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DEAR TRAVELER,
Every day, Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic sends
curious travelers out into the world. And, every day, our
travelers tell us they are impressed and inspired by the
people and environments they encounter. This opportunity to
experience intact wilderness, the magic of a whale emerging
from the water, and the daily challenges of communities
dependent on the natural world often leads our travelers
to want to support critical projects in these special places.
To address this desire, we created the Lindblad Expeditions-
National Geographic (LEX-NG) Fund.
Because of you, our joint commitment to conservation,
research, education, and community development has
never been stronger. With donations from our guests in
2015, we provided 22 grants to worthy projects across the
globe, including in Southeast Alaska, Baja California, Central
America, Galápagos, the Peruvian Amazon, Antarctica,
Cambodia, and the Pacific Northwest—investing $2.1 million
in efforts that benefit our planet’s wildest places and the
people who live there.
Embedded in the stories that follow are many reasons to
celebrate. Because of your spirit, generosity, and commitment
to exploration and conservation, we have made a difference
in the world together.
Thank you for joining our efforts and making so much good
possible, the world over.
All the best,
BROOKE RUNNETTE Executive Vice President, Chief Exploration and Impact Officer, National Geographic Society
SVEN-OLOF LINDBLAD Chief Executive Officer, Lindblad Expeditions
AS A LINDBLAD EXPEDITIONS-NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELER,
you make important conservation, research, education, and community development work possible. With your support in 2015, we contributed $2.1 million to projects that benefit the places we explore together. Each grant proves that travel is more than exploration; it creates positive change in the world.
$2.1 MILLIONMAKING A DIFFERENCE
Travelers who choose Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic allow us to take our approach to travel a step further. Not only do we provide meaningful experiences in remarkable locations, but we also leave the places we explore better than we found them. Your LEX-NG Fund investment supports crucial conservation efforts, ensuring that wildlife and ecosystems will be protected.
CARING ENOUGH TO CONSERVE
From protecting the last wild places in the ocean to removing invasive
species from the Galápagos Islands, your donations are making a meaningful,
positive impact in the world. Artisanal fishermen in Costa Rica are adopting
responsible fishing practices. Local communities in Baja California are
becoming sustainable tour operators. Volunteers planted more than
12,000 trees along the Pacific Northwest’s Lower Columbia River estuary.
Filmmakers in Southeast Alaska created a documentary to spread awareness
about pollution threatening local waters (see opposite page). All of this, and
much more, happened because of your support of the LEX-NG Fund.
Your generosity allows us to support projects focused on conservation and
resource management, while empowering people in the places we explore
to become stewards of their environment. Together, we are making a
difference and helping to protect species and places that matter to the
health of our planet.
CONSERVATION
Clockwise from top left: Veterinarian with Darwin Animal Doctors treats a patient; Southeast Alaska residents monitor salmon in a stream near their village; Columbia Land Trust owns and cares for chum salmon spawning grounds; videographer documents marine life on a Pristine Seas expedition in Galápagos.
REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
n BAJA CALIFORNIA
NOS Noroeste Sustentable: Restoration and management of clams and scallops in La Paz Ensenada. Local fishers and
their families from a low-
income neighborhood in La Paz
improved their livelihoods by
reintroducing 500,000 native
scallops through aquaculture
activities in 2015, doubling the
local scallop population in one
year and increasing the clam
population from 83,644 to
3 million. When the bivalve
fishery is back to sustainable
levels, it will provide year-round
jobs for the community.
RED de Turismo Sustentable: Development and regulation of tourism activities in protected areas. RED developed a tourism
training program for residents
who live in priority conservation
areas, including Magdalena
Bay and the coastal corridor
between Loreto and La Paz.
37 people participated in
forums, workshops, courses, and
environmental education events.
n GALÁPAGOS
Darwin Animal Doctors (DAD): DAD led three campaigns to
sterilize domestic cats and dogs
in order to reduce the number
of feral animals on the islands,
thus reducing the spread of
disease. DAD has also worked
with local groups on sea turtle
rehabilitation and release.
