Richard Wonfor
What employment sector do you work in?
Public Sector
How long have you had a green job for nature?
16 years
Salary Range
£30,001 – £40,000
Please describe the work that you do.
My role is to promote environmental greenspaces to communities who might not go out into it.
I do everything from promoting and protecting wildlife to managing woodlands, cleaning and emptying bins and working with volunteers.
What do you most like about your job? Any dislikes?
Working with volunteers to promote my woodland.
Working with my inspiring team
Protecting wildlife
The only thing I dislike is peoples attitude to the outdoors.
What inspired you into this career?
When I was younger I suffered from very bad depression, to the point where I didn’t really want to live anymore. To cope with this my dad used to take me to Dungeness to watch the birds, although this didn’t “cure” me it did make me realise that I should give something back, so I dedicated my life to wildlife and the conservation of the British Isles in return for what it did for me.
Have you faced any challenges in progressing your career so far?
I have Autism, it affects how I think, how I act and has been a massive challenge for me to overcome.
some times it makes me think I am not being clear enough so I have to check when I explain things.
It makes me sensitive to noisy and bright environments which I have to overcome.
What education/training did you have?
I went to an environmental college called Hadlow College where I studied wildlife and countryside management.
My lecturers there were John Hammond, James Dickenson, and Wendy Greene.
What advice would you give to someone coming into the profession?
The hardest part is getting your foot in the door, but once you do the possibilities are endless.
My advice would be to look at all positions and not just one with ranger in the title.
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Tags: England, Public sector, Conservation worker, Countryside ranger, Community and volunteer engagement
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