Ecological grief: Young professionals transformed by and transforming conservation work

While challenging, discussions on ecological grief are becoming common, with some individuals seeking to engage with these feelings of sadness and sorrow as a means to gain the capacity to process and act. This short communication details a two-year journey undertaken by a group of young professionals to navigate ecological grief and distress within the conservation field. First, they explored coping strategies and examined personal journeys through a transformative learning framework intended to renew hope and improve personal well-being. The authors found that the best approach to navigating ecological grief was creating a community of support through regular meetings with peers to discuss climate emotions openly and sharing what they had learned with colleagues. Then, the group shifted their focus from exploring coping strategies to translating the lessons from their journey into actionable ideas for environmental practitioners navigating ecological grief and distress. As momentum builds, the group aims to create spaces of peer support, filling a growing need for emotionally resilient environmental practitioners in the context of climate change.