Turtles, Trash, and Tourism on Gili Trawangan with Siân Williams of the Gili Eco Trust

Meet the Special "Flonduran" Corals Thriving Against All Odds — and the Woman Championing Them, Juli Berwald

What would you say if someone told you there was a thriving coral reef in a bay full of industrial pollution, sediment runoff, and unusually warm water — and that it had been there for many years? You'd probably say that's impossible. Juli Berwald said the same thing, and then she got on a plane to Honduras to see it for herself. Juli is an ocean scientist, award-winning author of Spineless and Life on the Rocks, and founder of the nonprofit Tela Coral. In this episode, we get into the mystery behind Tela Bay's improbable elkhorn coral population, the "Flonduran" coral hybrids that are making waves in Florida reef restoration, what it actually takes to build a biobank from scratch in a foreign country, and how a violinist helped raise $86,000 for coral conservation through the power of live music. We also talk about science writing — how Juli went from textbooks to National Geographic, why she writes memoir into her science books, and what she'd tell anyone who wants to do what she does. This one genuinely made me want to book a flight to Honduras. I think you'll feel the same way. EPISODE SHOW NOTES [https://caseysnook.com/special-flonduran-corals-thriving-against-all-odds-tela-coral-juli-berwald/↗] (click for all the links!) Juli's website: JuliBerwald.com [https://juliberwald.com/] Follow Juli: @JuliBerwald [https://www.instagram.com/juliberwald/] Juli's nonprofit, Tela Coral: TelaCoral.org [https://telacoral.org/] Follow Tela Coral: @TelaCoral [https://www.instagram.com/telacoral/] Preorder Juli's newest book!! The Shell Seeker: Encounters with 30 Seashells [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/808536/the-shell-seeker-by-juli-berwald/] comes out July 7, 2026 Podcast website [https://caseysnook.com/podcast/] Casey's Instagram - @caseysnook_ [https://www.instagram.com/caseysnook_/] Podcast Instagram - @thisismarineconservation [https://www.instagram.com/thisismarineconservation/] Say hello! Contact Casey here. [https://caseysnook.com/contact] SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If you loved this episode, it’d mean the world if you took a moment to subscribe and leave a review and/or rating wherever you’re listening! Your support helps this podcast reach more ocean lovers and aspiring marine conservationists just like you. Thank you!  Looking to break into the world of marine conservation, but don’t know where to start? I’ve got you! Download my free resource, the Aspiring Marine Conservationist’s toolkit at caseysnook.com/toolkit [https://caseysnook.myflodesk.com/ydp1sykaq1] and start making waves in your career today 🌊

I Had a Terrible Marine Conservation Volunteering Experience. Here's How to Avoid my Mistakes.

Earlier this year, I went to volunteer with a marine conservation organization in the Bali area of Indonesia... and within three days of arriving, I had quit. This episode is the story of what happened, and more importantly, what I learned from it, so you don't have to make the same mistakes I did. This episode is really about something bigger than any one organization. It's about how to vet a volunteering program before you commit your time and money, what red flags to actually take seriously, how to listen to your gut once you're there, and how to walk away when you need to. The marine conservation field needs more volunteers, but it needs you to be safe, supported, and treated with respect. Let's talk about how to make that more likely. In this episode, you'll learn: * How to vet a marine conservation organization beyond their website and curated reviews * Why a real conversation (Zoom ideally, phone at minimum) is non-negotiable before you commit money * Which pre-arrival red flags really matter, and why slow communication is information, not just an annoyance * Why a nonprofit is still a business, and what good operational standards look like * How to tell what your experience will be by watching how leaders treat the people already there * When and how to quit, even after you've paid and traveled * How to hold onto your own professional standards when you're being pressured to do things differently * Why a shared mission doesn't automatically mean shared values, and how to spot the difference Important note: I'm not naming the organization in this episode. I believe everyone trying to do marine conservation work has good intentions, even when execution falls short, and this isn't a podcast about tearing other people down. But if you're considering volunteering with a marine conservation program in the Bali area and you're worried it might be the one I'm describing, please reach out to me privately. DM me on Instagram or send an email, and I'll happily talk it through with you one-on-one. EPISODE SHOW NOTES [https://caseysnook.com/terrible-marine-conservation-volunteering-experience-avoid-my-mistakes/] (click for all the links!) Podcast website [https://caseysnook.com/podcast/] Casey's Instagram - @caseysnook_ [https://www.instagram.com/caseysnook_/] Podcast Instagram - @thisismarineconservation [https://www.instagram.com/thisismarineconservation/] Say hello! Contact Casey here. [https://caseysnook.com/contact] SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If you loved this episode, it’d mean the world if you took a moment to subscribe and leave a review and/or rating wherever you’re listening! Your support helps this podcast reach more ocean lovers and aspiring marine conservationists just like you. Thank you! Looking to break into the world of marine conservation, but don’t know where to start? I’ve got you! Download my free resource, the Aspiring Marine Conservationist’s toolkit at caseysnook.com/toolkit [https://caseysnook.myflodesk.com/ydp1sykaq1] and start making waves in your career today 🌊

