Our project this summer!

Beerguzzler

Beerguzzler

Beerguzzler

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Joined
12 May 2007
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456
Location
Horley, Earth, Universe
Hey everyone,

Just thought I'd tell you about what I am doing this summer. Basically I will be spending 6 weeks in the Peruvian rainforest doing research on the biodiversity in an attempt to preserve the habitats which are there. Depending on our findings, the part of the rainforest we will be in may be bought for conserving.

There are 6 of us going and we are all part of the University of Glasgow's zoological society which helps set up these expeditions with guidance from the departments lecturers/researchers.

We need to raise roughly £19,000 to make this happen including the flights which we are paying for (around £850 each) meaning we need to raise an awful lot to pay for equipment, food, permits and wages for the guides/scientists. If anyone here can help out by sharing fundraising ideas or donating any amount we will be very grateful. :D

This is the new site I set up, basic but has all the info about the expedition in further detail if anyone would like to know more and a donation page. :)

I'll also post up the pics and blog on return.

Thanks for reading,

Chris
 
Donating money so you can have a summer holiday, albeit a working one?

Think I'll save up for my own holiday ta.
 
nydryl said:
Donating money so you can have a summer holiday, albeit a working one?

Think I'll save up for my own holiday ta.
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Some of us will be travelling before yes but completely out of our own pocket. The work we are doing once there is going to be very hard, waking up before the sun comes up, walking a lot of km through the day, eating a very limited diet, and getting little sleep. I did an expedition to Bolivia last summer and it really didn't feel anything like a holiday that's for sure, I was knackered most of the time haha.

What happens if you only make, say, £12K? Do the people get their money back?
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It will go to next years expedition.

What about grants etc.?
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We do get generous grants but need to make up a fair amount (over 3k) through other activities.
 
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nydryl said:
Donating money so you can have a summer holiday
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That's exactly what people do so teenagers like myself can go on a 'world challenge' or 'expedition', commonly known as a holiday. So I'd say the possibility of raising money from collections and charity stalls at events is very real, although to be honest, a job would probably pay much better.

But, I of course wouldn't donate money to this cause either, for the same reason as nydryl :).
 
If the aim is to see if the area is suitable to be bought for conservation, why can't you afford to do the surveying? Surely sending 6 guys + equipment would be a fraction of the total cost of buying a big chunk of land.
 
GreatAuk said:
That's exactly what people do so teenagers like myself can go on a 'world challenge' or 'expedition', commonly known as a holiday. So I'd say the possibility of raising money from collections and charity stalls at events is very real, although to be honest, a job would probably pay much better.

But, I of course wouldn't donate money to this cause either, for the same reason as nydryl :).
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Ok, thanks anyway. Just to say that a good bit of the money raised is going straight to the charity we are working with, plus any equipment bought will be donated, such as video camera traps that will greatly help in capturing and identifying the animals there. Tbh, I would probably think the same thing as you at first but these expeditions by the uni really do come back with great results.
 
GreatAuk said:
That's exactly what people do so teenagers like myself can go on a 'world challenge' or 'expedition', commonly known as a holiday. So I'd say the possibility of raising money from collections and charity stalls at events is very real, although to be honest, a job would probably pay much better.

But, I of course wouldn't donate money to this cause either, for the same reason as nydryl :).
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Oh they'll no doubt raise the money, you hear of these things all the time around uni so they must be successful. Fair enough they might involve hard work but I still see it as funding a holiday.
 
SiriusB said:
If the aim is to see if the area is suitable to be bought for conservation, why can't you afford to do the surveying? Surely sending 6 guys + equipment would be a fraction of the total cost of buying a big chunk of land.
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The final report and results will be handed to the charity we are working with and if we find new species or something of importance in the area then there will be a higher chance of it being bought and preserved. The aim is to assess the value for conservation of regenerating compared to primary tropical rainforest by carrying out all the research that is planned. I hope this answers the question. :)
 
If you were at Strathclyde, then you may have got some dosh off me! :P

Good luck with your expedition, I appreciate that these things are important and aren't just a wee jolly (unlike some 'conservation' projects people do in their gap yarh).
 
Ahleckz said:
If you were at Strathclyde, then you may have got some dosh off me! :P

Good luck with your expedition, I appreciate that these things are important and aren't just a wee jolly (unlike some 'conservation' projects people do in their gap yarh).
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Haha, thanks! Your right, some of these so called expeditions are more like a holiday where companies sell them off to anyone for a profit. We on the other hand are future geographers and zoologists working with the universities researchers to get genuine results that will help conserve the Amazon, as much as some people don't want to believe.
 
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No, I will not pay for your working holiday.

Sounds like a fantastic life experience and great expedition but you should pay for it yourself like everyone else who goes on such trips has to!
 
Beerguzzler said:
Haha, thanks! Your right, some of these so called expeditions are more like a holiday where companies sell them off to anyone for a profit. We on the other hand are future geographers and zoologists working with the universities researchers to get genuine results that will help conserve the Amazon, as much as some people don't want to believe.
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Didn't read about the University department connection in my haste to moan about people raising money for holidays. Although it still stands for the majority, and I suspect to some extent this one, I take it back about this one if it's going to involve doing proper research.
 
nydryl said:
Didn't read about the University department connection in my haste to moan about people raising money for holidays. Although it still stands for the majority, and I suspect to some extent this one, I take it back about this one if it's going to involve doing proper research.
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He's going to have the time of his life, he'll gain skills and knowledge which will make his future employability increase significantly and he'll spend the sort of time in a foreign country most of us could only dream of.

Which is fantastic - but getting everyone else to pay for it through donations? I think not. There are numerous more worthy charities you can donate to if you wish to donate money - charities where the work involved really is a chore, not somebodies dream trip.
 
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