Galápagos National Park: The
Park developed sustainable
pelagic fishing alternatives
and strengthened training
efforts and management at
visitor sites.
Island Conservation: A first-
time grant from LEX-NG
is supporting a large-scale
project to sustain the native
environment of Floreana
through the eradication of
invasive animals.
n PRISTINE SEAS
2015 Expeditions: Selvagens
Islands; Seychelles; Galápagos
Islands; Arctic: Last Ice Area
2015 Success Stories: Pristine
Seas helped protect over
1.6 million square kilometers
of ocean in 2015, including
830,000 square kilometers
in the Pitcairn Islands,
297,000 square kilometers
in the Desventuradas
Islands, and 500,000 square
kilometers in Palau.
n SOUTHEAST ALASKA
Sitka Conservation Society (SCS): SCS used its grant to
implement its “Storytelling
for Change” project, which
aims to achieve social and
environmental change
through storytelling,
across 32 communities and
20 million acres of Alaska.
Southeast Alaska Conservation Council (SEACC): SEACC’s “We
Eat Fish!” video, developed
with LEX-NG support,
celebrates Southeast Alaska’s
deep connection to seafood
and the ocean, while clearly
explaining a complex loophole
that currently leaves Alaska’s
waters vulnerable to pollution.
3
“”
It is so inspiring to see how, when given the chance, people from virtually every walk of life choose conservation.
— GLENN LAMB, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,
COLUMBIA LAND TRUST
$1.3MINVESTED
WITH YOUR SUPPORT, WE INVEST IN CONSERVATION
PROJECTS THAT ENSURE A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
CONSERVATION
CONSERVATION PROJECTS HAPPEN IN THE PLACES WE EXPLORE
Your donation makes critical scientific research possible. To successfully preserve ecosystems and wildlife, we need to understand them first. Research projects you supported shed light on the best ways to conduct conservation efforts and help inform protection strategies based on changing conditions and growing human populations.
INFORMING PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
Your support allows scientists to pursue research that will help us understand
the many threats facing marine and terrestrial ecosystems and how we can
prevent the decline of critical species. The LEX-NG Fund supports a range of
projects, from monitoring bat populations in Southeast Alaska to tracking the
effects of climate change on marine ecosystems surrounding Baja California.
The National Geographic Explorer continues to serve as a platform for
scientists studying the relationship between Antarctic killer whales and their
prey (see opposite page). In the waters surrounding Alaska and Galápagos,
scientists are monitoring interactions between animals living there and people
who rely on marine resources for their livelihoods.
Earlier this year, the government of Ecuador reviewed research presented by
the National Geographic Society’s Pristine Seas team and others and agreed
to strengthen protections in the Galápagos Marine Reserve. This action
ensures that an area with the largest biomass of sharks in the world will be
protected into the future.
RESEARCH
Clockwise from top left: Alaska Whale Foundation’s terrestrial bat monitoring equipment; an endangered whale shark in the Galápagos Marine Reserve; scientist Dr. William Gilly conducts ecological research in Baja California; researchers in Antarctica use an unmanned drone to take aerial photographs of killer whales.
REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
n ANTARCTICA
Whale Research Solutions: Marine mammal scientists
used a hexacopter to collect
aerial photos of individual
killer whales. The photos will
allow the scientists to make
the first length measurements
of these whales and may
help determine whether they
represent a distinct species. The
team was also able to collect
more than 4,500 identification
photographs, and thousands
more were contributed by
Lindblad-National Geographic
guests and naturalists. These
photos will contribute to
long-term efforts to estimate
abundance for each type of
killer whale.
n BAJA CALIFORNIA
Long-term Ecological Monitoring in the Gulf of California. Dr. William Gilly collects data
on salinity, oxygen levels, and
water temperatures at different
depths in the water-column
and uses this data to analyze
changes occurring in the
Gulf over time. Through this
research, Dr. Gilly has discovered
evidence that climate change
is having an effect deep in our
oceans. A significant decrease
in oxygen levels and an increase
in temperatures at depths of
300 feet have been found over
much of the Gulf of California
since 2010.
n GALÁPAGOS
Charles Darwin Foundation: Ecology of Sharks in the Galápagos Marine Reserve (GMR). Dr. Pelayo
Salinas and his team completed
a total of 67 field work days
and collected 1,250 hours of
stereoscopic (360º) footage.
