Angelena Efstathioiu

A passionate and over excitable conservationists who specializes in bat ecology and whilst in the USA I will be researching two subjects: i) How to increase community and youth engagement with wildlife and ii) understanding species re introduction programs. I am hoping to bring information back to Nottinghamshire that will benefit wildlife and people, to inspire more people to get involved in its protection for the future. Up until recently very I worked for Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, as a Fundraising Assistant (before that I was the Ranger at Attenborough Nature Reserve). I am also a member of Nottinghamshire Bat Group and work as a Freelance Bat Ecologist. My passion is nature and the wildlife within it and so I spend a lot of my free time outdoors. Currently a postgraduate student at Nottingham Trent University, studying Endangered Species Recovery and Conservation.

During my time with Nottinghamshire Bat Group and Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, one of my favourite aspects has been working with and engaging with youth groups and children. Being able to inspire the younger generation to want to conserve biodiversity and change the world we live in is very rewarding but also very challenging. My research during my scholarship is to better understand community and youth engagement with wildlife and how we can inspire more people to care for wildlife and the environment.

The USA was first place to recognise the need to protect areas and the USA has really led the way historically with nature conservation and the Nottinghamshire Roosevelt Travelling Scholarship has given me an amazing opportunity to go and explore this for myself. During my trip, I plan on making my way round the USA, over 12 weeks covering at least 12 States, from New York; Boston; Toronto; Detroit; Chicago; Denver; Las Vegas; Long Beach, Phoenix, Austin, Miami; New Orleans; Jackson; Washington DC and back to New York, through a combination of transport means as to experience and take in as much as I possibly can. There is some key wildlife and nature organizations and Universities I wish to visit on my trip to the USA.

I am currently getting ready to go to Malawi for bat research (part funded by Bat Conservation International) for my masters’ project but I am also starting my planning for my trip to the USA, which is very exciting.  The USA has one tenth of all the protected areas globally and some of the most beautiful and diverse landscapes in the world, as well as diverse communities of people, great architecture and fantastic food. There is so much I am looking forward to doing through the NRMTS and it is an honour to have been one of the selected 2017 scholars and to be an ambassador for Nottingham.