The saying about how “it takes a village” highlights the importance of community support in raising the next generation, but can also apply to the support we, as humankind, can offer our planet, and by extension the generations to come and their ability to enjoy all this wide and wonderful world has to offer.
With a goal of making travel a force for good in the world, this Earth Day, we are highlighting the work being done by our amazing client-partners who are doing more than just guiding travelers through wild places – they are helping to protect them. From rewilding landscapes and supporting local communities to reducing food waste, protecting at-risk species, and championing low-impact travel, these companies are demonstrating how meaningful adventure and sustainability can go hand in hand.
Wilderness Scotland Partners with Leading Rewilding Charity to Restore Scottish Rivers
The leader in sustainable adventure travel recently announced a new partnership with SCOTLAND: The Big Picture, a leading rewilding charity, to help restore and protect Scotland’s rivers through the innovative Riverwoods projects across the charity’s Northwoods Rewilding Network. With support raised by travelers as part of Wilderness Scotland’s Wilderness Conservation & Community Fund, the partnership will plant corridors of native trees like aspen and willow that will work to help create shade along the banks of Scotland’s rivers. The shade cools down the water, providing an ideal environment for spawning Atlantic salmon and the ecosystems that depend on that species’ survival. To learn about the project, click here.
ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours Offers Food for Thought in Sustainable Tourism with Approach to Food Waste on Trips
For ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours, its commitment to sustainability transcends all aspects of its operations – from investing in durable, high-performance bicycles and training tour leaders to prioritizing restaurants and hotels that adopt low-carbon footprint practices. “We choose locally-owned restaurants that source sustainably-grown, regional ingredients,” said Maria Elena Price, co-owner of the company. “We train our Tour Leaders to manage meals to reduce food waste, such as encouraging family-style platters and reasonable portion sizes. We also prioritize locally produced snacks to limit negative environmental impact (sorry banana lovers!) and almost always feature a meat-free day on all our guided tours.” As a rule of thumb for how the company operates, “wherever possible, we try to make sustainability the default choice.”
Explorandes Cements Status as a Leader in Sustainable Travel with B Corp Certification
The Peruvian tour operator that specializes in adventure and sustainable tourism is proud to announce its recent certification as a Certified B Corporation® (B Corp). This global recognition further positions Explorandes as a leader in commercial, environmental, ethical, and sustainable practices, following the company’s more than 20 years of work in identifying and improving various areas of its performance in five distinct categories: governance, employees, community, clients, and environment, with specific measurement indicators, goals, and continuous improvement plans for each. “Our guests are looking for immersive experiences in culture and in nature, the very things we are committed to protecting and preserving,” says Martín Romero, general manager and partner at Explorandes. “The B Corp certification reinforces what has been our mission since the company’s founding 50 years ago, with our commitment to sustainability now measured against internationally recognized standards.”
Oku Japan Places Community Sustainability at the Heart of Everything it Does
Kyoto-based tour operator Oku Japan specializes in sustainable and culturally immersive hiking and trekking tours, while supporting the communities it operates in, always choosing the local option as it works to help to preserve traditional ways of life. One of the many initiatives that Oku is involved in is regular maintenance along the Nakasendo Trail, which is minimally funded and quickly becomes an issue if it isn’t maintained. Gathering volunteers from its Kyoto office and Kumano Kodo branch, the team clears overgrown branches, trims back grasses, and cleans signage along the trail. The same applies to controlling the growth of the bamboo in the region, with April being the start of the growing season here. The team assists in trimming back and removing bamboo to help maintain the landscape, as well as harvesting the shoots, which the community uses in a variety of ways, from textiles to cooking.
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Wilderness Travel Contributes to Rhino Conservation in Zimbabwe
Through a collection of specially planned conservation safaris, Wilderness Travel offers guests unique opportunities to learn about, and participate in, conservation efforts led by researchers and communities that protect some of the world’s most at-risk species, including specially adapted Desert Giraffe and Desert Lion in Namibia, and the White Rhino of Eastern Africa. In Ngamo, Zimbabwe, Wilderness Travel works with the Community Rhino Conservation Initiative to incorporate learning about the work and programs of this community-led organization into the overall journey, with Wilderness guests on hand to celebrate as two rhino bulls were introduced into the sanctuary last summer. “Trips that have a positive and tangible impact on the places they visit is the direction that the tourism industry is moving in, and we couldn’t be prouder to be part of it,” says Scott Abbott, managing partner of Wilderness Travel, as the company continues to grow its portfolio of trips with impact.
To learn more about all the above companies, visit us online at Bannikin.com or connect with us on LinkedIn.