This is the most comprehensive
survey of sharks in the region to
date and establishes a baseline
for the distribution and relative
abundance of sharks across the
GMR. Dr. Salinas’s team also
conducted Dive Operated Video
Surveys at 10 sites around
Darwin and Wolf Islands during
the warm, cold, and transition
months. The aim of this high-
resolution sampling was to
evaluate the impact of the
El Niño Southern Oscillation
on shark assemblages.
Galápagos National Park: The Galápagos National Park
continues to monitor the sea
cucumber fishery, a key fishery
in the Galápagos Marine Reserve.
Fishermen are helping with data
collection and will ultimately
be part of the decision-making
process on whether the fishery
will close or remain open.
n SOUTHEAST ALASKA
Alaska Whale Foundation (AWF): Bat monitoring project. AWF worked with biologists at
the Alaska Department of Fish
and Game to establish acoustic
bat detectors in the forest/
muskeg habitats surrounding the
Center for Coastal Conservation.
Volunteers monitored the
equipment during the summer,
until the bats began to migrate
and hibernate in October.
Sperm whale/fisheries interactions. AWF began
monitoring sperm whales to
support the Southeast Alaska
Sperm Whale Avoidance
Project, a collaborative effort
to investigate and address
the growing regional problem
of sperm whales plundering
commercial longline fishing gear.
5
“”
It’s exciting to know that many of the projects I’m involved in will act as a foundation for future studies in Southeast Alaska.
— ANDY SZABO, DIRECTOR, ALASKA WHALE FOUNDATION
WITH YOUR SUPPORT, WE INVEST IN RESEARCH PROJECTS THAT
ADVANCE SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE
RESEARCH
RESEARCH PROJECTS HAPPEN IN THE PLACES WE EXPLORE
$478KINVESTED
REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
n CAMBODIA
Organization for Basic Training (OBT): OBT used our funding to construct
a new building in Chiro Village that
will support volunteers and serve
as a library and computer lab for
local people.
Kampong Tralach Library: The
community of Kampong Tralach
received funding for teacher and
librarian salaries, books, teaching
materials, internet service, electricity,
and interactive learning materials.
n GALÁPAGOS
Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF): Ecuadorian environmental educator
Daniela Vilema joined the CDF team
to design and conduct an education
and awareness campaign about
sharks. With a motto of “Protect the fins and the ocean wins,”
the campaign has reached over
1,500 children between the ages
of 9 and 12, highlighting the
importance of sharks and the need
to conserve this critical species.
Tomás de Berlanga School: This year,
the school graduated its largest
class since opening. 20% of the
class was supported by scholarships
made possible by the LEX-NG Fund.
100% of graduates are bound for
university-level education.
n GROSVENOR TEACHER FELLOWS
Celebrating its 10th year, the GTF
program has supported 145 teachers
from 44 U.S. states, three Canadian
provinces, and Washington, DC. The
program provides a hands-on, field-
based professional development
opportunity for K–12 educators
from formal and informal teaching
environments. Fellows become
ambassadors for geographic literacy
and use their experience to develop
innovative projects for active
student learning.
6
Clockwise from top: Teachers engage in professional development aboard National Geographic Explorer; a student studies English at Kampong Tralach Library; a construction worker smooths posts for Organization for Basic Training’s new building; characters in Galápagos raise awareness about sharks and ocean health.
“”
My LEX-NG scholarship has allowed me to learn English and develop new ways of thinking and of seeing the world.
— KENIA CORREA, TOMÁS DE BERLANGA
GRADUATE, CLASS OF 2016
$253KINVESTED
OUR EDUCATION PROJECTS BENEFIT STUDENTS
AND COMMUNITIES ALIKE
EDUCATION
EDUCATION PROJECTS HAPPEN IN THE
PLACES WE EXPLORE
We believe in the power of education to change lives. With your support, we give students, educators, and community members opportunities to become—or to inspire—the next generation of environmentally conscious leaders. Your donation helps these stewards of the environment use their awareness of our planet’s interconnectedness to find long-term solutions to conservation challenges.
