.

Justin Blake is a marine scientist, entrepreneur, and founder of RockHopper - a social enterprise that blends marine science, storytelling, tourism, and conservation to create new ways of funding and delivering impact.

After spending more than 15 years studying sharks and working on marine conservation projects across Africa, Justin realised that science alone wasn't enough. Conservation needed new business models, new storytellers, and new ways to connect people with nature.

Today, his work ranges from shark tagging and marine research in South Africa to creating ocean experiences that help fund conservation while inspiring people to care more deeply about the marine world.

In this episode, we explore how entrepreneurship can support conservation, why storytelling is such a powerful conservation tool, what it's really like to build a career in marine science, and why Justin believes that people protect what they feel connected to.

It's a marine science, entrepreneurship, and ocean storytelling podcast.

Enjoy.