5 Reasons You Should Learn to Scuba Dive If You Want to Work in Marine Science & Conservation

Learning to dive was THE thing that jump-started my marine conservation career. But it taught me a lot more than just how to be a mermaid. I gained valuable skills and abilities that have boosted my resume, gotten me jobs, and kept me going in challenging times in my career. I'm here to convince you to get in the water! Learning to dive might be one of the single most transformative things you can do if you want to work in marine science and conservation, not because it's required (although for many roles, it actually is), but because of what happens to you when you finally get under the surface. I'm talking about why "becoming a fish" rewires the way you observe the natural world, how you learn tons without trying every time you get in the water, the field skills that quietly stack up on your resume, and why being underwater might be the single best antidote to burnout in this field.  In this episode, I talk about: * why being in the water is the single fastest way to understand the ocean * how passive education happens every time you get underwater * the reality that for a lot of marine science jobs, diving isn't optional, it's required (and once cost me a position I really wanted) * the transferable skills that quietly turn you into a stronger field scientist * why nothing keeps you going in this field like being back in the water * how to actually get started (and why you don't need to live somewhere tropical) EPISODE SHOW NOTES [https://caseysnook.com/5-reasons-learn-to-scuba-dive-work-in-marine-science-conservation/] (click for all the links!) Podcast website [https://caseysnook.com/podcast/] Casey's Instagram - @caseysnook_ [https://www.instagram.com/caseysnook_/] Podcast Instagram - @thisismarineconservation [https://www.instagram.com/thisismarineconservation/] Say hello! Contact Casey here. [https://caseysnook.com/contact] SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If you loved this episode, it’d mean the world if you took a moment to subscribe and leave a review and/or rating wherever you’re listening! Your support helps this podcast reach more ocean lovers and aspiring marine conservationists just like you. Thank you! Looking to break into the world of marine conservation, but don’t know where to start? I’ve got you! Download my free resource, the Aspiring Marine Conservationist’s toolkit at caseysnook.com/toolkit [https://caseysnook.myflodesk.com/ydp1sykaq1] and start making waves in your career today 🌊

Turtles, Trash, and Tourism on Gili Trawangan with Siân Williams of the Gili Eco Trust

