Today (11 February) is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Women have been central to the RSPB story right from the very beginning, and continue to contribute to this organisation in many ways. Read on to find out more!
RSPB Origins
Image Credit: Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, through https://community.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/b/natureshomemagazine/posts/five-women-who-founded-the-rspb
Did you know that all the founders of the RSPB were women?
This was because the original purpose of the RSPB was to campaign against a damaging trend in women’s fashion- wearing hats adorned with feathers or whole birds. This fashion led to an explosion in the plumage trade, which was driving many species to the brink of extinction.
Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images
The great crested grebe, pictured above, was one of the UK-based species whose population was severely affected by the plumage trade. It is possible that this species now only exists because of the efforts of the RSPB founders.
The plumage trade outraged Emily Williamson, who wrote to the (then all-male) British Ornithologists’ Union asking them to stand against the plumage trade. When they dismissed her concerns as being ‘too emotional’, she instead decided to set up her own organisation in 1889. This was the Society for the Protection of Birds (SPB).
And she wasn’t the only one! Etta Lemon and Eliza Phillips also realised the danger of the plumage trade. They co-founded the ‘Fur, Feather and Fin Folk’- an organisation with very similar aims to the SPB. As a result, the two organisations merged in 1891.
In 1904, due to support from high-profile men and women and passionate campaigning, the SPB received royal patronage and thus became the RSPB. Due to the actions of the founding women, the plumage act was passed in 1921. This act banned the importation of feathers, and so saved many bird species from extinction.
Women, Science and the RSPB Today
The RSPB makes sure science and data is at the forefront of our conservation and education work. This means there are lots of opportunities for women and girls in science to be instrumental to the work of the RSPB, both now and in the future.
Collecting Data:
Image Credit: Tom McSherry, RSPB Images
Monitoring populations of species is vital to their conservation- how can you know that population sizes are changing if you didn’t know how large they were in the first place?
We have teams of people around the world working to discover and record the trends in wildlife populations. We use this knowledge to inform the conservation methods used to protect and bolster these populations.
The next generation of scientists:
Image Credit: Neil Harrison, RSPB Images
Protecting the natural world is critical, but so is education! Without people knowing or caring about nature, conservation would not happen. We run events and school trips to help both adults and children reconnect with nature and learn more about its importance. We strive to communicate our data collection in a way that is accessible to a broad audience, allowing as many people as possible to be involved in this work.
How can you get involved?
Image Credit: Patrick Cashman, RSPB Images
If you identify as female and have an interest in science, here are a few tips for how to get involved:
Encyclopaedic knowledge is not necessary!
The most important thing to remember is that you don’t need to have studied science to be interested in it or to contribute to it. For many people, science and wildlife is a hobby. This is just as valid as having a career in science.
Ask questions!
Image Credit: Heather Stuckey, RSPB Images
Related to our first point, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Science is all about learning more about how things work. Why not ask our staff questions about the species you can see at Saltholme, or how those species are monitored?
Get involved in events
We run lots of fun, accessible and educational events that people of all ages can get involved with. Through these events, you can learn more about the natural world and how science can be used to monitor and conserve it.
Furthermore, you can get involved in citizen science projects such as the Big Garden Birdwatch. Citizen science relies on volunteers, with all levels of experience, to collect data. This means we can collect a much greater volume of data than if we didn’t have these volunteers. Don’t worry, we will always give you instructions so you know what you are doing and why!
Volunteer with us
Image Credit: Rob Scott, RSPB Images
Volunteering is great. It looks fantastic on your cv, you gain valuable skills and experience, you meet like-minded people and have fun whilst doing so! We have lots of voluntary roles here at Saltholme, so there will be something for everyone. If you have an interest in science and data collection, why not join our hide guide team? Want to find out more about teaching science? Have a chat with our learning officers! Want to engage people with the natural world and its importance? For that, speak to our visitor experience team. There really is something for everyone!
So, happy Women and Girls in Science day!