conservation — Blog — Conservation Atlas

WELCOME TO THE CONSERVATION ATLAS BLOG!

This is where we're writing about beautiful wild places from around the world and about the people working to protect them. Between 2017-2018, we're posting from Panama, Ecuador, Chile, Mexico, Argentina, USA, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Romania, Kazakhstan and Scotland. Our goal is to inspire travelers to responsibly visit protected areas and become partners for conservation.

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Posts tagged conservation

CONSERVING IBERÁ: Our First Short Film About a Tompkins Conservation Success Story

CONSERVING IBERÁ: Our First Short Film About a Tompkins Conservation Success Story

In the Iberá wetlands of northern Argentina lies an incredibly biodiverse ecosystem. In this inspiring interview with Kris Tompkins, she tells the story of how her organization, Tompkins Conservation, has worked to restore and rewild the land, bringing back extirpated species and involving local communities in the conservation of what is now one of the largest protected areas in Argentina. Listen to her story and travel from home to this beautiful and remote corner of the planet where wildlife has been returning in large numbers.

Argentina, Nature PhotographyAndreea LotakApril 10, 2020Wildlife, rewilding, recent, conservation, Tompkins, Argentina, nationalpark, wetlands, biodiversity Comments

NEW ZEALAND'S TE ARAROA: Hiking to Connect Conservation

NEW ZEALAND'S TE ARAROA: Hiking to Connect Conservation

The Te Araroa, or “the long pathway” in Maori, is a 3000km trail that passes from the northern tip of the New Zealand’s North Island to the southern tip of the South Island. Rugged mountains, roaring rivers, temperate rainforests, windy grasslands and sandy coastlines are examples of the terrain one should expect to cross when hiking the Te Araroa.

Adventure Travel, National Parks, New ZealandJustin LotakAugust 23, 2018te araroa, New Zealand, South Island, Thru-hike, long distance, hiking, trail, conservation, pathway, route, maori, recentComment

VISITORS IN BEARS EARS: How We Can Make a Stronger Case for the National Monument

VISITORS IN BEARS EARS: How We Can Make a Stronger Case for the National Monument

Recommendations on visiting Bears Ears National Monument in Utah, with a selection of photographs to give you a glimpse into the beauty of these wild and historic lands.

USA, Nature Photography, Adventure TravelAndreea LotakJanuary 1, 2018bears ears, Utah, USA, national monuments, public lands, conservation, heritage, adventure travel, responsible travel, popularComment

HOPE IN IBERÁ: A Rewilding Story (Part I)

HOPE IN IBERÁ: A Rewilding Story (Part I)

Rewilding seems to be a meeting point between conservation and storytelling where magic things happen: people start listening. Not always, and not in the same way, but they do listen. An interview with Ignacio Jiménez Pérez, the Conservation Director and Communications Coordinator of Conservation Land Trust (CLT) Argentina.

National Parks, Interviews, ArgentinaAndreea LotakJanuary 1, 2018Ibera, Argentina, wetlands, conservation, rewilding, hope, conservation tourism, popular, wildlife, biodiversityComment

GRAND STAIRCASE-ESCALANTE: A Case Study for Bear Ears

GRAND STAIRCASE-ESCALANTE: A Case Study for Bear Ears

A comparison between Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears from the perspective of their local impact for economies and surrounding communities.

USA, National ParksAndreea LotakDecember 31, 2017Grand Staircase Escalante, national monuments, bears ears, Utah, public lands, conservation, local economyComment

FIFTEEN ADVENTURES IN 15 NATIONAL MONUMENTS

FIFTEEN ADVENTURES IN 15 NATIONAL MONUMENTS

Plan your adventure to one of the national monuments that were targeted by the presidential review and discover the beauty of your public lands.

National Parks, USA, Adventure TravelAndreea LotakDecember 31, 2017national monuments, usa, public lands, adventure, adventure travel, responsible travel, conservation, popularComment

GRAND STAIRCASE-ESCALANTE: After Two Decades of Conservation

GRAND STAIRCASE-ESCALANTE: After Two Decades of Conservation

We interviewed Noel Poe, President of the Board of Directors of Grand Staircase Escalante Partners, to learn from an advocate what the national monument means for conservation and for local communities. What we found was a story of success, hope and a lot of dedicated work.

