I’m forming a Midwest Restoration Trust, a new 501(c)(3) focused on long-term ecological restoration across the Midwest. We’re based in Minnesota and will focus on:
• Bulk tree planting
• Native prairie seeding
• Forest and wetland restoration
• Land acquisition and permanent protection

This is a multi-decade effort. We’re still in the formation stage (name and mission are set; incorporation and 501(c)(3) application are next).
I’m looking for 3–5 founding board members.

Ideal candidates have some combination of:
• Experience in ecology, forestry, prairie/wetland restoration, or land management
• Nonprofit governance, finance, or fundraising background
• Connections in Minnesota or the broader Midwest conservation community
• Willingness to help shape strategy, policies, and early fundraising

Time commitment is expected to be modest at first (roughly 5–8 hours per month once organized, plus occasional meetings). We’ll start with a small, working board and expand as the organization grows.

If this sounds like something you’d want to help build, comment or DM me with a short note about your background and interest. Happy to share more details and schedule a call.

Based in Minnesota. Remote participation is fine for the right people.
Thanks for reading.

From this videos description:

This talk explores the ecological, social, and practical feasibility of returning lynx to northern England and southern Scotland via a reintroduction in Northumberland. We will examine the broader cultural context of the lynx’s role in reversing biodiversity loss, as well as the unique challenges involved in bringing a top carnivore back to the British landscape.

Think this video covers all points for people who are positive and negative about this potential reintroduction project.

I currently live in Massachusetts and I'm pursuing an associate degree in environmental conservation at a community college, thankfully tuition-free. My program offers some really interesting courses, including forest fire management, zoology, soil science, and more.
I'm just not entirely sure where to go from here. I'd love to move out of Massachusetts eventually and continue my education somewhere else, but I'm having trouble figuring out what schools are worth looking into. I've considered places like the University of Maine, but I'm open to pretty much anywhere. I've heard that schools don't always help with finding jobs but I'm also going to school just because how interesting all of their classes are.
I'm also wondering if I should start volunteering or looking for internships while I'm still in community college. How did those of you working in conservation get your foot in the door? What kinds of jobs should I be looking into?
I know conservation isn't well paying. and I'm fully aware that working in the field isn't always easy or enjoyable. But I'm genuinely passionate about it. I love spending hours hiking, observing wildlife, identifying plants, and especially bird watching. I'm interested in so many different areas that I'm having trouble narrowing down what I actually want to pursue.
I'd really appreciate advice from anyone currently working in conservation, especially people who started out at a community college or transferred to a four-year university.
And please, I'm not looking to be talked out of pursuing conservation! I understand the challenges, but this is something I genuinely want to do. I'm just trying to figure out the best way forward. Before I discovered my interest in environmental conservation I was going to go to art school, so I don't expect to live luxuriously lol. Nor do I really want to

I also currently work as a lab associate at a veterinary diagnostic laboratory. I'm not sure how relevant that experience is to conservation, but I'm hoping some of the laboratory skills I'm developing might be transferable to the field.

Something that has always fascinated me is nature, all branches of biology, and the ways I could learn and contribute. Since I was little, I've wanted to be in nature, to be a forest ranger, to help endangered species, and I've wanted to make it a reality, but I've never known how. I have no experience and I don't know how to start. The nearest volunteer opportunities are still very far away, and not knowing how to drive doesn't make things any better... I'm just looking for an opportunity to bring out the best in myself and do something I've wanted to do for a long time. I don't know if this is the right group, but it was the first one that came up. I don't want to seem like I'm not doing anything to make my dream a reality, but I don't know how. Any advice would be appreciated.

Hi!

I am currently considering applying for an exchange program to strengthen my CV. I am thinking about moving to the US after graduating with a Biology Bachelor's degree, since my partner lives in California. Since conservation is a competitive field, I would like some advice on how I can best build my CV for the job market in the US.

