6 Questions with Dulce Espelosin: Putting People at the Heart of Conservation

Dulce Espelosin is a behavioural strategist and global capacity builder with extensive experience in conservation, social marketing, and community engagement. Over the years, she has worked with leading NGOs, including Rare, the Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP) with Wildlife Conservation Society and Emergent Inquiry Consulting applying behaviour change principles to help communities adopt sustainable practices.

1) We always like to start by asking how you got into your field. Can you share what inspired your journey into conservation and human behaviour?

I started working in conservation about 15 years ago at a protected area in Guadalajara, Mexico. My degree was in communications, and I wanted to work in public relations, but I didn’t know how to start in conservation. Luckily, the director of the protected area hired me, and I learned from him everything about ecotourism and, importantly, working with communities. That was a big moment for me, realising that people are really at the centre of change. If communities don’t understand alternatives or change their behaviours, nothing is going to improve.

From there, I discovered Rare, an NGO that was opening an office in Guadalajara. I applied and started working with them, eventually leading a lot of the Latin American and Caribbean initiatives in social marketing and behaviour change. That experience taught me how to combine science, research, and design thinking to promote conservation in meaningful ways. In 2021, I started my consultancy, Espelosin.org, and I’ve continued to work on applying these strategies globally and expanding also into the organisational development sector, while also serving as a program officer for the Conservation Leadership Programme, training young conservationists in behaviour change and leadership in community outreach.

2) Can you share a bit about your involvement with the IUCN Behaviour Change Task Force and projects you've contributed to?

I first connected with the Task Force through my work with Diogo Veríssimo and other colleagues. Over the years, we’ve collaborated on papers with researchers and psychologists, exploring how behaviour change interventions can influence conservation outcomes. Currently, I’m co-authoring a guidance document for a project regarding the Vaquita Marina species in Mexico, looking at how behaviour change strategies can be incorporated into fisheries management. Being part of the Task Force is exciting because it brings together experts and the passion of these people from all over the world who are applying behaviour change in very different contexts, and we get to share knowledge and approaches.

3) Could you tell us about any exciting projects or research you’re currently working on?

Right now, I’m supporting Rare as a consultant for their “Fish Forever” in the Bahamas, which helps small-scale fishers organise cooperatives and adopt sustainable practices. I also work with Emergent Inquiry Consulting, focusing on organisational development from a behavioural lens, helping teams communicate better and adopt effective practices. And with emergent leaders in the field working in México to protect species like Vaquita Marina or habitats in the Morelos NPAs. On top of that, through the CLP, I continue to train young conservation leaders, adapting curricula each year to include the latest community outreach and behaviour change methods. It’s exciting to see how these different projects all converge around the same goal: helping people act in ways that benefit both their communities and the environment.

4) In your opinion, what is one of the biggest challenges the world faces in driving meaningful behaviour change toward conservation?

One of the main challenges is recognising that every audience is different. For example, a climate change solution that works for one community may not work for another. Behaviour change is a great approach because it focuses on understanding the specific context and promoting one practical alternative - but it’s still relatively new in conservation. We need more education, training, and engagement, especially with younger generations, so they can apply these techniques and help spread the word. The more people understand the science behind behaviour change, the greater our collective impact can be.

5) Who is someone in the conservation world (or beyond) that you look up to or that has influenced your career?

I’ve been inspired by my parents - my mom, a teacher, instilled in me a love for education and mentoring young people, and my dad, who travelled for work, taught me to think globally and appreciate different cultures. Their guidance shaped my approach to conservation: listening to communities, respecting their expertise, and co-developing solutions rather than imposing them. Every project reminds me that conservation is as much about people as it is about the environment.

6) As you look ahead, what are your goals or hopes for the future of conservation and behaviour change?

I hope to see behaviour change integrated more deeply into university curricula, across fields like marketing, biology, and environmental science. When I started in this field it was a hard topic to even share, now is all in our family, my husband is my biggest promoter and rock, he is always supporting me to continue in this field and even young students should learn about social marketing and community outreach techniques, so the next generation of conservationists is equipped to work effectively with people in the field. For me personally, it’s inspiring to see my own children picking up on the ideas and language of behaviour change - it reminds me of the importance of starting early and building understanding from the ground up!

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