Interviews, USA, National ParksAndreea LotakDecember 20, 2017Grand Staircase Escalante, national monuments, Utah, conservation, monuments review, wildlife, recent, interviewComment

UPPER MISSOURI RIVER BREAKS: Paddlers in a Historic Landscape

UPPER MISSOURI RIVER BREAKS: Paddlers in a Historic Landscape

Before putting our canoe out from Coal Banks Landing, we had the chance to meet and interview Jim Greene and Martha Vogt, BLM volunteers and members of the Friends of the Missouri Breaks. Their love for this river inspired our trip.

National Parks, Interviews, USAAndreea LotakDecember 9, 2017Upper Missouri River Breaks, national monuments, Montana, Missouri River, wilderness, Wild&Scenic, public lands, recent, conservationComment

GOLD BUTTE NATIONAL MONUMENT: Conversations in the Desert

GOLD BUTTE NATIONAL MONUMENT: Conversations in the Desert

We had the chance to spend two days in the Gold Butte National Monument guided by Jim Boone, an expert in Nevada's outdoors and a member of the Board of Directors for Friends of Gold Butte. This is one the monuments listed to be reduced in size as recommended by Secretary Zinke. However, any area taken away from this outstanding national monument would be a great loss.

Interviews, National Parks, USAAndreea LotakDecember 7, 2017national monuments, public lands, nevada, gold butte, recent, nature, conservation, archaeologyComment

THE WILDLANDS CONSERVANCY: Private Initiatives in the Sand to Snow & Mojave Trails National Monuments

THE WILDLANDS CONSERVANCY: Private Initiatives in the Sand to Snow & Mojave Trails National Monuments

The Wildlands Conservancy is an organization whose contributions have been instrumental to the creation of the Sand to Snow and the Mojave Trails National Monuments. We spoke with Jack Thompson, the Regional Director of their desert preserve, about the importance of the two national monuments and the work of The Wildlands Conservancy.

Interviews, National Parks, USAAndreea LotakDecember 7, 2017california, national monument, public lands, sand to snow, mojave trails, mojave desert, conservation, recentComment

ORGAN MOUNTAINS - DESERT PEAKS NATIONAL MONUMENT: A Local Perspective

ORGAN MOUNTAINS - DESERT PEAKS NATIONAL MONUMENT: A Local Perspective

Designated in 2014 and covering ~500,000 acres, the Organ Mountains - Desert Peaks National Monument appeared to rank high on the list of contenders that could be scaled back by the presidential administration. Interview with David Crider, owner of Southwest Expeditions.

National Parks, USA, InterviewsAndreea & Justin LotakDecember 7, 2017Organ Mountains, Desert Peaks, national monuments, New Mexico, nature, recent, public lands, conservation, local economyComment

BASIN AND RANGE NATIONAL MONUMENT: Protecting Nevada's Wild Valleys

BASIN AND RANGE NATIONAL MONUMENT: Protecting Nevada's Wild Valleys

"When you go to Basin and Range you have to think about that notion of sitting on a beach and looking out at the ocean (...) it’s that same kind of serene feeling, similar to sitting on the prairie and looking at its vastness." Interview with Jim Boone, coordinator of efforts to create a local support group for the new national monument.

Interviews, Nature Photography, USAAndreea & Justin LotakDecember 7, 2017Basin and Range, national monument, nevada, conservation, recent, USA, public lands, adventure travelComment

CARRIZO PLAIN NATIONAL MONUMENT - California's Largest Intact Grassland

CARRIZO PLAIN NATIONAL MONUMENT - California's Largest Intact Grassland

Carrizo Plain National Monument is the largest remaining native grassland in the state of California, and though technically not part of the Central Valley (there’s a small mountain range that divides them), the ecosystem within the monument is very similar to that which made up most of the Central Valley prior to it being converted to agriculture. We had the opportunity to speak to both Neil Havlik and Steph Wald with the Carrizo Plain Conservancy, which is currently actively trying to increase the monument’s size.

