GALAPAGOS NATIONAL PARK: January 2017 

Although we were reluctant to the idea of including the Galapagos Islands into the Conservation Atlas journey — due to high numbers of tourists — upon visiting we discovered much more than we expected about how the national park is successfully handling the recovery of biodiversity and the influx of tourists. It was an unexpected learning opportunity and what we found there gave us hope for the future of the islands' famous wildlife.

CONSERVATION IN PATAGONIA: February - June 2017

From research projects at world's end, to private initiatives turned into national parks in Tierra del Fuego and all the way up to Valdivia, where parks and coastal reserves protect a unique and endangered ecosystem, Chilean Patagonia is a land of incredible nature and of remarkable projects that help keep it wild.

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR COLLABORATIONS WITH THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS IN CHILE: 

NATURE & COMMUNITY TOURISM IN THE YUCATAN PENINSULA: June 2017 

A small change in our plans took us to Mexico, to the state of Quintana Roo. Home to mass tourism hubs like Cancún or Tulum, the region is often disregarded as an adventure and nature destination. During the two weeks spent in Quintana Roo, we set out to discover its more hidden side and to help bring to light its outstanding wild landscapes and biodiversity. In the spotlight was the rather new Maya Ka'an destination in the heart of the Maya zone, bordered by the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve.

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR COLLABORATIONS WITH THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS IN MEXICO: 

REWILDING IN THE IBERÁ WETLANDS: June - July 2017 

We wanted to visit and write about the complex wetland ecosystems in the Esteros del Iberá because this is the place where Tompkins Conservation is leading a ground-breaking project to restore the jaguar population now extinct in the region, among other successful reintroductions. Located in the north of Argentina, Iberá is a wetland area similar to the Brazilian Pantanal. It protects Argentina’s largest fresh water resource and is the birthplace of several rivers including the impressive Paraná. What we found in Iberá was one of the most inspiring, full of hope conservation projects we witnessed throughout these first two years. One of the results of our visit is our first short documentary, “Conserving Iberá: An Interview with Kristine McDivitt Tompkins”, which is currently making its rounds in international film festivals.

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE COLLABORATION WITH: 

NATIONAL MONUMENTS IN THE WEST: August - November 2017 

Between August - November 2017 we drove to many national monuments in the western US, while the presidential administration had them under review to potentially open them up for extractive industries. Since we wanted to contribute to the national movement to raise awareness of the importance of protected public lands, we set out to visit 20 national monuments, went backpacking, took pictures, and interviewed people involved in their creation, as well as stakeholders that are benefiting from having these monuments in their backyards. For an interactive map of our itinerary head here.

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR COLLABORATIONS WITH THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS IN THE US: 

PROTECTING A RIVER: December 2017

In Fiji,  the government and various organizations have largely contributed to ocean conservation and to mitigation efforts of climate change. While there, we learned about mangrove reforestation, shark conservation and the country's first land protected area and only RAMSAR site, called the Upper Navua Conservation Area. The latter is the result of a partnership between the local land owners and a river rafting company which became the steward of the Upper Navua. This represents a perfect example of nature-based tourism as a partner for conservation and is the central story reported during our stay in Fiji. 

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE COLLABORATION WITH: 

HIKING THE TE ARAROA TRAIL: January - March 2018

In early January 2018 we started hiking almost 500 km (300 mi) on sections of the Te Araroa trail, from its southernmost point outside Bluff all the way to the Queen Charlotte Track at the northern tip of the South Island. Documenting what it takes to walk this long distance trail is the main reason we visited New Zealand, as we wanted to understand what difference such a project can make for conservation and for the local communities. Long distance trails give visitors the opportunity to connect on a more intimate level with the landscape and the biodiversity that they get to discover at a walking pace. Coming soon is a short film which includes interviews with TA backpackers and local residents.

IN NEW ZEALAND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL BACKPACKERS AND LOCALS IN COMMUNITIES ALONG THE TRAIL WHO GAVE US A FEW MINUTES OF THEIR TIME FOR INTERVIEWS. WE ARE ALSO GRATEFUL FOR THE INITIATIVE AND STEWARDSHIP OF THE TE ARAROA TRUST. 

