Posted on: 03 Mar 2017
Ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March, the RSPB has highlighted women's roles in its work and profiled three inspiring females working for wildlife today.
In 1889, the fashion for elaborately plumed hats was driving certain species of bird to extirpation in the UK. In response, 36 year-old Emily Williamson established The Plumage League in 1889, joining with fellow campaigner Eliza Phillips in 1891 to form The Society for the Protection of Birds.
Today, the RSPB helps protect wildlife and its habitats worldwide, from the UK’s garden birds to Tigers in Sumatra. It has successfully helped bring birds like Red Kite, Osprey and much of the albatross family back from the brink of extinction, and manages over 200 nature reserves in Britain.
The charity’s conservation work relies on the expertise of women from both within the RSPB and from industries such as farming, all of which contributes to saving nature for future generations to enjoy.
Paula Baker, RSPB Site Manager
Paula Baker is the Site Manager at RSPB Loch Lomond. She began her career as a volunteer and today leads an all-female team of conservationists at the reserve, project managing everything from building footpaths to getting up at dawn to monitor geese.
“Loch Lomond is a beautiful place and, because it is a fairly new site for the RSPB, there’s a real variety of things to do. At the moment we’re improving our access facilities and updating our visitor centre," she said.
Loch Lomond is home to a 10,000-strong flock of Pink-footed and Greenland White-fronted Geese which dominate the fields, and also supports a nesting population of Spotted Crake, an amber-listed rail species found only at a small number of sites around the country. The team has been managing the fenland habitat to support these birds which require dense vegetation in which to hide.
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