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Environment, plants and animals

Conservation Officer

Protects and manages wildlife, habitats and green spaces, balancing the needs of nature with farming, visitors and local communities.

Conservation officers work for wildlife trusts, national parks, councils and government agencies, splitting their time between the office and the field. It suits people who want practical work outdoors in any weather and can bring landowners, volunteers and the public on board.

Also called Countryside officer or Conservationist.

At a glance

Way in
Bachelor's degree, often in ecology, conservation biology, environmental science, zoology and countryside management
Pay in the US
$73,010 a year, the medianFor conservation scientists, 2025
Pay in the UK
£22,000 starting to £34,000 with experienceFor a countryside officer, the nearest National Careers Service profile
US outlook
Faster than average, 2025-2035
Suits you if
You want to protect nature and are happy working outdoors whatever the weather.

Pay is a guide: it moves with the country, the employer, the sector and the years in the job. Figures from O*NET OnLine (US) and the National Careers Service (UK); see the sources below.

The work

What does a conservation officer do?

  • Survey plants, birds and other wildlife and record how habitats are changing.
  • Write and carry out management plans for reserves, woodland, wetlands or grassland.
  • Help farmers and landowners protect habitats, soil and water while still working the land.
  • Lead volunteers in practical tasks such as hedge laying, tree planting and clearing invasive species.
  • Write funding bids and run events, guided walks and talks that bring the public in.

Where they work

  • Wildlife trusts and charities
  • National parks
  • Local councils
  • Government conservation agencies
  • Nature reserves

Skills

The skills a conservation officer needs

  • Species identificationplants, birds, insects and mammals in the field
  • Survey methodstransects, quadrats and accurate recording
  • Communicationtalking with landowners, volunteers and the public
  • Practical land workhand tools, fencing and habitat management
  • MappingGIS, maps and aerial images
  • Planningmanagement plans and funding applications

Route in

How to become a conservation officer

  1. Study biology or geography at school and start volunteering with a local wildlife group.
  2. Take a degree in ecology, conservation, environmental science or countryside management, or in the UK a foundation degree, HND or apprenticeship.
  3. Build field skills through volunteering, seasonal ranger work or a traineeship, since practical experience counts for a lot here.
  4. Apply for assistant or ranger roles, then move up to officer and project manager posts.

Degrees people take

  • Ecology
  • Conservation biology
  • Environmental science
  • Zoology
  • Countryside management

In the US, the closest job is conservation scientist, which leans more towards soil and water and advising farmers and ranchers.

Practise for it

The quizzes and tools that fit

Also on biofideX

Next to it

Careers to weigh against it

Sources

Where the facts come from

Written for biofideX from these public sources. The pay figures are theirs, copied as published, last read 2026-10-25.

Requirements differ by country and change over time; check with the body that registers the profession where you will work. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we'll correct it.

Career Paths

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Each with what it asks, how people get in, what it pays and the quizzes that fit it.

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