During the 2010 ATWS panel on Visual Storytelling, NomadsLand debuted a video co-production it created in conjunction with Florida’s Dragonfly Expeditions. The project was designed to instruct tour operators and tourism boards how to create “signature films” and interactive marketing campaigns to use visual  storytelling in establishing direct relationships with potential travelers through ads and social media.

Founder Davin Hutchins said, “Creating simple yet compelling storylines through video about these companies and destinations is really the future of adventure travel. Emphasizing environmental stewardship, triple-bottom-line values and soft adventure in the language of video will be key as the industry goes mainstream.”

From Dragonfly’s blog:

The Labor Day weekend of 2010 brought an exciting opportunity to Dragonfly Expeditions: Our company was selected by  NomadsLand among several contestants to have a professionally produced video shot and edited to be presented at the ATTA World Summit in Scotland in October of 2010.  Davin Hutchins from  traveled to South Florida to capture the sights and sounds that exemplify Dragonfly Expeditions’ journeys and philosophy.

Nomadsland has a unique approach to filmmaking which became very apparent to us when we saw several examples of their work. Their goal is to curate, create and distribute visual media that raises awareness and support of businesses, foundations and NGOs seeking to reshape our planet for a better future by telling inspirational stories of the greening of business, responsible tourism, sustainable global development and the advent of social capitalism.  The goal of the 3-day shoot with Dragonfly Expeditions was not to come up with a mere “clip”, but rather an actual short film or “micro-documentary” which would explore in-depth what the values are that make Dragonfly Expeditions stand out and that drive the relationships our company entertains with its clients, staff, vendors and friends.

Read more…

Climate change has become one of the most complex and pressing environmental issue of this century. But while many of us agree that we must do something, the challenge sometimes seems great. What small action can you take to make a difference? Go Zero. The Conservation Fund’s Go Zero program makes it simple for individuals, corporations, or even entire communities to first measure their carbon dioxide emissions, learn helpful ways to reduce those emissions, and then offset the remainder by planting trees.

Did you know?

Estimates are that as much as 50% of the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide over the last 50 years may be due to the effects of changing land use patterns. In the United States alone, we lose more than two million acres of forests, farmland and natural landscapes each year to development. And in the Lower Mississippi River Valley, more than 20 million acres of native forestland have been cleared in the last century.

While restoring America’s forests alone will not stop global warming, given the scale of the effort required to tackle climate change, we need to pursue new technologies that help us reduce our footprint and at the same time, recognize and use the tools we have at our fingertips.

In recent years, economic reforms have transformed India into one of the fastest growing economies. However, low-income areas abound, and high levels of illiteracy and malnutrition continue to affect social progress. Issues like these along with the caste system — the traditional social hierarchy of Indian society — contribute to the socio-economic divide within the population. Throughout its history, India has proven to be a center of social activism, change, and resilience. Our Partner Programs in India reflect these values and strive to provide necessary services that improve the lives of community members.

In recent years, many advances have been made to improve healthcare, hygiene, and education. However, malnutrition, disease, and the large economic divide between well-paid workers and low-paid workers have hindered some of this progress. In addition, the population in Ghana has been growing more quickly than facilities to provide proper social services can be created. One way that Ghanaians have used to tackle these issues is to create community NGOs to help provide the basic social services that residents need.

Cross-Cultural Solutions is a recognized leader in the field of international volunteering, founded in 1995. CCS has a worldwide staff of over 200 people and has been profiled in more than 500 news outlets.

The Conservation Fund and award winning filmmakers from Nomadsland have teamed up to create our first ever environmental documentary. The 5-6 minute high-definition film features the Fund’s partnership with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Gaiam and its customers as they help address two of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges – habitat loss and climate change.

Gaiam, a lifestyle company, has collaborated with the Fund’s Go Zero program since 2006 by offering its customers the opportunity to zero out the carbon footprint associated with shipping their purchase. Gaiam was the first company in the U.S. to offer such a program. “We know the option for our customers to zero out the carbon impact of shipping their Gaiam order is important to them,” said Christopher Fisher, director of customer experience. “At Gaiam, we believe simple choices make a difference. Providing access to Go Zero is a simple, yet significant way our customers can help the earth. We congratulate The Conservation Fund on the planting of its millionth tree and are proud to be their partner.”

But thanks to the efforts of Conservation International the population of Mountain Gorillas is starting to grow by informing, educating and protecting the land that helps to sustain these beautiful animals.

Our field work includes expeditions to remote places that are the strongholds of biodiversity, and helps local communities protect the forests, rivers, lakes, mangroves and wetlands that provide shelter, fresh water, food, carbon storage and protection from storms. CI leverages those discoveries and experience to rally public engagement and call on governments to secure the sustainable management of vast swaths of abundant, threatened ocean and sea.

This groundbreaking ATTA Webinar was with Davin Hutchins, founder of NomadsLand. NomadsLand is an interactive marketing company and video publishing platform for socially- and environmentally-conscious tour operators, tourism boards and adventure travel firms. In this crash course, Davin explained how to develop an overall video marketing strategy, how to produce a definitive “micro-documentary,” how to partner with fellow tour operators and tourism boards on co-productions, how to set up your own HD video shop for under $5,000 and how to syndicate your microdocs and video in widgets that actually book reservations. ATTA professionals work in an increasingly competitive landscape. To rise above the noise on the web, travel professionals and sustainable destinations must master video and social media. Give your future guests vicarious travel experiences online that convince them to come to you.

Travelocity and its customers have helped the Fund’s Go Zero program plant more than 23,000 trees since 2007. “We’re proud to work with The Conservation Fund to help restore America’s forests,” said Alison Presley, manager of Travelocity’s Travel for Good program. “Every time a Travelocity customer makes a donation, it’s a small but important step toward a greener, leafier tomorrow.”

Climate change has become one of the most complex and pressing environmental issue of this century. But while many of us agree that we must do something, the challenge sometimes seems great. What small action can you take to make a difference? Go Zero. The Conservation Fund’s Go Zero program makes it simple for individuals, corporations, or even entire communities to first measure their carbon dioxide emissions, learn helpful ways to reduce those emissions, and then offset the remainder by planting trees.

The Conservation Fund and award winning filmmakers from Nomadsland have teamed up to create our first ever environmental documentary. The 5-6 minute high-definition film features the Fund’s partnership with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Travelocity’s Travel for Good Program, and Travelocity’s customers as they help address two of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges – habitat loss and climate change.