The biggest challenge that the coming generation will need to address is the lack of funding in the conservation field, which unfortunately leads to low wages.
These low wages increase the level of passion required to pursue this line of work, leading to fewer people entering the field, and at lower and lower pay scales.
After receiving my first degree in wildlife conservation biology, life circumstances forced me to return to school for an environmental engineering degree. I am still loosely connected to wildlife conservation through a variety of river restoration projects, such as aquatic organism passage design and declining habitat restoration, but I have always felt the painful disconnect between conservation and a living wage.
I was blessed with the opportunity to pursue multiple degrees, but a lot of people do not have this option.
So, I say to the young and mid-level conservation professionals: Talk to your local government! Pursue and demand more funding! Demand higher wages! Get creative with funding!
I believe in a world where all this can be true—I hope we can make it a reality soon.
Wildlife Vocalizations is a collection of short personal perspectives from people in the field of wildlife sciences. Learn more about Wildlife Vocalizations, and read other contributions.
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Article by The Wildlife Society
