Science communication for biodiversity conservation

The unsustainable exploitation of nature by humanity has pushed many of the earth’s ecological systems to the brink of collapse. To help bring about the societal changes needed to reverse this trend, conservation biologists need to be more proactive, provocative, and purposeful in increasing environmental literacy. In this essay, we highlight different ways that scientists can engage various sectors of society and argue that passion, enthusiasm, and an understanding of the culture of human belief systems can help us to communicate effectively with a wider audience.