Dear Ecolog, Many of you have written or called expressing concern about permitting on the expedition to the Kohala in Hawaii.
The way our process works is that athletes come to us and tell us they will be visiting a region. They have heard about our our organization which provides opportunities to make a difference by collecting scientific information while they explore. We then seek out science advisors who may need data collected wherever our volunteers are going. Once a partnership has been established and we know what data the athlete will collect, we work with the researcher to ensure proper protocols are followed and that proper permits are received. It would be premature to apply for permits before we know what science project our volunteer citizen-scientist will be participating in. Alternatively, as a researcher, you may contact us and ask us to find a volunteer athlete who is going or is willing to go anywhere on Earth. Because we are connected to a tremendous network of adventure kayakers, hikers, bikers, divers, skiers, climbers, and more, chances are we have someone traveling to the area you need data from. We can also recruit people to go to a specific area and get you the data you cannot collect yourself due to limited time, resources, or outdoor skills. The data we collect is compatible with often limited scientific background of our citizen-scientitsts. We always provide an opportunity for our researchers and volunteers to discuss protocols directly and have had great success with simple observations of things like pikas, and raptors and sample collections of things like scats, diatoms, ice worms, and plants. For more information, please visit our website at www.adventureandscience.org Thanks for your interest and concern and be assured we are mindful of the reasons permits exist and have no intention of violating any rules that have been put in place to ensure the safety of the natural environment and respect the rights of land owners. Cheers, Gregg Treinish Founder/Executive Director Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation 2008 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year www.adventureandscience.org 406.579.9702
