Durrell Diaries: Celebrating 40 years of the Durrell Conservation Academy

In the first of a new Durrell Diaries series, Conservation Training Manager, Helen Gath, explains the important role the academy plays in global conservation.

“Thus the Trust would become a form of university…where people can get the correct training…and then take their talents back to form conservation units throughout the world.” – Gerald Durrell. 

Gerald Durrell was well known for his pioneering approach to conservation, changing the face of zoos and giving hope that even the seemingly impossible is possible. However, people may be less familiar with his passion for training. One of our founder's greatest ambitions was to create a training centre, which would provide conservationists worldwide with the skills they need to prevent species extinctions and restore healthy, resilient ecosystems. People are the driving force behind successful conservation, which is why Gerry knew from the very beginning that delivering world-class training should sit within the core of the Trust's work. 

It was a dream come true when, one summer’s evening in the early 1980s, Gerry played croquet with ten students from ten different countries on the lawn at Les Noyers (better known now as the Durrell Wildlife Hostel), adjacent to the International Training Centre he established at Durrell’s headquarters in Jersey. Later down the line, in 1984, HRH The Princess Royal officially opened the Academy, and 40 years later, we are proud to have trained over 7,000 students from 149 countries. Today, the Conservation Training team has grown to deliver a range of courses in Jersey, online, through our training centre in Mauritius, and throughout Madagascar. To develop the abilities of conservation professionals and aspiring conservation practitioners, our training covers a range of topics, from building academic research skills to learning methods for species and habitat monitoring. We equip trainees with skills to expand their work through communication and marketing, the use of social media and how to apply for funds and grants. But technical skills can only take us so far, so communication and leadership training are crucial ‘human skills’ that we devote a lot of time to developing. Courses can range from self-paced and online, three months of living and learning at the Academy, or even a 12-month zoo internship. 

A significant reason we have been able to expand our training is through the incredible generosity of people, organisations and charitable trusts. Recognising the impact our training has, and the important expertise Durrell can share, scholarships are crucial to deliver our work, and we are enormously grateful for the opportunities that funders and donors create for our trainees around the world. 

As part of several birthday celebrations, we decided to re-live history by inviting colleagues and friends for an afternoon of cake and croquet in Les Noyers garden with Lee Durrell. Whilst we reminisced about the wonderful memories that have been built at the Academy, we are excited to plan where the next 40 years will take us, building an army of conservation professionals rewilding the world. 

If you are interested in learning more about our work at Durrell Conservation Academy, how you could get involved in training, or support our work, please visit www.durrell.org/training. 

This article was originally printed in the Jersey Evening Post on Friday 27 September