Oscar Maeyer grew up in the small Karoo town of Prince Albert and co-runs a small carpentry business. He had hoped to study a Marine Biology degree but with hindsight is delighted that he wasn’t accepted and instead was enrolled for his second choice – a Politics, Philosophy and Economics combination (known as a PPE) at the University of Cape Town as part of a Bachelor of Social Sciences. He went on to fulfil his passion for nature by completing his Master of Science in Governance of Sustainability at Leiden University in the Netherlands and now as a climate change intern at South African National Parks (SANParks). Oscar is involved in climate readiness planning, park management and a public mural campaign. 

We asked him a few questions to find out more about his work, studies and inspirations:    

What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about the complexity of life and how humans relate to the rest of nature. I thrive on bridging knowledge systems across disciplines and applying insights creatively. I love being outdoors, moving my body and expressing myself through carpentry, cooking, music and dance. Mindfulness, connection with loved ones and improving my communication skills also bring me joy. 

What inspired your choice of study? 

As a generalist, I’m now grateful I wasn’t accepted into marine biology. My second choice exposed me to entirely new fields and ways of thinking. I’ve always felt deeply connected to nature and distressed by its destruction, but it wasn’t until I researched Masters degrees that I realised I could turn this passion into a career. My Master of Science in Governance of Sustainability allowed me to reconnect with the natural sciences while gaining tools to understand systems and governance, both of which are useful in my current internship. 

What excites you about your internship? 

The freedom to engage deeply with a range of projects excites me. It allows me to work to my strengths and feel intrinsically motivated. I’m inspired by the small climate change team at SANParks, especially my mentor, Wendy Foden. I’m also drawn to working in natural spaces and contributing to more inclusive approaches to conservation where fortress-style thinking is questioned and diverse stakeholders are included. 

What are your expectations of this internship? 

I want to gain a deeper understanding of conservation in South Africa, how government entities operate and what climate science tells us about future adaptation. I hope to take on leadership in projects, strengthen my management skills and work with people who challenge and inspire me. 

What contribution do you hope to make towards a future in which people and nature thrive?

I hope to help shift how we see people not as separate from nature, but people as nature. I hope to inspire others to question their relationship to our distant relatives: non-human animals. We live in a system of oppression of other animals at a vast scale, primarily through the food system we don’t question because of how socially normalised it is. I wish to nudge society towards more than just a theoretical care of animals, but also a very practical care. This starts with us ending our enslavement, killing and consumption of them and their bodily by-products. 

Who inspires you most and why? 

My family, for their care, courage, humility and resilience.