Interviews, National Parks, USAJustin LotakNovember 29, 2017Carrizo, Plain, National Monument, California, conservancy, grassland, conservation, super bloom, recentComment

CARRIZO PLAIN NATIONAL MONUMENT: In Photos

CARRIZO PLAIN NATIONAL MONUMENT: In Photos

Tucked between the Caliente Range and the Temblor Range lies a unique ecosystem. Most of California's San Joaquin Valley's grasslands have been converted to industrial, agricultural, or urban use - but the Carrizo Plain National Monument is a safe haven for grasses and wildflowers, harboring unique species and bringing visitors from around the world during years when the conditions are just right to cause an explosion of color during the occasional super bloom. In fact, it is the largest single native grassland remaining in California.

Nature Photography, National Parks, USAJustin LotakOctober 27, 2017carrizo, plain, national monument, recent, california, conservation, grassland, wildflowers, los angeles, temblor, caliente Comments

BERRYESSA SNOW MOUNTAIN NATIONAL MONUMENT: California's Great Unknown

BERRYESSA SNOW MOUNTAIN NATIONAL MONUMENT: California's Great Unknown

Stretching across seven counties, the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument is an incredibly diverse conservation land in northern California. Despite its beauty, we found that it remains mostly unknown among locals and visitors to the region alike.

Nature Photography, National Parks, USAAndreea & Justin LotakOctober 24, 2017national monument, public lands, california, outdoors, nature photography, conservation, recentComment

HANFORD REACH NATIONAL MONUMENT: Rare Grasslands on the Columbia River

HANFORD REACH NATIONAL MONUMENT: Rare Grasslands on the Columbia River

We loved this national monument because it defies our standards of beauty, which define what we consider important to protect. It’s also a testimony to the resilience of nature on a 196,000 acres piece of land, surrounded by ecological disaster and extensive agriculture.

National Parks, USAAndreea LotakOctober 17, 2017hanford reach, conservation, Washington state, nature, national monuments, national monument, USA, public lands, recent, nature photography, hiking, outdoors Comment

UPPER MISSOURI RIVER BREAKS: A Monument We Should All See

UPPER MISSOURI RIVER BREAKS: A Monument We Should All See

Floating down the Upper Missouri River is like entering one of those paintings you often see of the west from the 1800s: dry rugged hillsides, with a lush riparian valley filled with wildlife that drink from and depend upon the life-giving waters of the Missouri River.

National Parks, USAJustin LotakOctober 9, 2017Missouri River, National Monument, Montana, wildlife, birds, river, conservation, public lands, wild, scenic, popular Comments

NEW MEXICO'S NATIONAL MONUMENTS AT RISK: A Photo Essay

NEW MEXICO'S NATIONAL MONUMENTS AT RISK: A Photo Essay

A collection of photos from New Mexico's Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument and Rio Grande del Norte National Monument.

Nature Photography, National Parks, USAJustin LotakSeptember 19, 2017national monument, New Mexico, conservation, Organ Mountains, Desert Peaks, Rio Grande, del Norte, biodiversity, recentComment

IN CANCUN’S BACKYARD: Discovering Maya Ka’an (Part II)

IN CANCUN’S BACKYARD: Discovering Maya Ka’an (Part II)

The protection of nature is intricately connected with the protection of the Mayan identities within the authentic Maya Ka’an destination. With shared ownership rights over the land and jungles, the village cooperatives are aware of the power that their decisions have in dictating the faith of the natural ecosystems

Adventure Travel, Private Conservation, MexicoAndreea & Justin LotakAugust 22, 2017maya kaan, mexico, adventure travel, sustainable tourism, Maya, quintana roo, recent, yucatan, nature, conservation, community tourism, explore, off the beaten path, traditions Comment

IN CANCUN’S BACKYARD: Discovering Maya Ka’an (Part I)

IN CANCUN’S BACKYARD: Discovering Maya Ka’an (Part I)

"They should head to Maya Ka’an if they want to be off the beaten path and help conservation efforts, while getting in contact with the Mayan communities." An interview with Gonzalo Merediz Alonso, Executive Director of Amigos de Sian Ka'an, about an incredible destination away from the Mayan Riviera's crowds.