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Wonderful holidays in National Parks can create the impression that people working there experience no stress. However, a recent global online study found that almost a quarter of those working in conservation experience moderate to severe distress at work.

You are having a crack-of-dawn coffee in your pin-neat khaki-outfit before jumping into a rugged 4×4 to go fix a broken windpump. Arriving at the windpump you rescue a baby elephant stuck in the mud. As you drive away, you see thirsty herds of zebra rushing to drink the life-saving water now gushing into the dam. En route to your house, far from the complications of “civilisation”, you assist a desperate tourist whose vehicle has broken down. You drive into the sunset as the grateful tourist heads to camp. That night around the campfire you tell your visiting city-folk friends the story of the infamous poacher you tracked for days, and casually mention the close encounter you had with a lion shortly before apprehending the poacher. Just another day in the life of a conservationist…

A recent global study of more than 2000 conservationists found that over a quarter experience moderate to severe distress at work.

This romanticised idea of a working conservationist is far from the daily reality experienced by many in the conservation sector. A recent global study of more than 2000 conservationists found that over a quarter experience moderate to severe distress at work. SANParks participated in the global study and also participated as one of three conservation organisation case studies to gain an in-depth understanding of this issue, with over 100 SANParks staff members completing an online survey.

Although many factors contributing to workplace distress are generic, the conservation sector has additional factors adding to these. These include, for example, “ecological grief” (i.e. the constant confrontation with the loss of nature) and working in a largely under-funded sector, often with less competitive salaries or exploitative practices. In addition, those in decision-making positions in conservation are often faced by relentless and complex challenges that are largely out of their control. This can result in decisions which are experienced as compromising conservation as decision-makers juggle complex social, financial and ecological trade-offs. Further, being confronted by ideological differences between personal opinion and that of the conservation organisation they represent or stakeholders they work with can lead to distress, especially if this results in fierce personal or even legal attacks, as has been experienced by some SANParks staff.

Heavy workloads, job instability, lack of social support and poor physical health, contribute to increased levels of distress for conservationists.

Heavy workloads, job instability, lack of social support and poor physical health all contribute to increased levels of distress for conservationists. Conservationists that work in the field, rather than office, were more likely to report certain workplace stressors, but overall did not report higher levels of distress. Similarly, female and early career conservationists reported greater distress. However, being an optimist, both in your own personal life and about the future of conservation, was linked to lower levels of workplace distress.

Managers of conservation organisations must increase awareness of workplace distress levels of staff and appreciate, and where possible, strive to remove or mitigate contributing factors. High levels of distress among staff are not only bad for individuals but also costly for the organisation, and thus ultimately for conservation. Distress leads to absenteeism (workers not going to work) and presenteeism (workers physically present at work but not engaged or productive). Furthermore, greater cognisance of specific demographic groups found to be particularly vulnerable to psychological distress (e.g. early career conservationists and female employees) must be better supported.

Two of the best workplace factors associated with positive psychological states for conservationists are the celebration of conservation achievements and receiving recognition.

The study clearly showed that many conservationists felt distressed – far from the romanticised hero figure saving a baby elephant in the mud or, more ambitiously, the planet. What is to be done? Another study found that two of the best workplace factors associated with positive psychological states for conservationists are the celebration of conservation achievements and receiving recognition.

Celebrating achievements and recognition should happen both at individual and collective levels. While it can be argued that organisations are so focussed on the challenges and threats facing conservation (the “doom and gloom” narrative) rather than celebrating conservation achievements, this may ultimately disempower them. Should the exhausting fight against the decline of African penguins and rhinos in national parks not also be balanced by celebrating the (energising) success of the expansion of the protected area network in South Africa since 1994 and the recent establishment of the Grasslands National Park? Furthermore, conservation organisations should enable and strive for a culture of recognition which can take many creative forms.

Although conservation organisations must look after the well-being of their staff, there is also a great responsibility on individual conservationists to take responsibility for their own psychological well-being. So let’s remind each other (and ourselves) regularly about our conservation successes and achievements, however great or small, and let’s recognise our colleagues for the work they are doing. Maybe your sincere compliments for colleagues’ contribution to conservation will, together with the beautiful sunset, energise them to continue facing the challenges by building on past successes, working towards a sustainable future.

This article was written by Izak Smit and Tom Pienkowski and originally published in the 2022/2023 Research Report.

This article is based on publications in Conservation Biology and Conservation Science and Practice

Pienkowski T, Keane A, Castelló y Tickell S, de Lange E, Hazenbosch M, Smit IPJ & Milner-Gulland EJ. 2023. Supporting conservationists’ mental health through better working conditions. Conservation Biology 37, e14097.

Pienkowski T, Keane A, de Lange E, Kapoor V, Khanyari M, Ravi R, Smit IPJ & Baranyi G. 2023. Psychological distress and workplace risk inequalities among conservation professionals. Conservation Science and Practice, e12918.