Laura Palmer

Senior Ecologist
What employment sector do you work in?

Public Sector

How long have you had a green job for nature?

20 years

Salary Range

£40,001 – £50,000

Please describe the work that you do.

I manage a small team who run the Local Nature Partnership and implement grant funded biodiversity enhancement projects. I wrote and coordinate compliance with the Biodiversity Duty Plan (section 6 of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016). Mostly I comment on planning applications ranging from householder to major developments such as the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon, wind farms, open cast coal mine restoration, the Electric Arc Furnace at Tata steelworks and the Future Port Talbot Freeport.

What do you most like about your job? Any dislikes?

Being at the forefront of nature conservation through collaboration with major developers and working with other service areas to ensure the council delivers ecosystem enhancements. Dislike – working with people who only want to do things the way they always have.

What inspired you into this career? 

I found out I could get paid to look at birds and met a County Ecologist and knew I wanted to be that. Now I am.

Have you faced any challenges in progressing your career so far? 

There isn’t much career progression in local government, if you want to move up in the organisation you need to go into management and don’t get to play in ponds any more.

What education/training did you have?

MSc Ecology and every training course I can attend.

What advice would you give to someone coming into the profession? 

Volunteer for everything, get experience for free and get yourself known.

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Tags: Wales, Public sector, Ecologist, Environmental advisor, Environmental planner

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