Profession nature conservation officer

Nature conservation officers manage and improve the local environment within all the sectors of a local community. They promote awareness of and understanding about the natural environment. This work can be very varied and involve projects related to species, habitats and communities. They educate people and raise overall awareness of environmental issues.

Personality Type

• Social / Realistic
• Investigative / Enterprising

Knowledge

• Biology

  Tissues, cells, and functions of plant and animal organisms and their interdependencies and interactions with each other and the environment.

• Environmental legislation

  The environmental policies and legislation applicable in a certain domain.

• Ecology

  The study of how organisms interact and their relation to the ambient environment.

• Fire prevention procedures

  The regulations concerning fire and explosion prevention, and the equipment, systems and methods used in it.

Skills

• Analyse environmental data

  Analyse data that interpret correlations between human activities and environmental effects.

• Educate people about nature

  Speak to a variety of audiences about e.g. information, concepts, theories and/or activities related to nature and its conservation. Produce written information. This information may be presented in a range of formats e.g. display signs, information sheets, posters, website text etc.

• Advise on nature conservation

  Provide information and suggested actions relating to the conservation of nature.

• Manage staff

  Manage employees and subordinates, working in a team or individually, to maximise their performance and contribution. Schedule their work and activities, give instructions, motivate and direct the workers to meet the company objectives. Monitor and measure how an employee undertakes their responsibilities and how well these activities are executed. Identify areas for improvement and make suggestions to achieve this. Lead a group of people to help them achieve goals and maintain an effective working relationship among staff.

• Respond to enquiries

  Respond to enquiries and requests for information from other organisations and members of the public.

• Keep task records

  Organise and classify records of prepared reports and correspondence related to the performed work and progress records of tasks.

• Promote sustainability

  Promote the concept of sustainability to the public, colleagues and fellow professionals through speeches, guided tours, displays and workshops.

• Promote sustainable management

  Contribute to planning and policy development for sustainable management, including input in environmental impact assessments.

• Conduct research on fauna

  Collect and analyse data about animal life in order to discover the basic aspects such as origin, anatomy, and function.

• Monitor nature conservation

  Evaluate and monitor features of nature conservation interest in habitats and sites.

• Implement biodiversity action plans

  Promoting and implementing local and national biodiversity action plans in partnership with local/national statutory and voluntary organisations.

• Protect wilderness areas

  Protect a wilderness area by monitoring uses and enforcing regulations.

• Conduct research on flora

  Collect and analyse data about plants in order to discover their basic aspects such as origin, anatomy, and function.

• Assess environmental impact

  Monitor environmental impacts and carry out assessments in order to identify and to reduce the organisation's environmental risks while taking costs into account.

• Ensure compliance with environmental legislation

  Monitor activities and perform tasks ensuring compliance with standards involving environmental protection and sustainability, and amend activities in the case of changes in environmental legislation. Ensure that the processes are compliant with environment regulations and best practices.

• Report on environmental issues

  Compile environmental reports and communicate on issues. Inform the public or any interested parties in a given context on relevant recent developments in the environment, forecasts on the future of the environment, and any problems and possible solutions.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB