Formal education in wildlife/conservation/ecology?

Capercaille

Does anyone have any further education in these fields. I know Openyoureyes does and I would guess srameen also?
Just being curious? I don't btw.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

You're right about me but I'm probably out if date on many things at this stage as I retired many years ago.
I find the best informed and most astute about Nature are often those with no formal training on the subject.

OpenYourEyes

I agree with Srameen that nothing beats experience! For me, formal education was a way of opening up my mind to population dynamics, evolution, legislation etc., but a lot of the people I went to college with know little or nothing about Irish birds and mammals. I've worked with people with varying levels of education about wildlife, and experience definitely counts for more.

Capercaille

Luna Tinkling Dustpan wrote: »

You're right about me but I'm probably out if date on many things at this stage as I retired many years ago.
I find the best informed and most astute about Nature are often those with no formal training on the subject.

A formal education would be of benefit though.

Woodville56

No formal education in wildlife, conservation here either but lifelong interest in birding and things environmental. Took a break from it a bit during college and early working life, but revived interest in recent years and enjoying it ! Agree that an academic grounding in ecology or conservation would be useful -in my case, the road not taken at the time I suppose ! Still,what enthuses me these days is that there's always something happening with wildlife, still lots to learn and discover, if only from watching the bird feeders or an early morning walk, and plenty of opportunities to contribute something back, be it taking part in IWeBS , Countryside Bird survey, Roostwatch etc.

Edit: Just as I was saying above about participation as a citizen scientist, came across the following piece (edited from an article by Dominic Couzens in Birdwatching Magazine,Feb ed.) where he writes about the merits of observation and of recording birding data-

"Everybody should count ducks on a regular basis.... counting ducks is tranquil, absorbing and therapeutic.... Make a tally on a regular basis and it enables you to to keep pace with the natural rhythms of the year......Most importantly, however, every count of wild birds is actually primary research and can contribute to our knowledge"

Makes the interest worthwhile, and I agree about the tranquil bit too !

splish

Although I have a formal educational background in the area I've found that most of what I know comes from either self learning or getting out with someone with more experience than me. Nowadays information is so freely available that anyone with an interest in an area can inform themselves over time. My main interest is botany and I have developed my background knowledge through self learning from books that are widely available.

Developing my identification skills in the area is mainly through going out with a field guide and keying out the species, which I've found is the best way to improve ID skills of many groups. One thing that I've found useful in developing ID skills is a decent camera setup which you can take pictures of whatever you're trying to ID. This forum as well as some great groups on facebook and twitter are great for sharing knowledge and improving your ID skills.

Citizen science is so important nowadays and as has been said already, some of the best naturalists have no formal training. I just see my qualification as a way into employment in the area but by no means the be all and end all for contributing to and working in nature conservation.

Birdnuts

Got on MSc in Environmental Resource Mgmt from UCD. My thesis was on the Ecology of abandoned industrial sites. Covered botany, Ornithology, Entomolgy etc. Good while ago now though;)

Chisler2

I helped a couple of friends who were involved with monitoring peregrine falcon hatchlings around Wicklow at a time (1960's) when effects of DDT and other garden pesticides were decimating raptors. Background anthropology and psychology undergraduate degree in London was grounding of interest in interaction between humans and non-human environments - including other species, especially medicinal plants and substances - which we inhabit. I am an observer and generalist........and hang out with "birder" friends in USA, who have international knowledge/experience of birds and habitats and who feed myself and my husband information and tips which help us support local wildlife in the midwest. In Mayo I've established links with local beekeepers and conservationists. A previous poster remarked that the internet facilitates each of us to be an auto-didact and pursue information required to inform observation and interest. I have difficulty imagining what a doctorate in wildlife/conservation/ecology would comprise. It is such a vast and varied category.

whyulittle

Probably as good a place as any to put this...

A vacancy exists in the Irish Grey Partridge Trust for research assistant to carry out a radio-tracking study of lapwing chicks.

Please see the document link below for details:

Vacancy for radio-tracking research assistant – February 2015

http://www.greypartridge.ie/?p=750#.VOw-aSVwBqU.facebook