Jobs in conservation?

Question

with online degrees - anyone gone through it that way?

Answer 1

Amazingly just about any degree can land you a job in the field of conservation.  Public policy experts, public relations managers, marketing executives, scientists (in any field) and even business managers can all find meaningful rewarding work in this area.

I earned degrees in journalism and marketing and while living in Washington, DC, spent over a year writing press release, developing corporate partnerships and building membership for a 401(c)3 conservation group focus on forest protection.

Was a demanding, but overall positive experience.

I close friend just finished work on her second degree (via online) and will begin work for The Nature Conservancy for the Mid-Atlantic region next month.  Her focus will be on helping communities work together to protect area ecosystems.

Good luck!  I think it's great you're looking into pursuing this!

Answer 2

This is a good question. I work in environmental policy and truly beleive that environmental work will become the most critical career field in the next 20 years.

As you said, there's always people willing to picket over environemntal issues, but there's lots of other non-conforntational ways to help mother earth.

Working in environemntal issues can range from public relations to law to science. As a environmental biologist you can help develop the science behind environmental protection. If you have a legal or political science background, try contacting an environmental organization that's active in Washington, DC or your state government. They're always looking for bright people who can help educate elected officials and thier staff on environmental issues. People with backgrounds in public relations and marketing should consider this too. If you dont have any training or background-- that's ok! I know people who came from a completely different background and are rock stars when it comes to issue advocacy and public outreach.

Also check with your local and state governments and the private sector.  There are lots of private and government job opportunities from thigns like environemntal enforecemnt, to consultation, to cleanup.   The U.S. military also has an environemntal operations division.

You can also do a lot of little things that dont invovle a career or lifestyle change, like write letters to the Editorial Board of your newspapers. Get a letter published on the need to expand the city's recycling program, or the need to clean up the drinking water quality. Read up on global warming and talk to your freinds, relatives and children about it.

There's also a lot of environemntaly groups on college campuses as well as associaitons of outdoor recreationists (like the Sierra Club) who are very active in environemntal protection issues. Wikkipedia has a good list of enviro organizations... worldwide! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/list_of_env...

Most of all, VOTE. Find out which political candidiates match your views on environmental preservation and VOTE FOR THEM!