Our Global Mission
To provide accessible environmental education and promote wildlife conservation through science.
Our Vision
We believe in a world where environmental education is accessible to everyone and a scientific approach is the standard for solving most environmental problems.
What We Do
Our four main activities currently include:
Provide specialized training and professional development opportunities for students, researchers, conservation specialists, natural resource professionals, and environmental educators.
Support research to advance our understanding of the natural world and to inform conservation efforts, natural resource management, and policy.
Implement ground-level conservation and development activities to address real-world environmental problems at their source.
Deliver educational programs to local communities in Maine to encourage environmental awareness and stewardship.
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
CWS is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in our work. We do not permit discrimination or harassment based on race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, either in employment practices or in the workplace.
CWS recognizes that people of color have long been excluded from the STEM workforce (NCSES 2023), including the fields of ecology and conservation. CWS is actively recruiting staff and working with students from underrepresented groups, with a current emphasis on people from the poorest countries of the world and Indigenous populations.
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES). 2023. Diversity and STEM: Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities 2023. Special Report NSF 23-315. Alexandria, VA: National Science Foundation. Available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/wmpd.
Why Train with Us
We know you need this training now! Whether you need to conduct an analysis for your thesis, develop a conservation action plan, or get trained in field techniques before the summer, we provide you the most practical training available.
Our instructors are subject-matter experts and experienced educators from academic institutions, government agencies, and the private sector. Our instructors use a variety of teaching formats, including lectures, hands-on exercises, online discussion forums, and one-on-one consultation.
Our courses offer excellent value-added experiences and credentials. Whether you are learning in-person, online, or both, we provide opportunities for you to network, earn continuing education, academic credit, professional certifications, or professional certificates.
Your money will be spent wisely. CWS is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Your tax-deductible donation will help CWS by funding our scholarship program for students and professionals from underserved communities at home and around the world who aim for a career in wildlife conservation. Go to centerforwildlifestudies.org/donate. See our World Scholars Program for details about participants we have supported.
Who We Are
Our instructors are experienced researchers and educators from academic institutions or are professionals from government agencies and the private sector.
