I have had lots of conversations recently with people who need to change careers or find an extra income stream, either by choice or not. Many of the people I speak to have a shared passion for nature and looking after our natural world. So, from my experience, I thought I would share 5 outdoor jobs for people who love nature that may not have been considered or thought of. Happily, all these new or second career choices offer an exciting new challenge, whilst also supporting your wellbeing.
Take a look and be inspired…
Spend More Time Outside
If you adore the outdoors, then firstly, let’s explore some ways that you can spend more time outside, enjoying nature.
I know it’s not always as easy as it sounds. With work and family commitments…and the British weather…finding enough time in our already busy lives to be outside can be really difficult. It can be quite scary when we actually work out how little time we spend in the open air, let alone actually in a woodland, garden or forest area, really appreciating our surroundings.
However, if you’re like me and wholeheartedly see the value and understand the health and wellbeing benefits of spending time outside and connecting with nature, then a career switch or new business opportunity that lends itself to being outdoors could be just the answer.
Starting Small – Finding Out What Outdoor Jobs You Could Enjoy
There’s the saying, “If you find a job you love, you never have to work a day in your life”. With this in mind, just choosing a job that is based outside because you “love the outdoors” is not necessarily the path to happiness!
Take some time to think about the types of outdoor activities and hobbies that you enjoy. What is it about being in nature that makes you happy? Think about how you feel before, during and after spending time outside.
You may not be able to make the jump to a new career immediately. This is completely understandable. There may be financial and personal considerations, as well as qualifications and job hunting to contend with.
So, in the meantime, I recommend that you take a small step to work out what outdoor jobs and activities could suit you best. Weigh up the pros and cons and consider the barriers. Then, focus on your motivation and the determination that will get you this dream outdoor job. Visualise it.
If you genuinely want it, you can make it happen.
How to Find the Outdoor Jobs You Adore
Do some Research
Firstly, if you are keen to have an outdoor job, then do your research. There are many, many options.
Make a conscious effort to explore what opportunities there are as outdoor jobs for people who love nature.
Try new outdoor activities yourself to see what they are like. Forest Bathing is a great example if you have not tried it before. Then consider, from those activities, which could you see yourself doing or leading from a job perspective.
Volunteering
If your time and financial situation allows, volunteering can be a great way to find out if a potential outdoor job in nature you are interested in could be the one for you. It also looks great on a CV or job application should you decide to apply for an employed role.
Some outdoor volunteering examples include:
- Help with your local Ramblers group – a walking charity with active groups all over the country
- Get involved with Scouts or Guiding – there are lots of local troops for different ages of children. And, many of the sessions include running activities outside from hiking to camping to wide games and more.
- Offer sports coaching – if you are a keen sportsperson, why not take your skills to help with coaching or running a local team? You can help others to learn and improve in the sport you love.
- Volunteer with an outdoor charity or society – from the Wildlife Trusts to beach cleaning to your local biodiversity society, get involved. You can learn and educate people about nature, the environment, wildlife, sustainability and more.
- Try out home-schooling (or even better world-schooling) – this may not be the type of volunteering you imagined, but perhaps allowing your children to spend more time outside, and working as their teacher, especially with the opportunity for more travel, exploration of different cultures and learning about nature, could be a great way to experience more outdoor job opportunities too.
5 Outdoor Jobs for People Who Love Nature
You can certainly do your own research but I wanted to offer my personal recommendations of 5 outdoor jobs for people who love nature. Hopefully, they are ones you may not have thought about too.
Importantly, they include three key things: 1) an element of environmental stewardship, 2) the ability to help others and 3) a focus on sustainability.
1 – Garden Designer
Garden design can take many forms. You may want to get your hands dirty and both design and implement. Or, it may be more about the style and creative side, leaving others to do the heavy lifting.
These days the role of a Garden Designer includes the opportunity to teach people about ecological gardening. Whether it’s choosing peat-free compost, installing a wildlife pond or opting for native plant species, all will encourage wildlife, pollinators and mammals into your space.
Education is a wonderful element of garden design and gardening. You could offer to teach people about the flora, fauna and habitats they have in their garden already. You can assert your inner nature nerd, and help them connect to their gardens on a deeper level.
2 – Forest School Leader
Would you like to work with children? Perhaps you’ve done it before but the stress of working in a school put you off. If so, this outdoor job for people who love nature might be the one for you.
Forest School is a child-centred inspirational learning process that supports play, exploration and supported risk-taking. The programme offers opportunities for holistic growth, builds confidence, and promotes self-esteem through hands-on experiences in a natural setting. Lessons often include basic survival skills and fun outdoor activities, like den building and woodcraft as well as learning how to look after the natural environment.
Many schools invite Forest School Leaders on-site to run sessions with their pupils. And you can also run your own weekend, after-school or home-school sessions. You can also run a daytime club for pre-schoolers if you would like to work with younger children.
3 – Outdoor Activity Instructor
If you love an outdoor sport then why not instruct others in how to do it …and help them to find joy too?
There are so many outdoor activities to choose from! You may prefer watersports, like paddleboarding, canoeing and sailing. Or, how about more extreme activities to get the adrenalin going, like climbing, caving and parkour? Or perhaps, more traditional outdoor activities are your favourites, such as hiking, abseiling and archery.
Many activity centres around the country welcome adults and children. Whether it’s part of a school trip, a summer club, scouting or team building, there are a range of outdoor roles to be had which involve both instructing and organising outdoor activities and events for others.
Could you turn a current hobby or a past favourite childhood activity into a new job?
4 – Writer or Podcaster
The days of writers having to be stuck in a study with a computer are long gone! With laptops, tablets and smartphones, creating content on the go has never been easier, which makes it the perfect outdoor job for those who love nature…because you really can do it anywhere!
You can set up your own blog or magazine, work freelance or look for specific writer jobs for nature-focussed magazines or websites. You can choose to nurture your inner nature nerd by writing specifically on the topics about the environment, or perhaps look into working in the wider world of travel or climate change.
If the thought of writing doesn’t excite you, but you want to share knowledge, then the world of podcasting can offer many of the same benefits. You can set up your own podcast to monetise or you can look at supporting or contributing to one already established…all recorded outside, if you want to.
5 – Forest Bathing Guide – The Very Best of Outdoor Jobs?
Finally, if you love nature and you want an outdoor job which offers you so much but also helps others, then consider training to be a Forest Bathing Guide. I think it’s the best job in the world!
The benefits of Forest Bathing Therapy are so numerous and the role is so varied.
Running your own small business also has the added benefits of flexibility and control, things that some outdoor jobs do not allow.
It is often the ideal job for people who have worked in the teaching, healthcare or social care professions, but who need a change of pace for their well-being. It also works well for care providers, either professionals or those who have children or other family members.
If you adore nature and you want to spend more time outside, and with those who also feel the same, then this role could be for you.
Learn more about the role of a Forest Bathing Guide
Find an Outdoor Job You Care about and that Cares about You
I hate the thought of anyone doing a job they hate. I hate the idea of anyone having a job that causes excessive stress, anxiety or burnout.
The outdoors offers so many healing benefits and so being able to make a living whilst spending time in nature brings me so much joy. I am passionate about bringing that opportunity to others.
Get your Secrets and Straight Talk here and discover everything you need to know but nobody else will tell you about being a Forest Therapy Guide.
And one final note…If you can’t quite make the switch to an outdoor job at this time, then make sure you get yourself booked in for some regular Forest Bathing sessions and make the most of your time off with time spent in nature.
