Improving Mental Health and Wellbeing – Information for Ecologists and Conservation Scientists

The unique effects of working on widespread environmental and climate change issues can make ecologists and conservation scientists particularly vulnerable to stress and burnout. The profound effect of constant exposure to globally significant and negative data regarding current or projected environmental impacts on mental health has not been well-documented or acknowledged but this is beginning to change.

Together with the Australian Psychological Society, we have developed an information sheet to help ecologists and conservation scientists identify signs of distress, highlight strategies to help manage this stress and know where to seek help if needed.

Find the full resource here

Introduction

Ecologists and conservation scientists are susceptible to a range and combination of stressors due to the nature of their work, and the socio-political context surrounding their work. These vary considerably from individual to individual, but may include:

  • Being acutely aware of widespread environmental threats that are damaging or destroying ecological systems, whether it be through their occupation (e.g., research) or personal observations and experience.
  • The acute knowledge and prolonged exposure to information regarding environmental threats and biodiversity loss, and an intimate understanding of their urgency has the potential to create significant and often overwhelming feelings of distress or anxiety.
  • Recognising that society is not acting on climate change and other environmental pressures, or facing intimidation or threats from opponents.
  • Having uniquely detailed knowledge and insights into how government and other organisations do not act in ways to address the effects of human-related climate change impacts and other environmental phenomena.
  • Additionally, ecologists and conservation scientists, particularly those working for government, report significant and widespread pressure to suppress scientific findings. Respondents reported that such suppression had negatively impacted their mental health and/or led to increased job insecurity or job loss.
  • As with many research-based professions, ecologists and conservation scientists may face competitive work environments and experience ‘impostor syndrome’ or feelings of doubting one’s abilities.
  • Early-career researchers may experience additional stressors given the difficulty finding meaningful or stable employment following the completion of a PhD, particularly within academia. In particular, less than 20% of recent US ecology PhD graduates are employed in permanent ‘tenure-track’ university positions.

In addition to the underlying challenges of working within environmental science, recent events have also precipitated an additional range of stressors which ecologists and conservation scientists may experience or observe, including:

  • Significant and devastating acute environmental and climate change-related events, such as recent floods and bushfires, which directly threaten species, conservation efforts and livelihoods.
  • Travel restrictions and lockdowns implemented to contain the COVID-19 virus have introduced a variety of challenges which have affected health care, education, major life events and access to social support. For these reasons, COVID-19 introduced a greater level of baseline stress which has also prevented or delayed some field work and conservation efforts, and post-bushfire monitoring, rehabilitation and on-ground research.
  • COVID-19 has also further exacerbated some of the employment uncertainty facing many ecologists and conservation scientists. The higher education sector has been particularly affected with up to 40,000 jobs lost since early 2020 and further casualisation of the workforce.