An ecosystem is a group of living things, like plants and animals, and non-living things, like air and water. The ecosystems that surround us provide us with all the materials that we need to survive: oxygen, water, soil for growing crops, and so on. Human communities can have a significant impact on the health and availability of these resources. When building cities or towns, it’s the government who ensures that the electrical or water services that are constructed don’t damage the local ecosystem.
Ecosystem auditors assist the government by building a big-picture understanding of how human communities impact their local ecosystems. Each ecosystem auditor knows how valuable the local ecosystem is, what its weaknesses are, and how city or business might impact it. For instance, they are able to tell urban planners the best way to clean water, which could be through water treatment plants, or by filtering the sewage to a wetland where it can also provide valuable fertilizer. The ecosystem auditor’s job is to understand the local ecosystem and ensure that it isn’t overstretched by human demands. They need to develop standards and guidelines for planners and the public so that everyone can work towards clear environmental goals.

Job Requirements / Skills

If you have an interest in science and making our world more sustainable, then this may be the job for you. An ecosystem auditor will need to be good with both numbers and biology. As cities and towns try to become more green, they are hiring auditors to help the cities and the surrounding nature work together. Understanding how cities work, through some education in urban planning and environmental sciences, will be very useful. A broad interest in science will help an ecosystem auditor to develop their observation skills.