LEARNING THE VALUE OF NATURE
Your donations are helping today’s young people become tomorrow’s leaders.
By helping students see that life everywhere depends on the health of the
natural world, we are giving long-term conservation efforts their best chance at
success. Your contributions support everything from professional development
opportunities for K–12 educators, to public campaigns spreading awareness
of environmental issues, to student scholarships in Galápagos, and the
construction of libraries in rural Cambodian villages (see opposite page).
Your support of the LEX-NG Fund is expanding educational opportunities in
developing areas around the world. Together, we are spreading awareness of
the ways that human and natural systems must work in harmony to survive and
to thrive. “Education is powerful,” says Sophal Pot, founder of Organization for
Basic Training in Cambodia and a recent grantee. “It’s the key to changing the lives of the people here.”
EDUCATION
REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
n PERUVIAN AMAZON
Minga Peru: Fish Ponds for Food and Economic Security. With technical
support from Minga Peru, over
20 fish ponds were constructed by
and for community members, with
an additional 10 ponds in progress.
Local people raise fish, perform
maintenance tasks, and restock
the ponds over time.
Preventing Deforestation and Promoting Agroforestry. Minga
Peru cares for native plants in
nurseries—including mahogany,
cedar, wild cacao, and fungi—and
provides timber-yielding saplings
and fruit trees to community
members so they can implement
agroforestry programs on former
farmland. To date, Minga has
delivered more than 800 plants.
The organization has also led
workshops on the topic of
deforestation, which included
training in agroforestry as a
solution for communities along
the Marañón River. These
workshops have benefited
275 men, women, and youth.
n GALÁPAGOS
Artisan Program: San Cristóbal Adaptive Glass Reuse Project. This project had the dual goals
of reducing the amount of glass
in the waste stream and providing
training for local artisans to gain
more value from their products.
Approximately 45 people from
San Cristóbal participated and
now have the skills necessary
to adaptively reuse glass waste
and transform it into beautiful
glassware and jewelry.
8
Clockwise from top: With Minga Peru’s support, residents of the Peruvian Amazon collect fish from a fishpond; fishponds reduce stress on rivers and provide food security; tumbler created from a recycled glass bottle in Galápagos; artisans in Galápagos learn skills to adaptively reuse recycled glass.
“”
I appreciate the deep respect and understanding that LEX-NG has regarding the relationship between people and nature.
— ELIANA ELIAS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,
MINGA PERU
$77KINVESTED
OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS GIVE PEOPLE A MORE SECURE FUTURE
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS HAPPEN
IN THE PLACES WE EXPLORE
Your contribution to the LEX-NG Fund is improving lives in the places you visited. Local people are able to learn new skills, improve food security, and access new opportunities for education that will bring long-term benefits to individuals and families. With basic needs met, residents are better able to help protect the places they call home.
SECURING COMMUNITIES FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
Conservation cannot be separated from the people who depend on local natural
resources for survival. There is often a deep, even spiritual, connection to nature,
particularly in indigenous communities. Salmon is as crucial to some cultures in
Southeast Alaska as the rainforest is to indigenous peoples of the Amazon. When
poverty strains a community and residents are struggling to secure adequate
food, shelter, and other basic needs, the relationship between people and nature
can be strained.
By empowering residents with the tools to achieve economic and food security,
your generosity is improving lives and promoting environmental stewardship.
Your donations are helping rural, indigenous families in the Amazon build and
maintain income-generating fishponds, and artisans in Galápagos sell handcrafts
made from recycled and repurposed goods (see opposite page). Together, we are
empowering communities in the places we explore with tools to build a secure,
sustainable future.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
ANTARCTICA
GALÁPAGOS
SOUTHEAST ALASKA
PACIFIC NORTHWEST
CENTRAL AMERICA
n SOUTHEAST ALASKA
n Alaska Whale Foundation n Southeast Alaska Conservation Society n Sitka Conservation Society
National Geographic Sea Bird National Geographic Sea Lion
n PACIFIC NORTHWEST
n Columbia Land Trust
National Geographic Sea Bird National Geographic Sea Lion
n BAJA CALIFORNIA
n Gulf of California Conservation Fund n Dr. William Gilly’s Ecosystem and
Climate Research
National Geographic Sea Bird National Geographic Sea Lion
n CENTRAL AMERICA
n MarViva
National Geographic Sea Lion
ACTIVE PROJECTS
100% of your donation supported on-the-ground projects in the region(s) where you traveled. This map shows the locations of active projects in 2015–2016, a listing of our grantees by region, and allocations made to each of our Fund’s priority areas.
