In late January, four AFON members travelled to Birmingham as contributors to one of the presentations during the National Moth Recorders Meeting, organised by the Moths Count Project of Butterfly Conservation. Ben Porter reflects on the day.
Now, before I start I am going to be honest and let you know that blogging is not something I do with much frequency or aptitude so bear with me! However, when I was asked to write a blog about the project I am working on and therefore one of the many awesome marine habitats we have here in the UK I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to tell you all about how amazing our marine life really is. So here it goes……
As one of the only AFON members who isn’t a qualified zoologist, I reached the conclusion long ago that a career in practical conservation probably isn’t for me. I can identify mammal turds and craft a tasty dead hedge, but when it’s hard enough for ecology graduates to find jobs in the field, what chance do I have?
The Field Skills Crisis; How To Avoid Killing Your Passion and Become a Better Naturalist – Liam Curson
One of the most talked about topics in conservation today is the lack of really good field skills. It is something I’ve noticed, and really frustrates me! There are so many bright, talented young people in conservation, but it often seems like you’re more likely to find us at a conference than in a meadow, woodland or estuary.