How to Become A Nature Conservationist In South Africa

The job of a Nature Conservationist is to work to protect and manage and our local, natural environment, including grasslands, forests, coastal areas, mountains and rivers.

What does an environment conservationist do?

A conservationist manages natural habitats including parks, forests, and rangelands. This job may also be called a conservation scientist or soil and water conservationist. This green career involves finding ways to utilize land without harming the environment.

How much do nature conservationists earn?

An early career Conservation Officer with 1-4 years of experience earns an average total compensation (includes tips, bonus, and overtime pay) of R163,486 based on 9 salaries. A mid-career Conservation Officer with 5-9 years of experience earns an average total compensation of R144,000 based on 6 salaries.

What is the importance of environment in points?

It provides food, shelter, air, and fulfills all the human needs whether big or small. Moreover, the entire life support of humans depends wholly on the environmental factors. In addition, it also helps in maintaining various life cycles on earth.

How to Become A Nature Conservationist In South Africa

Education Requirements to Become a Conservationist

A bachelor’s degree will be suitable in most jobs, particularly where the graduate wishes to work in direct conservation.

These jobs involved working with materials, artefacts, plants and animals directly.

This is conservation in practice and will involve site visits, working with stakeholders, cleaning materials, clearing sites of invasive species, for example.

Although conservation workers don’t require formal qualifications if manual labor is all the candidate requires.

However, formal training will be essential to career development – site management, project organizer or director, and sites requiring specialist knowledge would make a bachelor’s degree essential in most cases.

For conservation scientists, a bachelor’s (typically a BS) will be required at the very least, though candidates should realistically seek post-graduate qualifications such as MS.

This will be essential to lab work and developing a core specialism. PhDs are essential for research roles and those at university departments and in private or charitable industry.

What does a Nature conservation officer do?

Typical employers | Qualifications and training | Key skills

Typical job responsibilities include:

managing conservation awareness events such as talks, workshops and guided walks

helping with volunteer activities and conservation projects

Developing and implementing policies geared towards sustainable development

increasing awareness of conservation in the community (eg in schools)

general administration

monitoring biodiversity

preparing conservation reports, plans, publicity materials and displays

fieldwork

general maintenance projects

developing visitor attractions

wildlife observation

species surveys

producing applications for funding

Responding to enquiries from and working with the public is a key feature of the job.

Typical employers of conservation officers

Charities

The National Trust

Local authorities

Wildlife trusts

Government organisations

Conservation groups such as The Conservation Volunteers (TCV)

You can find vacancies online via websites such as Countryside Jobs Link and Countryside Jobs Service. You could also take a look at publications such as New Scientist and Nature – and their respective websites. Some jobs receive little advertising, so networking, job shadowing and speculative applications are advisable.

Qualifications and training required

You normally need a degree in order to become a nature conservation officer. The only way to enter the profession without a degree is to build up a substantial amount of work experience.

While graduates from any degree discipline can become nature conservation officers, an appropriate degree gained in a subject such as biology, zoology, geography, botanical or plant sciences, or environmental sciences is useful. Postgraduate qualifications can also be helpful – particularly for graduates without a relevant degree.

However, relevant work experience is often more important than qualifications, and many employees consider it to be a necessity. The National Trust, National Trust for Scotland and The Conservation Volunteer offer volunteering opportunities.

Key skills for conservation officers

Computer literacy

Organised and self motivated

Some understanding of geographical information systems (GIS)

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

Persistence

Commitment

A level of physical fitness

How much does a nature conservationist earn in South Africa?

An early career Conservation Officer with 1-4 years of experience earns an average total compensation (includes tips, bonus, and overtime pay) of R163,486 based on 9 salaries. A mid-career Conservation Officer with 5-9 years of experience earns an average total compensation of R144,000 based on 6 salaries.

How many years does it take to become a wildlife conservationist?

Most Bachelor’s degrees can be earned in about four years. While earning a Bachelor’s degree, many aspiring Wildlife Conservationists volunteer or work internships with local wildlife programs to learn more about the job.

What degree do you need to be an environmental conservationist In South Africa?

Qualifications and training required

While graduates from any degree discipline can become nature conservation officers, an appropriate degree gained in a subject such as biology, zoology, geography, botanical or plant sciences, or environmental sciences is useful.

What are the 4 types of environmental conservation In South Africa?

What are the 4 types of conservation?

Environmental Conservation.

Animal conservation.

Marine Conservation.

Human Conservation.

How do I start a career in environmental conservation In South Africa?

Students who want a career in conservation should first obtain a bachelor’s degree in a field related to natural resources such as biology, ecology natural resource management, forestry, agriculture, chemistry, or other related disciplines.

What is the difference between environmental protection and conservation?

Conservation and preservation are closely linked and may indeed seem to mean the same thing. Both terms involve a degree of protection, but how that is protection is carried out is the key difference. Put simply conservation seeks the proper use of nature, while preservation seeks protection of nature from use.

What are the disadvantages of conservation?

Conservation helps to ensure we not only save species from destruction. but help preserve the environment we ourselves live in. The cons are that we have limited resources. Also it can be hard to choose where to focus our efforts.

What is the importance of environment in points?

It provides food, shelter, air, and fulfills all the human needs whether big or small. Moreover, the entire life support of humans depends wholly on the environmental factors. In addition, it also helps in maintaining various life cycles on earth.

Do conservationists make good money In South Africa?

Job Outlook

Conservationists earn a median annual salary of R 926584.05 .The job outlook for conservationists is average. Job growth will be on pace with other occupations between 2016 and 2026, with roughly 6% more jobs available at the end of that decade, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.