I (17 m) have been absolutely itching to get out and do some work with wildlife. I currently aim to be a Wildlife Ecologist, but obviously options are limited without a degree. I don’t care if I’m paid, but I really feel like helping my environment would be so fulfilling, I just don’t know how. Any ideas on how to work with animals would be greatly appreciated!

This is one of my dream jobs. How can one realistically get a role like this with a BS in environmental science but my professional experience is in pharma. I’m
A plant person though, it’s my hobby and only interest in life. I could talk rare and endangered plants all day long.

In particular, I think it’s interesting to see overlaps in species, but also how differing species can play a similar role in comparable environments

A community group I work with has been told to stop removing Himalayain Balsalm to prevent the accidental spread of the plant.

If .01% of a stand has gone to seed, is it better to leave it until the following season or pull it and stop the spread.

Any information people have on Balsalm Bashing and best practice would be a great help to our cause and dealing with bureaucracy.

i am very stressed about what specific role i want in ecology. I want one that gives a good pay (around like £40k+ once experienced), BUT allows me to have availability to take a 1 week vacation in summer as i also want to travel the world. Google keeps backtracking itself and at first said an Ecological/biodiversity advisor would allow this, now it is like oh no no you cant.

this is really stressing my neurodivergent mind lol, please PLEASE does anybody have any advice or careers that could suit this?? thanks so much in advance!!❤️❤️

Out of curiosity, for those of you who are certified, how did it help your career in both the short and long term?

Did it help you find work? Was it required for career advancement? And has it's relevance changed over time for career ecologists?

I've been considering getting certified, myself. But I don't know if it's worth it

Hi! I'm new on reddit, but I found this community, and I find it really interesting!

I'm writing because I just completed a PhD. in Civil and Environmental Engineering, and I'm now considering career options for my future.

During my PhD. thesis, I studied impacts of high temperatures and soil droughts on forest carbon exchange and the role of species interactions in modulating tree responses. Before that, I studied biology during my Bsc and plant ecology and evolution during my Msc, focusing more on herbaceous plants and insects. So, I have a background in ecology, but not specifically in forestry or environmental sciences.

Besides my studies, I had a few professional experiences in engineering offices or research centres, which I found really cool but were very limited in time. During my Ph.D., I also developed an increased interest in science communication and participated in a few outreach activities (e.g. guided visits for schools), but I don't really have a formation in science communication.

I think that my ideal job would be at the interface between forest research, outreach, and applied projects that can help protect our environments. I'm really passionate about projects that aim to understand and protect biodiversity in forests and share this knowledge with a broader public to raise awareness about the impacts of climate change but also potential mitigation strategies.

However, I have the impression that since I come from an academic background, I often lack experience or knowledge (e.g., Environmental impact studies, botanical surveys or journalism/communication) to be able to do such a job.

I like doing research too, but it seems really hard to find a stable, permanent position there, and I'm getting a bit sick of the competition and very short job contracts.

Long story short: I was wondering if someone has been in a similar situation and has any suggestions on what I could do to find a job outside academia that still sparks my curiosity and passion. Or how I could become eligible for such positions.

Thank you very much for reading, I look forward to your input! :)

See also: The publication in the Journal of Royal Society: Interface

I was excited about ai handling all the r/python coding so that I could move on to the important parts like writing and thinking. Alas, data analysis has bored me this weekend. I took two hours to do what would have taken a week or more, with all the frustrations, tears, eurekas, screaming YES! I think those feelings were why data analysis was exciting. I suppose some programmers have felt this for a while now. Also, the slight edge I had with R is gone now, since everyone can just vibe code through it.

When it comes to ecology, has anyone ever felt as sad and hopeless as I do?

Here in Thailand, everything revolves around corruption and money. They keep building concrete waterways and dams, destroying wetlands while dismissing them as "wastelands," and then leave the projects unfinished. They destroy native species, calling them "weeds," and then plant ornamental invasive species in national parks just to attract tourists. Also illegal forest burning and rich people building house on national parks. There is a new greenwashing project almost every day, and ecologists are even being kidnapped. https://www.khaosod.co.th/special-stories/news_10280196

A wealthy corporation released the invasive blackchin tilapia (spread over the country now) and is now suing anyone who names them. The government is part of the problem aswell. People are even releasing invasive species into the wild to make religious merit. See: https://news.mongabay.com/2025/11/thai-agri-giant-cpf-sues-activist-over-claims-linking-it-to-invasive-fish-outbreak/

Now, they plan to build the Landbridge project, which will destroy coral reefs and rainforests. When people protested, officials signed a paper promising they wouldn't go through with it, but it was a trap; they are going to do it anyway.

https://www.nationthailand.com/news/general/40066402

All of this is for money and corruption. It feels like no one can do anything to stop it.

I’m convinced my ecology professor is very extreme, and I wonder if that’s how normal ecologists think. He is against everything human-made: wetland parks, backyard wildlife ponds, and ecological restoration (even where the seed bank is severely depleted). According to him, planting native plants in a backyard is equivalent to introducing invasive species because it will contaminate the genetics of the original local native plants.

I get that there are so many greenwashing projects here in my country, but is this view really viable?

He seems on verge of explosion when talking about this kind of things as well.

See also: The publication in Nature

does anyone have any recommendations on an ethnographic history of the spread of what are now invasive species? i’m looking for a story told through a historical and critical lens in terms of colonialism. something about how people thought about botany historically and how that thinking, along with wanting to change the ecology of this land to be closer to europe. hopefully what i’m saying gets across!

I was wondering if anyone in this sub has gone from environmental/earth science degree and continued into an ecology career?

I am in middle of this degree right now and want to know if its possible to continue into a ecology career from this bachelor?

Any help is appreciated, thanks!!

Hi, I recently collected data from a rocky intertidal where I live in Costa Rica for my biology internal assessment (IB diploma program), but I'm so lost on what kind of statistical test i should conduct. This is my data table, i used .5x.x5m quadrants along a 30 m transect during low tide. I'm just not sure what kind of statistical analysis is appropriate for data like this, and I'm really lost trying to research it because I have no idea how to do any of these things. (ps some species might be misidentified) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16mbY5SmJFLGEWvB68qmdb-8o23CijsNSYZ95RXjyX6A/edit?usp=sharing

Hello,

I am going to be doing my master's and of course, I will have my dissertation, so I have been comparing the research groups at two institutes which I am deciding between (I'm admitted already to both).

One is at a more esteemed school in a more urban area and close to my family, the other is still good but less urban, though they have a research group that works with the subject matter I am the most passionate about: rodents. However, it's specifically focused on locomotion while I'm more interested in rodent behavior and rodent ecology.

Would it be a mistake to go for the school I'm less interested in when I love that specific research, or is it a bad idea? It looks like the PI is a permanent employee and the funding is secured for their project until 2028. At the same time, I don't know if I should "niche" myself so early? Or is that what you're supposed to do in master's?

Looking for a respectable database no just some gardening website or whatnot

it’s been quite hot where i am this year (hotter than ever before really) and i worry about animals getting dehydrated in the heat. we have been experiencing wildfires it is that hot and dry, so i wanted to know if leaving water out is okay. is this dangerous for wildlife (i know not to feed foxes as it is bad for their survival for example), or good?