The environment is protected by changing the behaviour of individuals and companies to act in a way more conscious of the surrounding world and by laws and regulations controlling how people interact with the environment.
In Ireland there are several agencies devoted to protecting the environment. These include the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which enforces environmental legislation, gathers data on the state of the environment and advocates for environmental sustainability.
The EPA operates under the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, which looks out for Ireland’s natural resources and most importantly the action Ireland is taking on tackling climate change. There are a range of national parks, conservation areas and nature reserves in Ireland overseen by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Ireland’s seventh national park is situated in County Meath and is part of the Unesco World Heritage site in the Boyne valley. The National Parks and Wildlife Service will now be responsible for managing the ancient woodlands, wetlands and many species of birds, bats, butterflies and red deer that were identified in a recent biodiversity study.
Conservation is the action humanity takes to protect the enviroment. It includes caring for wildlife and managing natural resources in a sustainable manner, ensuring that the environment thrives in the generations ahead.
People active in conservation focus on finding a balance between human activity and the natural world. As conservation requires active steps by individuals and society it can involve education and advocacy efforts as well as working directly with natural habitats.
Many people working in conservation work for the government with NGOs the other major employer. The Irish Environmental Network liaises with the government and represents over thirty NGOs such as Birdwatch Ireland, Crann Trees for Ireland, Friends of the Earth, Irish Seed Savers, Irish Whale and Dolphin Group and Zero Waste Alliance. Career opportunities include conservation work, campaigning on environmental issues and raising awareness through initiatives such as green schools and biodiversity week.
Working in conservation could invlove solving the plight of fish populations in the Atlantic, dealing with deforestation or ensuring that people recycle more.
As a conservationist you might be working out in the field and actively taking measures to protect the conservation area, educating the local community on how best to conserve their local environment or liaising with the local council, planners and developers on the most environmentally friendly methods of construction.
Most working in the area will have studied in a specific specialist area, such as biology, ecology, environmental science or environmental economics. Your main motivation for working in this sector should be having a positive impact on the environment.