WET TROPICS OF QUEENSLAND & THE GREAT BARRIER REEF UNESCO HERITAGE SITES: March 2018 

We spent several weeks in Australia along the east coast, exploring some of its tropical rainforest and learning about the state of the Great Barrier Reef. After the barrage of bad news regarding the unavoidable death of one of nature's wonders, local organizations are working to put out a message of hope about the reef. Both the private and the government sectors have gotten strongly involved in finding solutions and mitigating the crisis, and it now seems that there is some chance of survival for the Great Barrier Reef. Interviews and stories will soon be published on the blog. 

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE COLLABORATION WITH: 

RAJA AMPAT, KALIMANTAN AND SUMATRA: April - May 2018 

From scuba diving in West Papua, in the Raja Ampat Marine Park, to learning about on-the-ground efforts to help orangutans survive the devastation brought by palm oil plantations in Sumatra and Kalimantan, we got to experience some of Indonesia's most precious and fragile wild places. Stories coming soon on the blog and in a short film. 

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR COLLABORATIONS WITH THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS IN INDONESIA: 

HOME OF ENDLESS GRASSLANDS: July 2018 

The Betpak Dala steppe is a huge area almost the size of France. Several organizations have formed an international alliance to try to protect this area in its entirety, while initially focusing on a smaller 5 million ha protected reserve, Altyn Dala, hosting what was the largest population of saiga antelope in the country. Another goal is to connect several protected areas through migration corridors. Sadly, in the spring of 2015 almost 90% of the already endangered saiga population died as a result of an epidemic, but their numbers are now bouncing back. With the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK) taking over the conservation efforts in the Altyn Dala Reserve and the larger Betpak Dala region, our plan was to head there on one of their tours and learn more about what's at stake in this extensive grassland/steppe. The result of the trip will soon be on the blog. 

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE COLLABORATION WITH: 

A PROJECT TO CREATE “EUROPE’S LARGEST FOREST NATIONAL PARK”: July - October 2018

Home to the largest forests and populations of bears, wolves and lynx in the European Union, Romania is a treasure for conservation and for adventure travel. Unfortunately, the past few decades have seen a continuous destruction of the forest cover due to illegal cutting and to the timber industry, but there is still real hope to create here Europe's largest forest national park in the near future. This is the goal toward which Foundation Conservation Carpathia (FCC) is working, buying up forested lands, restoring natural forests that have been clear-cut, establishing sustainable population counts for various species, doing community work, building tourism infrastructure and more. We spent a few months filming and documenting the work FCC is doing in the Fagaras Mountains, where they hope to create the continent's equivalent to Yellowstone National Park and a wilderness reserve for the protection of large carnivores. Stories soon on the blog & in a short documentary.

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE COLLABORATION WITH:  

REWILDING THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS: September 2018

The main reason for our trip to Scotland was to meet and interview Paul Lister, founder of The European Nature Trust (TENT) and owner of the Alladale Wilderness Reserve, for our short documentary about Romania’s Fagaras Mountains. Paul has been involved in conservation work in Romania for a long time and is currently supporting the projects of Foundation Conservation Carpathia (FCC) through TENT. But in Scotland he is involved in a similarly ambitious project to help bring back wild nature to his Alladale Wilderness Reserve. Management of deer populations, relocation of red squirrels and a captive breeding program for Scottish wildcats, as well as using Highland cattle for preservation of biodiversity are some of the steps taken to begin a long process of restoring the original ecosystems of the Scottish Highlands. Once covered by lush forests, the hills are now bare due to human intervention over many centuries. There is one key species still missing that Paul and his team are hoping to bring back despite bureaucratic complications and controversy: the wolf. Wolves would mean less deer, the balance restored to the ecosystem, and ultimately the return of the forest cover. Until then, a visit to Alladale today is still a beautiful journey to “the wild side of the Highlands”. Stories soon on the blog.

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR COLLABORATIONS WITH THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS IN SCOTLAND: