What are we looking for?

We are looking for essays of 1000-2000 words from both undergraduate and postgraduate students on subjects including, yet not limited to:

  • Nature conservation 
  • The application of ecology
  • Environmentalist attitudes and perceptions
  • Wildlife issues
  • Land management and landscape planning
  • Education
  • Environmental philosophy
  • Eco-writing (including both critical and creative work)

ECOS  is in an independent, open access journal that reaches over a thousand monthly readers. It publishes work written in a range of styles for an informed readership, providing a platform to present, shape and challenge the conversations in nature conservation.

We are looking for articles which offer fresh and compelling arguments composed with confidence and clarity. Thought-provoking, original essays on any aspect of conservation will be considered – please bear in mind that the maximum word limit is 2000 words, although you don’t have to write to the limit!

As well as the text, any relevant photos, figures or illustrations can be submitted. Please indicate where these are located in the text and provide a short caption for each.<p>

The best articles are in with a chance of winning up to £150, with prizes also available for runners-up and highly commended.

The six winning articles will be published in our special student edition of ECOS in Winter 2024 and be read by a wide range of academics, conservationists, campaigners and practitioners.

For more detailed information, refer to our competition guidelines at the bottom of this page.

The closing date of the competition is 30th September 2024 at 11:59pm. Articles submitted after this closing date will not be considered.

Who can enter?

There are two categories for entrants: undergraduate and postgraduate.

To qualify you must be a current student at any UK academic institution. Please refer to the Terms and Conditions at the bottom of this page for more information.

How can I enter?

Before submitting please refer to our full competition guidelines and our Terms and Conditions.

Submissions should be emailed for the attention of our Digital Editor, Alice J-B, to ecos.submissions@gmail.com

Please attach your essay as a word document, and include a short covering letter in the body of your email.

Ensure that the subject line of your email reads ‘STUDENT SUBMISSION’.

Large file-size submissions can be shared via a file hosting service.

Please make sure to include your full name, your university or higher education affiliation, and the category you are entering in your covering letter. Please include your social media information (where relevant) so we can easily share it through our social media platforms.

Announcement of winners

The competition will be judged by the Trustee Council of the British Association of Nature Conservationists. Our council comprises a range of conservation professionals and researchers, so your work will be in good hands!

The articles will be published in the Winter of 2024. We will inform the winners of the competition in advance of their publication. 

Good luck!