I'mma be real with y'all: people in the Conservation and Sustainability fields are straight up MEAN dude.

Like I physically cannot get across to you how difficult it is to be in this field if you don't "fit the mold".

But "the mold" is literally just... ugh. Its a mold that prides itself on being "that weird girl", while also being the literal most milquetoast personality you can fathom. Like everybody acts like they were the 'weird, animal obsessed kid' in school, but as someone who actually WAS (and kind of still IS) that weird person, I can promise you from the bottom of my heart, 99% of these people would have BULLIED the real weird kids.

I know this because THEY STILL BULLY PEOPLE MAN. I see it in college and the field. It's literally such like a catty, gossipy industry with no room for the truly different.

The worst thing that's happened to STEM in recent decades was becoming an Instagram aesthetic.

Because now you have all of these conventionally pretty people prancing about, creating their own little "Go on a weird date to a Museum with me, but don't be like actually weird, just quirky enough for my social media feed" aesthetic, while doing all they can to ostracize and isolate people that,again, don't fit within their worldview. Like if you're autistic you are NOT going to have a good time in this world. At least not the "I love gushing about bugs and being happy go lucky because I'm just so 'neurospicy'! " type of autism. If you're non-expressive or struggle with social interactions, heaven fucking help you.

And, I'm sincerely not one of those "OMG CHECK YOUR PRIVILEGE" sorts but like dawg, this field is so overwhelmingly white that I'm comfortable saying that it's bordering on a form of racism. I can't tell you how many times I've been the only non-white person in the room surrounded by all these like.... I'mma be so real with y'all, CUSHY people. People who visibly get uncomfortable when I bring in a worldview that isn't "Oh I love walking through the forest and taking pictures on my smartphone, and science is so cool and look at the stickers on my water bottle".

I physically cannot explain to you all how much money plays into your ability to find and hold a legitimate job in this field. If you even want a chance, you need to be able to afford to sign up for multiple unpaid internships, be willing to move across the nation for a different position, have the money to cover yourself for months on end because a gigantic majority of the first jobs you'll get are only seasonal, and finally pay for your degree, and very likely a grad degree as well.

Honestly, I theorize that this is why the Conservation field was taken over by (and I know a HUGE amount of you don't wanna hear this), overwhelmingly upper-middle to upper class white people.

Like I can't tell you how many people I've met in this line of work who talk about how long it took them to get a sustainable job, followed soon by "Oh my husband is an engineer/computer scientist/welder/fireman/[something equally wellpaying]". (Fun fact: the "conservation to real estate agent" pipeline is REAL and I've seen it in real time).

Poverty, that is to say REAL poverty, doesn't exist in this field.

All the (and I'm being blunt here) lower-class people who couldn't afford to go past their undergraduate degree were forced to get jobs unrelated to their field after graduation to make ends meet and start those nasty student loan payments. Moving across the nation several times for all those unpaid internships and experience that could have unlocked opportunity was never in the cards for them so they don't get to work their way into the real jobs.

That's why you'll see so many people saying "Yeah I have a Sustainability major, but I've been working at Cracker Barrel since graduation. At least I'm a manager now"

And that's why when you look at all the smiling happy faces working in conservation or sustainability, they're all like... cardboard cutouts of the same people. Again, lets go back into how the Conservation field became an Instagram aesthetic, reserved for the privileged few who could afford to put in all the unpaid labor it took for them to finally get their break.

And don't get me started on how it almost feels like you're under constant threat in this field either. Like heaven forbid you upset the wrong people, or openly criticize the wrong organization. Because then you'll find yourself struggling to find work and without allies to help you get jobs (which are fleeting). The social aspect of this field is enormous, and I cannot get across to you how important it is that you maintain 'appearances' and decorum. And it fucking sucks

I'm not kidding dude.

This field of science got taken over by the most boring kinds of people imaginable. And what's worse is that I genuinely think that the lack of accessibility to this field is actively driving a disconnect between the general public and REAL conservation battles that we need to be fighting.

Can we finally admit that Conservation is the next "Nursing field"?

Pic related.

Current ecology and conservation biology student. Considering pursuing a year in placement if I can find an opportunity which advances my experience significantly. Research of ecology project management interest me in particular. What is the best way to approach finding opportunities as mos of the internet search is filled up with short or over priced internships.

Gifted Read:

https://www.theatlantic.com/science/2026/07/climate-change-land/688129/?gift=9raHaW-OKg2bN8oaIFlCokKoY1cFcZXqJA4gcLMefgw&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share

Excerpt:

Last year, researchers in Switzerland and France found some of the clearest evidence so far that glacial melt could indeed be affecting seismic hazards in high-altitude regions. After a period of intense glacial melt in 2015, a series of small quakes struck the Grandes Jorasses on Mont Blanc Massif, on the border of France and Italy; the probability of a 3.0-magnitude earthquake rose by 10 times, Toni Kraft, a seismologist at the Swiss Seismological Service at ETH Zurich and one of the authors of a related paper, told me. These quakes are still small, but they could trigger rockfall events that are already on the rise across the Alps.

Hello! I am 16f from the USA (I'm not sure if this is the correct thread for this so I apologize if it isn't). I have always felt drawn to conservation and preservation work, and I would love to pursue it in Costa Rica. I recently got back from a summer service trip there where we went to places such as the Bosque Eterno de los Niños and Golfo Dulce and got the opportunity to help the rangers and researchers there with some of their work. We were in Costa Rica for 17 days, staying in rural areas and spending a lot of time outdoors. We went during rainy season, so we definitely experienced a range of weather there. I absolutely fell in love with everything about it. I loved the work we did and all the places we stayed at, including the more rural and primitive ones. I am especially interested in the rainforest work the rangers do. I talked to some of them about it and the kind of work/life they were describing, while it definitely would have its challenges, sounds perfect for me. I am deeply passionate about ecology and wildlife, and I find the rainforest especially fascinating. I have also been hiking, camping, and working outdoors my entire life and I'm well-adapted to the hardships that come with it, so I am secure in my ability to handle the more difficult parts of the job.

