PeterHolland765: Giving a Voice to the Voiceless: Kate on Conservation

https://ift.tt/2PJXU85 Blogging gives everyone a chance to talk
about the issues concerning them. You can use your blog to campaign,
educate, or simply to share. 
March 3 is the official UN<a
href="https://www.wildlifeday.org/"> World Wildlife Day</a> 2020 —
 designed to celebrate and raise
awareness of the world's wild animals and plants. This message is also the driving force behind the
blog <a href="https://kateonconservation.com/">Kate on
Conservation</a>. As Kate
describes it, her blog gives a voice to the
voiceless.
Since Kate started her blog nine
years ago she has won a prestigious Animal Star Award, the
highly commended prize in the UK Blog Award's Green & Eco
category, and the judge's first
runner-up prize for Travel Blogger of the Year 2020 — for
which she won two eco-tours to Costa Rica and Peru.
We talked to Kate about establishing
a successful issue-centered blog.
<figure id="attachment_40681"
aria-describedby="caption-attachment-40681" style="width:7095px;"
class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="wp-image-40681 size-full"
src="https://discover.files.wordpress.com/2020/02/logo_green_white_fade.jpg?w=685"
alt="" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-40681"
class="wp-caption-text">Courtesy of Kate on
Conservation.</figcaption></figure>
<hr />
You wanted to start a blog to raise conservation awareness. What
successes have you seen?
The blog has really been the anchor
of my own networks and career in conservation education — I've made
many friends and met many of my conservation role models through my
blog. I began getting invited to various PR events related to my field
— including campaign launches, book signings, and political debates.
For example, I met <a
href="https://kateonconservation.com/2017/11/21/dr-jane-goodall-interview/">Dr.
Jane Goodall</a> through her Roots & Shoots program, and <a
href="https://kateonconservation.com/2018/06/17/10-things-about-david-attenborough/">Sir
David Attenborough</a> through the Environment Trust for
Richmond.
<figure id="attachment_40682"
aria-describedby="caption-attachment-40682" style="width:640px;"
class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="wp-image-40682 size-full"
src="https://discover.files.wordpress.com/2020/02/meeting-david-attenborough-1.jpg?w=685"
alt="" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-40682"
class="wp-caption-text">Meeting David Attenborough. Courtesy of
Kate on Conservation.</figcaption></figure>
I know for a fact the blog has
encouraged others to join protest marches, following my post about my
own experience of joining a demo against the capture and slaughter of
dolphins at <a href="https://kateonconservation.com/2017/02/23/talking-the-talk-lets-have-a-conversation-about-taiji-cove/">Taiji
Cove in Japan</a>, and I've had people tell me that before reading my
blog they'd never heard of <a
href="https://kateonconservation.com/2019/02/08/youthforlions-canned-hunting/">canned
lion hunting</a> or realized that they too may have encountered this
industry while in South Africa. It's particularly heart-warming when I
hear people are now supporting a specific NGO I'd mentioned, or are
following a specific animal's story after reading my posts.

It was actually a blog post I'd
written and shared about <a
href="https://kateonconservation.com/2019/09/24/born-free-wind-of-change/">Born
Free Foundation</a> that led one of the charity's founders to reach
out to me, and invite me to become more involved with their work.
Eventually, that's evolved to my serving on the Board of Trustees for
Born Free, and I've been involved in conservation solutions at a much
higher level than I'd ever imagined.
<figure id="attachment_40679"
aria-describedby="caption-attachment-40679" style="width:701px;"
class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="wp-image-40679 size-full"
src="https://discover.files.wordpress.com/2020/02/canned-lion-hunting-demo.jpg?w=685"
alt="" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-40679"
class="wp-caption-text">Canned Lion Demonstration. Courtesy of
Kate on Conservation.</figcaption></figure>
<hr />
You have a lot of guest blogs on your site. Why did you start
inviting other people to contribute? 
I think it's important to work
together in the conservation world; it's a complicated network of
issues and solutions, and I believe that many voices, each bringing
their own experiences and expertise, can help to reach more people and
spread the message wider. 
Although not my primary goal — if
you can arrange backlinks between yourself and the guest post author,
it can also help your site traffic, and hopefully being linked on my
site has given other bloggers and conservationists an extra reach. I'm
hoping to write a few more guest posts of my own, for other sites in
the coming year.
<hr />
What other methods do you use to connect to your
audience?
I think as a blogger, you have to
think in terms of making connections and networks as an individual.
The difference between a traditional blog and a news outlet, for
example, is that the blogger is always at the center; the copywriter
for a media organization can remain anonymous behind the brand if they
choose. 
If people are coming to your blog,
there's a good chance they're there for you. I try to be as personable (and
accountable!) as possible through my social media; supporting and
encouraging others in the same field, and striking a balance between
sharing facts and information, personal updates and engagement posts
that give others the chance to share their own thoughts and
experiences. Like my blog itself, I see it all as a communal and
collaborative space.
<figure id="attachment_40680"
aria-describedby="caption-attachment-40680" style="width:2000px;"
class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="wp-image-40680 size-full"
src="https://discover.files.wordpress.com/2020/02/kate-stephenson-kate-on-conservation_-animal-hero-highly-commended-e1582929718467.jpg?w=685"
alt="" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-40680"
class="wp-caption-text">Kate Stephenson. Courtesy of Kate on
Conservation.</figcaption></figure>
<hr />
Do you have any advice for anyone looking to start a website on
an issue they are passionate about?
I'd say just go for it, and when
you're starting out, say “yes” to as many opportunities as
possible. You don't know where they'll lead, who you might meet, and
what you may learn. I think it helps to have a niche, so don't be
afraid to position yourself somewhere that's a bit different from
everyone else; you'll attract the right people and can become an
expert in that field. 
<hr />
Today is World Wildlife Day: a day for highlighting the needs of
the world’s wildlife. How would you suggest contributing to
helping conservation? 
The theme of this year's World
Wildlife Day is “Sustaining all life on Earth,” which is
of course about biodiversity and connects to Goal 15 of the<a
href="https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/">
United Nations Sustainable Development
Goals</a>: Life on Land. This
goal is very much about supporting our forests and ancient woodlands.

I would encourage everyone who wants
to help to look and see if there are any local tree-planting
initiatives near them and give them some support. Join in and plant a
tree, or look at organizations like the <a
href="https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/">Woodland Trust</a>, who can
advise you on how to plant your own tree to the best effect. Consider
joining an environmental campaign to support our ancient woodlands, or
simply go outside for a walk. The best way to appreciate nature and
wildlife is to immerse yourself in it. Pay attention to the wildlife
you see (or the lack of it in some cases!) — it may inspire you to
find your own personal way of contributing.
<hr />
Passionate about an issue? Create a site on WordPress.com
and start talking about it:
<a class="button is-primary"
href="https://wordpress.com/create" rel="nofollow">Sign up</a>
<a href="https://wordpress.com/discover-wordpress/2020/03/03/world-wildlife-day/"
target="_blank" rel="follow">Meer over Carolyn Wells</a>

PeterHolland765

dinsdag 3 maart 2020

Giving a Voice to the Voiceless: Kate on Conservation

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