Lucy Houliston

Lucy Houliston is a National Geographic Explorer, zoologist, and creative storyteller and speaker with a soft spot for the weirder side of wildlife. A respected voice within the UK youth conservation movement, she champions diversity in all its forms—from the lesser-loved species that shape our world to the varied human minds dreaming up new ways to protect them.

Best known for her work with odd and overlooked animals, Lucy uses digital storytelling to spark fresh thinking about how we value nature, who it’s for, and how we engage with it. Since her early days championing the world’s slowest mammal online as Digital Content Producer for the Sloth Appreciation Society, her eclectic career has taken her from rugged Scottish islands to the winding rivers of northern Norway and one of the remotest corners of the South American rainforest.

Drawing on these experiences, Lucy has delivered talks, hosted events, and produced and presented films and live series on subjects ranging from seabirds and salmon to youth-led environmental action, for organisations including National Geographic, WWF UK, Rainforest Trust, Huawei, and The Wildlife Trusts. She has shared her stories and insights at international festivals and summits, represented the youth voice at global climate conferences, and regularly contributes to podcasts and panel discussions on the importance of diversity, inclusion, and creativity in conservation.

Passionate about encouraging young people to appreciate and protect the natural world, Lucy is currently developing a live digital series for primary school students exploring the UK’s more unusual wildlife, supported by the National Geographic Society. Her wider youth-focused storytelling work, now featured in an exhibition at London’s Natural History Museum, has spanned writing for teen nature magazines, delivering nature-themed letter-writing workshops in schools and universities, and contributing art and poetry to a book befitting youth-led ocean conservation.

Lucy’s scientific research similarly centres on safeguarding overlooked species and habitats. After supporting the creation and expansion of the world’s first youth-funded nature reserve in the Ecuadorean cloud forest, she led the site’s first-ever insect study—a prize-winning moth survey featured by The Explorers Club and recognised by the Royal Society of Biology. Her current research focuses on the bees and beetles that call London’s urban orchards home, highlighting how these understudied habitats could play a key role in supporting both people and nature in cities.

Informed by her experiences as a neurodivergent, first-generation scientist from a low-income background, Lucy inspires audiences to think differently about what environmental leadership and action can look like. Much of her recent work focuses on engaging underrepresented groups and championing more inclusive approaches to conservation, and she is proud to serve as a Director at Reserva: The Youth Land Trust—an organisation that empowers young people around the world to take tangible action for threatened species and habitats.

Speaking topics

Lucy Houliston is an accomplished live speaker, host, and moderator, specialising in wildlife and science, environmentalism, and youth empowerment. Whether delivering opening plenaries at international festivals, contributing to panel discussions, or engaging aspiring young scientists in schools, Lucy brings warmth, humour, relatability, and a refreshing air of optimism to her talks, educating and entertaining diverse audiences. Her speaking topics include:

• Sustainability, climate, and environmental action
• Storytelling for impact
• Exploration, adventure, and representation in STEM
• Weird wildlife
• Diversity, inclusion, and youth empowerment
• Nature connection and conservation in cities
• Neurodiversity and leading differently

Example talks

Creative conservation: Using stories and media to save weird wildlife

In a talk peppered with strange and surprising animal facts, Lucy explores how technology, art, music, film, writing, and even sport can help us to protect threatened wildlife and habitats around the globe, as well as make science more engaging and accessible to people of all ages. She shares a few lessons gleaned from her digital career so far, and discusses the importance of inclusivity and diversity in the conservation space.

The Youth Protecting Our Planet: Insights from a young conservationist and environmentalist

Young people are acting for the planet in myriad ways—but they need a seat at the table where decisions are made that impact their futures, and the futures of all species. How are their passion, skills, and energy driving the conservation of vital habitats?

Gleaning from her unique perspective as a young environmentalist, conservationist, and scientist, Lucy explores the important role young people have to play in protecting our planet. She reflects on her time spent exploring threatened tropical forests, presenting at climate and conservation conferences, and volunteering to empower fellow young people in conservation and establish the world’s first youth-funded nature reserve.

Wildlife-focused talks: Everything you ever wanted to know about sloths!

As former Digital Content Producer for the Sloth Appreciation Society, Lucy Houliston is no stranger to the weird life of the world’s slowest mammal. She’s had the opportunity to work closely with sloths and sloth experts overseas, and has produced several popular online videos all about these curious creatures. In this talk, Lucy reveals all about her summer spent caring for orphaned and injured sloths at a wildlife rescue centre in Panama; busts a few common sloth myths; shares some surprising facts; and explores how sloths might inspire us to lead more fulfilling and sustainable lives, both at home and in the workplace.

Weird and Wacky Wildlife!

Explorer and conservationist Lucy Houliston talks all about her adventures with weird animals—from bats to sloths and moths—and how you can find unusual wildlife in your own backyard!

Uniting nature and neighbourhoods

In this talk, Lucy explores the importance of overlooked wildlife in our local landscapes and shares insights from her work connecting city-dwellers with nature. She reflects on how creative, inclusive approaches to citizen science and environmental engagement can empower underrepresented communities, shares fascinating facts about her favourite odd urban animals, and highlights how science and storytelling have the power to bring people together, fostering connection and self-expression while also safeguarding threatened wildlife. 

Virtual Events

Panels

• British Ecological Society Young Nature Conference (Moderator)
• National Geographic GenGeo Conversations: The Youth Protecting Our Planet
• Atlas of the Future: Fixing the Future Nature Talks: Creating the world’s first youth-funded nature reserve
• Youth for Our Planet and WWF: Youth Changemakers Conference 2020
• Exploring By The Seat Of Your Pants: Dracula Youth Reserve Power Hour
• Rise Up!: Youth Action for Biodiversity

Live Host

• Reserva: The Youth Land Trust: Celebrating Dracula Reserve (Instagram Live)
• Atlas of the Future: Fixing the Future Festival 2022
• Reserva Wild Trivia Night
• Lucy’s WildLIVE (Facebook Live)
• Reserva Youth Live: Interview with wildlife photographer Dani Connor (Instagram Live)

Other

• Skomer LIVE (Voiceover)
• Northumbrian Water: Innovation Festival 2021
• Into the Wild: Sloths with Lucy Houliston (Podcast)
• Back from the Brink: Using Stories and Media to Save Weird Wildlife (YouTube Live with Q&A)
• Earth Live Lessons: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About SLOTHS (YouTube Live with Q&A)
• Exploring By The Seat Of Your Pants: All About Sloths (YouTube Live with Q&A)
• Rainforest Trust and Reserva: The Youth Land Trust’s Concert for Conservation Encore (Instagram Live)