10
71% 29%
100%
69% 31%
100%
PERUVIAN AMAZON
PRISTINE SEAS
GROSVENOR TEACHER FELLOWS
BAJA CALIFORNIA
n GALÁPAGOS
n Charles Darwin Foundation n Galápagos National Park n Tomás de Berlanga School n Darwin Animal Doctors n Island Conservation n San Cristóbal Adaptive Glass Reuse
Project for Local Artisans
National Geographic Endeavour National Geographic Islander
n PERUVIAN AMAZON
n Minga Peru
Delfin II
n ANTARCTICA
n Killer Whale Research
National Geographic Explorer
n CAMBODIA
n Kampong Tralach English Language Library n Organization for Basic Training
Jahan
n GLOBAL
n Pristine Seas n Grosvenor Teacher Fellow Program n Turning Off the Faucet of Microplastics Pollution n Lindblad-National Geographic Artisan Fund
National Geographic Explorer National Geographic Orion National Geographic Endeavour
54% 30% 2% 14%
11
CAMBODIA
100%
100%
33% 67%
79% 7% 3% 11%
DISTRIBUTION OF GRANTS 2015–2016
GRANTS 2008–2015
“
FUND AT A GLANCE
The Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Fund supports efforts to restore the health and productivity of the ocean at a global scale and to positively impact the natural and human communities in the regions we travel together.
12
FUND HISTORY
n 2008: Fund established–Galápagos and Baja
n 2009: Alaska and Antarctica regions added
n 2012: Innovation Grants started
n 2013: Cambodia and Amazon regions added
n 2014: Launched five-year support of Pristine Seas aboard flagships
n 2014: Pacific Northwest and Central America regions added
61% | Conservation
23% | Research
12% | Education
4% | Community Development
‘08
‘09
‘10
‘11
‘12
‘13
‘14
‘15
$144,943
$568,304
$393,912
$291,037
$736,911
$834,567
$1,451,054
$2,097,828
Our travels have enabled us to visit many special and unique places on planet Earth. We are delighted to help in efforts to protect, enhance and preserve these wonderful environments.
— ALAN AND JOANN, TRAVELERS
2008–2015
$6.5MINVESTED
LEX-
NG F
UND
DONO
RS
”
WITH YOUR SUPPORT, THE LEX-NG FUND continues to advance important conservation, research, education, and community development projects in the regions we travel. The enthusiasm our guests have for these efforts inspires us every day. Thank you for your commitment to the people and places that make our planet so remarkable. To renew your support, visit donate.ngs.org/LEXimpact.
THANK YOUFOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE
”
The Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Fund
supports efforts to restore the health and productivity of
the ocean at a global scale and to positively impact the
natural and human communities in the regions Lindblad
Expeditions and National Geographic travel together.
To give online and increase the positive impact we
make together, visit: donate.ngs.org/LEXimpact.
For more information about the LEX-NG Fund or the
projects we support around the world, contact
Amy Berquist (Lindblad Expeditions) and Valerie Craig
(National Geographic) at [email protected].
© Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Fund, 2016
LEX-NG FUND BOARD MEMBERS
Brooke Runnette
Executive Vice President,
Chief Exploration and Impact Officer,
National Geographic Society
Sven-Olof Lindblad
Chief Executive Officer,
Lindblad Expeditions
John Francis
Former Vice President of Research,
Conservation, and Exploration,
National Geographic Society
Lorenzo Rosenzweig
Director General,
Fondo Mexicano para la
Conservación de la Naturaleza
PH
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