Remaining safe conducting Field work While Black (FWB), and Tips for PIs, Universities, and Employers of Black Individuals.

This article focuses on the unique safety challenges faced by Black biologists conducting field work, a critical component of ecological and conservation research. It highlights that Black individuals are significantly underrepresented in conservation fields (<3% of forest and conservation workers) despite comprising 13.6% of the U.S. population, and face additional risks from racial bias, microaggressions, and systemic barriers beyond environmental hazards. The article outlines specific safety practices Black scientists adopt to mitigate threats such as police encounters and community suspicion, and provides recommendations for employers and institutions to foster safer, more inclusive fieldwork environments through respect, proper equipment, clear documentation, and genuine support for diversity and inclusion. It concludes by emphasizing the need to dismantle longstanding systemic inequities in conservation to create truly inclusive spaces rather than superficial diversity.