 |
Conservation and ScienceA podcast about human-wildlife interactions and our relationship with nature. We talk about biodiversity, conservation, hunting and fishing, rewilding and more. Author: Tommy's Outdoors
Are you tired of one-sided narratives about nature and conservation? Simplified takes that ignore the nuance and complexity of matters? This show brings you diverse perspectives on environmental stories, examining their ecological, social and political dimensions. Listen and become a well-rounded voice, empowered to foster dialogue and create change. I'm Tommy Serafinski and this is the Conservation and Science podcast, where we take a deep dive into topics of ecology, conservation and human-wildlife interactions (which, in most cases, means human-wildlife conflict). I talk with world-class scientists, members of environmental organisations, practical conservationists, farmers, nature writers, and last but not least, hunters and anglers. My conversations cover biodiversity, conservation, hunting and fishing, rewilding and more. Start with the acclaimed episode 163, The EU Review of Wolf Protection Status. Its the perfect introduction to what this podcast has to offer. Language: en Genres: Nature, Science, Sports, Wilderness Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
Listen Now...
224: Conservation Labour with Anwesha Dutta and Nick Harvey Sky
Monday, 30 March, 2026
Working in conservation? Take the survey: CONLAB surveyWho are the people doing the actual work of conservation? How many of them are there and what are their working conditions? And whose labour remains invisible in the process? These are not questions that conservation science has spent much time on. Yet without understanding the people behind the work, we lack a complete picture of how conservation functions and who it affects. Today, we take on this largely neglected subject with Dr Anwesha Dutta, principal investigator and project lead of CONLAB (Conservation Labor Project), and Dr Nick Harvey Sky, postdoctoral researcher on the project. Their work sits at the intersection of political ecology and conservation science, and their work is opening up an entirely new line of inquiry.During our conversation, Anwesha and Nick explain how labour theory can offer important insights into conservation. We discuss the power dynamics between employers and workers, the role of unpaid work, and how race, class and gender shape who gets opportunities in the sector. We also talk about the global survey they are running to capture the big picture of conservation labour worldwide. Nick explains why the survey casts a wide net, seeking responses not just from rangers and biologists but also from IT staff, hotel workers, farmers and anyone whose work supports conservation in some capacity. In fact, one of the aims of the project is to challenge our assumptions about who counts as a conservationist.We also get into some difficult but necessary territory. Anwesha shares her fieldwork experiences from national parks in India, where a ranger told her that if a ranger is hurt it takes two days to get medical help, but if a rhino is hurt a helicopter arrives instantly. We discuss the militarisation of conservation, the commodification of nature, and the troubling reality that in many parts of the world conservation labour is informal, seasonal and precarious. Nick talks about the so-called 'passion tax', where love for nature is exploited to justify poor pay and conditions. Both guests leave us with a clear message: conservation must be compassionate, careful, and embedded in an ethics of care for people and for the planet.Further reading:An international scoping review of rangers’ precarious employment conditions | Environment Systems and Decisions | Springer Nature LinkAn Exceptional Strike: A Micro-history of 'People versus Park' in MadagascarThe Low-Wage Conservationist: Biodiversity and Perversities of Value in MadagascarConservation labour geographies: Subsuming regional labour into private conservation spaces in South AfricaPsychological distress and workplace risk inequalities among conservation professionalsSupporting conservationists’ mental health through better working conditionsNot Just Participation: The Rise of the Eco-Precariat in the Green EconomyLabour perspectives on frontline conservation work | Current ConservationSubscribe to Tommy's Outdoors: Conservation and Science NewsletterSupport the Podcast and Buy Me a Coffee.Follow Tommy's Outdoors on Bluesky, Instagram or YouTube
