Conservation Conversation

In this issue we focus on our Senior Air Pollution Adviser Susan Zappala. Susan is on secondment from Natural England where she was Senior Specialist in Air Pollution and Ecotoxicology, advising on the protection of wildlife and habitat from toxic substances.

Species that inspired you as a child?

Geoducks (Panopea generosa) sparked my curiosity about unseen wildlife. Their rogue squirts of bay water from the mudflats were a constant source of fascination when the tide went out.

What concerns you most about the natural world?

Perhaps one of the less recognised conundrums is the varying definition of natural world and its effect on how the importance of nature is perceived by individuals. Often the definitions we use explicitly exclude people which makes nature an “other" that can be out of sight for some folks.

What do you do away from the office?

When I’m away from the office I get up to no good in my workshop making beautiful things with glass.

Where is your favourite place?

Although a bit unnerving when surrounded by glinting eyes at night, my favourite place is definitely the mangrove swamps around the Mississippi River delta.

If you could dine with any four guests who would they be?

Kermit Ruffins - lead of the Barbecue Swingers, Leah Chase – a restaurateur that has hosted generations of musicians, Jenny Jones – talk show host turned YouTube cooking sensation and Steve Vai…nuff said.

Who is your human hero in the natural world?

Beatrix Potter for bringing the beauty of nature to everyone and highlighting the charisma in fungi.

Desert Island Disc?

Jimbo’s upright bass always breaks through the procrastination fug – The Devil's Chasing Me by The Reverend Horton Heat.

Place you’d most like to visit?

After going to see my folks (it’s been a while thanks to pandemic travel restrictions!), I’d like to visit Churchhill, Manitoba during the winter to see the wildlife and the Aurora Borealis over the Hudson Bay.

What would you like to achieve in your time at JNCC?

As a secondee I had to be realistic with the time available – Raising the profile of JNCC’s air pollution work and learning about other areas JNCC works on. My favourite so far has been deep sea canyons!

If you could choose another job or career, what would it be?

That’s hard to choose as careers these days are not exactly static. If I was not a civil servant, I’d be an artist in the week and food truck extraordinaire on the weekends.