What does it actually look like to build a conservation life on a tiny tropical island? Siân Williams came to Gili Trawangan for six weeks in 2012, and thirteen years later, she's built an amazing career at the Gili Eco Trust.  From running coral propagation projects using natural micro-fragmentation, leading Proyek Penyu (the only all-female turtle ranger team in Indonesia), and hosting Debris Free Friday, a weekly beach clean that's been going for over a decade... Siân is a powerhouse. In this episode, we talk about: - the dark side of paradise tourism - why head-starting baby turtles in tanks usually fails - the realities of conservation salaries and side hustles - how the little island handles waste (hint: it's a growing landfill 5 minutes from the sea) - what's giving Siân hope in this challenging day and age - and so much more 🌊 EPISODE SHOW NOTES [https://caseysnook.com/turtles-trash-tourism-sian-williams-gili-eco-trust/] (click for all the links!) Follow Siân on Instagram - @siangilieco [https://www.instagram.com/siangilieco/] Gili Eco Trust - visit their website [https://www.giliecotrust.com/] and follow on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/giliecotrust/] Debris Free Friday - Every Friday at 5 pm on Gili Trawangan! Follow them on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/debrisfreefriday/] for the announcement of beach clean locations each week.  Proyek Penyu - Learn all about turtle conservation efforts here [https://linktr.ee/ProyekPenyu.Gili?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=63a36488-06fc-4146-b7d8-d335593ff0b5] Podcast website [https://caseysnook.com/podcast/] Casey's Instagram - @caseysnook_ [https://www.instagram.com/caseysnook_/] Podcast Instagram - @thisismarineconservation [https://www.instagram.com/thisismarineconservation/] Say hello! Contact Casey here. [https://caseysnook.com/contact] SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If you loved this episode, it’d mean the world if you took a moment to subscribe and leave a review and/or rating wherever you’re listening! Your support helps this podcast reach more ocean lovers and aspiring marine conservationists just like you. Thank you! Looking to break into the world of marine conservation, but don’t know where to start? I’ve got you! Download my free resource, the Aspiring Marine Conservationist’s toolkit at caseysnook.com/toolkit [https://caseysnook.myflodesk.com/ydp1sykaq1] and start making waves in your career today 🌊

How to Actually Break Into a Marine Conservation Career with "Conservation Queen" Camille Lasbleiz

What does it actually look like to build a career in marine conservation? In this episode, I sit down with Camille Lasbleiz (aka the Conservation Queen) on Gili Air, Indonesia, after we randomly realized on Instagram that we were two islands away from each other. (The universe really does deliver.) Camille's story is so good. She went from wanting to be a dolphin trainer as a kid, to working with primates in the jungle, to a five-month "visa run" in Panama that turned her into a divemaster, to working as a snorkel guide in the Maldives. Now she's running 1:1 career mentoring calls and leading coral restoration trips in Indonesia. How's that for a cool and crazy career path?! We get into:  - how to actually break into marine conservation (without a marine biology PhD) - why "be realistic" is the worst advice anyone ever gave us  -how non-science backgrounds can be a superpower in this field - why community-led conservation is the model - what's giving us hope for the ocean right now ...and so much more. If you've ever felt called to ocean work but had no idea where to start, this one's for you. EPISODE SHOW NOTES [https://caseysnook.com/break-into-marine-conservation-career-camille-lasbleiz] (click for all the links!) Camille's Instagram - @camille.lasbleiz [https://www.instagram.com/camille.lasbleiz] Check out Camille's website [https://camillelasbleiz.com/] Book a 1-on-1 career mentoring call with Camille [https://camillelasbleiz.com/guidance] Join a marine conservation trip with Camille [https://camillelasbleiz.com/trips] Podcast website [https://caseysnook.com/podcast/] Casey's Instagram - @caseysnook_ [https://www.instagram.com/caseysnook_/] Podcast Instagram - @thisismarineconservation [https://www.instagram.com/thisismarineconservation/] Say hello! Contact Casey here. [https://caseysnook.com/contact] SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If you loved this episode, it’d mean the world if you took a moment to subscribe and leave a review and/or rating wherever you’re listening! Your support helps this podcast reach more ocean lovers and aspiring marine conservationists just like you. Thank you!  Looking to break into the world of marine conservation, but don’t know where to start? I’ve got you! Download my free resource, the Aspiring Marine Conservationist’s toolkit at caseysnook.com/toolkit [https://caseysnook.myflodesk.com/ydp1sykaq1] and start making waves in your career today 🌊