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2015/2016 IMPACT REPORT TM

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2015/2016 IMPACT REPORT

TM

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

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