The first co-hort of students on the University of Suffolk’s new Wildlife, Ecology, and Conservation Science BSc degree course commenced their studies earlier this month.

Over the next three years, the 15 undergraduates will work through a wide range of subjects from ecosystems and cell biology to practical conservation and field research skills.

To launch the course, which is being delivered by the university for the first time this autumn, the students heard inspirational talks from leading figures in Suffolk’s conservation community including Michael Strand from Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Martin Sanford from Suffolk Biodiversity Information Service and Will Akast from the Environment Agency, who all spoke about the different routes into jobs in the conservation and environment sector.

They were also taken on a tour of Ipswich’s Landseer Park by Buglife’s Urban Buzz conservation officer who showed the group some of the reptile and amphibian conservation initiatives underway in the town.

Course tutor Dr Nic Bury said: “We have had excellent recruitment and the 15 students who have enrolled on the course has outstripped our target for the first year. It’s a great opportunity for them to study and train here in Suffolk where we hope we are educating the next generation of conservation scientists.”