I Wanted to Save Nature. I Nearly Gave Up

I used to think conservation was about hope. But most days, it feels like waiting—waiting for approvals, for funding, for someone to care as much as I do. I watch people go rogue, skipping the paperwork, calling us 'purists' while I drown in forms and unread emails. They get to feel like heroes. I get to explain why shortcuts break things. I know the risks. I’ve seen what happens when we guess wrong—animals lost, habitats ruined, all because we wanted to act faster than the system allowed. But the system is slow, and I’m tired. Sometimes I wonder if all this caution just means nothing changes, except my own exhaustion. I still care. I just wish caring didn’t cost so much. #ScienceFatigue #ConservationBurnout #LabConfessions #Science