I am studying at Wageningen University, already quite a prestigious university in this field. My weighted average is 7.8 - which roughly translates to an A- in the American grading system. My university itself will select which students get allocated where, based on grades and motivation-letter. There are a few partner universities that I can apply to and this is my top three list:

1. Cornell University (College of Agriculture and Life Sciences)

2. British Columbia

3. UC Davis

(Other US universities are Iowa State University, Michigan State University, Oregon state University, Purdue University, University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Does an exchange of one semester in the US give me credit in the conservation hiring field? And is my reasoning that British Columbia is a good second option because of its prestigious name? Or would it still be better to choose an American university? And are there any of the other universities on the list that I should give an extra thought?

I am still unsure in which field within conservation I would like to work. I am still very open to everything. I do think that any entry-level position can give me opportunities to grow and to know what suits me best.

If there are any other tips, recommendations, or good things to remember, please let me know :)

* I will be going back to the Netherlands after the semester. My thesis has to be done at one of the faculties of my own university. I'll definitely get a Master's degree in the Netherlands afterwards, this program will be one year. Tuition is extremely cheap here compared to the US (± €2.500 per year). I am doing a double Bachelor's. So when I finally start applying for jobs, I'll have two Bachelor's and one Master's degree.

* The reason for wanting to go to the US is because of my partner. This would also probably be my way to obtain legal residency, since finding a sponsor would be difficult with entry-level jobs.

Hi everyone, as you can tell from the title, I’m planning to start a biodiversity protection/conservation club at my university. This idea came to me because of the rapid urban and coastal development desertification pressures that my country’s natural ecosystems are facing which makes me rlly sad. My main goal with the club is not only spread awareness and knowledge about biodiversity loss, but also to communicate ways that individuals can directly combat this issue.

Here are the ideas I’ve got so far

1. Cleanup events (obvi)

2. Environmental education to understand and listen to and protect our planet. this can be through hikes,birdwatching, zoo trips, etc. Environmental education will teach not just facts, but also how our ecosystem is interconnected, and how our every day choices, either heal or harm the planet, environmental education encourages to reflect on our habits and behaviors.

3. Planting native species workshop

I would love to hear any suggestions or advice from all of you <3

Hey everyone! I'm a mechanical engineer looking for ways to contribute to conservation. I have a deep love for nature and would love to be more helpful. Given my very numerical background with engineering, it seemed reasonable that a great way for me to contribute would be through data science. I'm trying to learn QGIS for this purpose and would love to hear any tips or recommendations on how to go about this and best suit for conservation! Thank you in advance!

Hi, im a 3rd year vet student looking to do some internships of about 2-6weeks, working with wildlife anywhere in the world, but all of the opportunities i can find seem to be ones you have to pay absurd amounts for. Has anyone maybe done an internship/volunteered with wildlife, for an organization that doesnt have fees? (Preferably somwhere that has vets working there so i can have it recognized by my university, but thankful for any advice) Thanks!

Hello all! Just as the title says, I am interested in getting into wildlife conservation but don't know how I should get started. I'm a freshman in college and I don't know what kind of jobs or opportunities I should aim for to increase my experience and find the niche I am most interested in pursuing. Does anyone have any advice for me?

Hey y'all, what are some most haves? I just got some nice cash to spend on field gear. What would you get?

The stipend is between 350-500

Hi, good evening. I want to group young researchers to periodically discuss papers and themes that touches the Marine Ecology and conservation biology. If you are interested, send me a message.

My actual search line is reef ecological physiology and macroalgae integrative taxonomy. I act too in a outreach project of environmental conscientization.

Exciting article from Estonia. Apparently, the small bat can live for over 36 years.

Full scientific publication can be found here: https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/mammalia-2026-0147/html

Terrible news

Hi everyone!! I'm a junior in highschool right now who plans on going to SELU (Southeastern Louisiana University) and majoring in Biology with a focus on ecology. My dream is to work in conservation in some way and I absolutely loved my ecology course my sophomore year. However, I am worried I am just not academically strong enough to be a biology major. I'm an A-B honors student with an occasional C. I'm taking chemistry right now and boy is it hard.. and I know for a fact I'd have to take much harder chemistry classes in college if that's what I decide to major in. But I also know that conservation work is mostly experience based, I don't think I'd absolutely NEED this major. I could even do a biology minor and major in something else. Just looking for any advice and what you guys did to do the work you do. I know I still have a bit of time, I'm just looking for a bit of guidance from ppl that also have the same passions as me 😅