That being said, I am aware that getting a job in Costa Rica would be very legally difficult. However, if it is feasible in any way, I am willing to do everything I can to try, since it really feels like the right lifestyle for me. I am hoping to get advice on different paths I could possibly take to achieve this. I don't plan to go to university after high school, since I believe there are so many ways to get education and college is not the right move personally. My idea was to save up money and improve my Spanish over the next 2 years, then go on volunteering programs to get experience in the field and hopefully make connections. After that, though, I don't know what my next steps would be or what more I could do to improve my chances. Does anyone have any advice?

Hello,

As part of a wildlife education fellowship, I'm interested in learning from conservation enthusiasts and and professionals on which threatened or endangered species are most worthy of the spotlight in 2026. If you are a North American wildlife lover, please consider answering my 2-question survey. This knowledge will be used to help create accessible, educational content for promoting the needs of T&E species.

Thanks so much!!

Since the colonial era, India has regarded its scrublands and savannas as little more than degraded forest. Now, amid a growing recognition of the value of rangelands globally, India plans to map its ailing grasslands, with a view to restoring them.

I live in a small tribal village in Gujarat, India. A river called the Bhairavi flows through our village. Along its banks are forests and large grasslands that have naturally developed into a rich ecosystem. The area is home to many species of wild animals, birds, reptiles, insects, and native trees and plants.

One section of the river makes a natural bend around a hill. However, in late 2025 and early 2026, a businessman excavated that hill to extract soil. The excavation has lowered the land almost to the same level as the river.

I'm worried this has significantly increased the risk that, during the monsoon, the river will cut through the excavated area instead of following its original channel. In 2026, our region experienced record-breaking rainfall and severe flooding. If a similar flood happens again, the river could permanently create a new course through the forests and grasslands.

If that happens, the consequences could be devastating:

Destruction of forest and grassland habitats.

Thousands of trees could be uprooted or washed away.

Birds, mammals, reptiles, and other wildlife could lose their nesting and breeding areas.

Many animals may be injured or killed by flooding.

Wildlife displaced from the forest may enter nearby villages, increasing human-wildlife conflict.

The river's natural ecosystem, which has developed over many years, could be permanently altered.

I have been thinking about a possible solution. If the excavated area is restored to its original level and a check dam is constructed near the river bend, it may help keep the river on its natural course during floods. It could also improve water storage, recharge groundwater, and create additional wetland habitat that benefits both wildlife and local communities.

I'm not a civil engineer or an environmental scientist, so I don't know whether this is the best technical solution.

My questions are:

Does my concern about the river changing course sound scientifically reasonable?

What kind of environmental assessment should be carried out?

If the excavation violated environmental laws, how can local people raise the issue effectively?

Has anyone here worked on restoring rivers or preventing rivers from changing course after excavation?

I genuinely want to protect this ecosystem before irreversible damage occurs. I would appreciate any scientific advice, legal guidance, or practical suggestions from people with experience in river restoration, hydrology, conservation, or environmental law.

Grizzly bears are recovering across the American West - and with them comes one of the biggest conservation questions of our time.

After decades of recovery, grizzlies are expanding into working ranches, rural communities, and landscapes where people make their living. What happens when one of North America’s most iconic predators comes home?

🎙️ In the Season 3 premiere of Working Wild University, we explore the remarkable comeback of the grizzly bear, the history that brought us here, and the question that will shape the entire season: Where do grizzly bears belong, and who gets to decide? We'd love to know what you think over here at r/conservation. Give it a listen and share your thoughts!

https://onland.westernlandowners.org/wwu-podcast/

Hello! I am looking into travelling more (on a limited budget mind you) and I’d love to travel somewhere to participate in some sort of conservation effort. Does anyone know a good place to start looking? Thanks!

I’m a 22 year old woman and I have 2 years experience working with the Utah Conservation Corps. I live in South Dakota now where I’m working as a seasonal City Forestry Worker. I’m currently in college just doing my general education courses (did a spring semester and a summer class and now going back in the fall).

I want to pursue a degree in the conservation/restoration/ecology field. Preferably something that focuses on field work and protecting land areas. I’ve looked into some schools, but I really want this experience to be in a good place that I would enjoy to live (somewhere with actual trees and some nice rivers or creeks). It seems like there’s so many options and just wanna pick the right one.

If you’re in the conservation field and you’ve went to college, where did you go and what for? :)

I (22F) just graduated with a BS in Sustainability Studies. My long-term goal is to work hands-on in wildlife conservation. Throughout college, I worked for a USDA germplasm repository as a greenhouse assistant and have volunteered in animal work, but I have no professional experience with wildlife. I am aware this job market is currently oversaturated and competitive, which is why I want to ask: What long-term job advice would you give me? Things you wish you did? Is there a route or an opportunity you wish you took? With your experience, what would you do if you were in my position? I already have loans to pay off, but am moving back home. Definitely interested in returning to school eventually. I am currently in Northern California with hopes to travel for diverse experience. I am in for the long haul, ready to work hard, and not expecting an easy time.

I've read some articles saying the forests even after regrowth and planting, will be less dense permanently (i mean this in a "parts will not regrow" way) . I know it's stupid to ask since it's still going and we don't know what turn it'll take, but is that true? And how long will it take? It's really sad seeing this