Meet NGO leaders

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Designing an effective conservation project, whether you want to save elephants in Asia or a stream beside your school, isn't simple. It requires understanding the competing incentives of all stakeholders and understanding how they can be motivated to act differently.

You'll see this first-hand as we explore conservation efforts, from the Elephant Nature Park to smaller scale operations. But we also give you the opportunity to meet with NGO leaders and ask them questions.

Why did they choose to breed animals in captivity instead of preserving wild land? Why did they spend their funds saving a small piece of land when they could have restored a threatened species? Have they been able to see any real change?

Conservation is a series of trade-offs, and NGO leaders can provide valuable insight into where and how precious resources are best invested. Their differing opinions might surprise you.

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We will meet with Lek, the founder of the Elephant Nature Park, during our time there. In this week, you will also meet with the animal specialists at the Tiger Kingdom, botanists at the Dokmai preserve, and national park conservationists.

Your interactions with local conservation efforts will far surpass the superficial visits most tourists have. Thus, you'll be empowered to recommend or support certain projects over others. Should you choose to, we will help you voice you support (or lack thereof) to media in Thailand and at home. And if you find a particular cause you are passionate about supporting, we'll help you do so once you get back home.