Conservation and Wildlife Management Career Description
The increasing awareness that the world's natural resources are vital for man's survival has led to a growing interest in conservation. In this context, the concept of conservation through sustainable utilisation has become of major importance.
What am I going to do in this occupation?
You are responsible for the conservation of the environment and of the fauna and flora of all areas outside national parks. The system of national parks is managed by the National Parks Board. Private game reserves are also becoming increasingly vital forces in conservation in.
The provincial functions include management of conservation areas, enforcement of conservation laws, control of the utilisation of natural resources like fisheries, game and wild flower resources, and providing advice to landowners, local authorities and the general public on a variety of conservation matters. Likewise the National Parks Board also offers similar career opportunities. As semigovernmental bodies, they also have a responsibility to incorporate local communities into the decision making process. They even have to promote socio-economic upliftment through various programmes .
Various work opportunities exist in the different sections of conservation. Each of these sections has different requirements and working conditions:
Wildlife management
The management of state and private conservation areas, game ranches and other natural areas such as offshore islands, some State Forests and coastal areas, is an important function of someone trained in conservation and wildlife management. The primary objectives are the conservation and management of natural ecosystems, natural habitats and rare or endangered plant or animal communities. If the protection status of a particular species or group allows it, it also includes developing long-term sustainable use programmes within the ecological capabilities of a given area.
The study and monitoring of plant and animal communities and their scientific management is the basis for this type of career. However, some staff may be more involved with practical aspects such as game capture, infrastructure development and maintenance, and tourism.
The management of conservation areas is mostly carried out by professional staff who is supported by other staff such as game guards, gate guards and general assistants.
Professional staff is usually not responsible for the day-to-day running of ' these areas. Their tasks include the development of management plans, natural resource monitoring and the evaluation and restructuring of management programs.
Extension
An important facet of conservation is the education of the public on matters such as: possible negative effects on the land-use practices of farmers, game ranching, stocking of dams with fish, exploitation of wild flowers and problems with wild animals coming into conflict with farming activities. It has now also become vitally important to be able to communicate effectively with local communities, including rural ones, and to gain their co-operation and participation in conservation projects.
Most personnel doing this type of work must have a reasonable knowledge of biology and conservation theory and practice. Some must, however, be well schooled in the concepts and principles of dealing with rural communities. This requires someone well versed in environmental anthropology.
Law enforcement
The policing of the public is an important function especially where rare and endangered plants and animals are involved. Several major industries utilise natural resources directly and because of the possibility of vast financial gains, poaching is always a problem. Other industries may impact negatively upon
the environment and must adhere to a strict environmental protocol.
These officers must have a basic knowledge of the classification of plants and animals. They must also have a sound knowledge of the relevant legislation, investigative methods and court procedures.
Environmental education
The future of conservation will to a large extent depend upon the education of our youth and creating the necessary awareness amongst them of how vital environmental conservation is to living a quality life, even in a city. Formal environmental programmes are offered to schools and adult groups at environmental educational centres. Informal environmental programmes are also offered at many nature reserves and other venues.
Professional wildlife staff, preferably those with a teaching qualification or such experience, helps to plan and execute the environmental educational programmes in association with communication specialists. Technical staff assists them in the execution of these programmes. Prospective candidates must not only be interested in environmental education, but also show an ability to work with groups of people.
Scientific services
Scientific services are professional functions which serve mainly to supply the knowledge which is necessary to improve decision making in conservation. Staff responsible for these tasks performs functions such as: drawing up inventories of resources of fauna and flora, evaluation of impact assessments of proposed developments, the development of habitat and wildlife management programmes and drawing up and monitoring the effectiveness of such management plans for conservation areas, be they government or privately owned. This staff is usually university-trained specialists in their respective fields.
Publicity services
An important function of conservation is the production of published material in the form of books, pamphlets, posters, videos, etc. These are for distribution to the public and for displays at exhibitions and shows. Liaison with the media is equally important, as the public must be kept informed of the activities of the organisation and of the advances in the fields of conservation and management in general.
Professional and technical conservation staff, artists, photographers and journalists are all employed in this section. All of them must have appropriate qualifications or experience to qualify for appointment.
Administration
No organisation can function without the supporting role of administrative staff. The duties include the drafting of legislation, financial administration, the acquisition of materials and equipment, correspondence matters and other administrative duties.
Requirements
What kind of personality do I need?
All persons doing this kind of work should be sincerely interested in the environment and conservation and should be willing to work outdoors in all weather conditions often for long tedious hours. They should be versed in at least two official languages, and knowledge of local customs is recommended especially when working in rural areas. Knowledge of an African language is recommended. Perseverance is important for routine work and unpleasant tasks such as the culling of animals. Other valuable qualities are tactfulness, self-discipline, the ability to organise, maintaining good human relations and the willingness to study further.
Where can I work?
Employment opportunities in conservation are offered by government organisations, for example the Department of Environment Affairs, which is responsible for establishing the national conservation policy. The National Parks Board is a statutory organisation responsible for the management of national parks. Provincial authorities have jurisdiction on provincial reserves. Local authorities such as the municipalities and regional service councils are also responsible for certain conservation tasks. The game ranching industry employs professional wildlife management staff, as well as technical staff trained in conservation.
Can I work for myself in this occupation?
The private sector also offers opportunities for a career in conservation. Game ranchers, the wild flower industry, the fishing, crayfish industries, and even the timber industry, have a vested interest in the management of natural resources.
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