discussion / Community Base  / 23 June 2016

Request for suggestions: Innovative, technology focused conservation projects

Hi everyone,

Firstly, I'm new to WildLabs.Net so a quick hello. 
(I'll pop over to the introduction section shortly and add a bit more about myself for anyone who may be interested)

I am the founder of a new charity. We will be launching our first project later this year called "Education 4 Conservation"

Education 4 Conservation will use cutting edge technology to stream live video of conservation projects from around the world, directly into schools.

The event itself is FREE for schools, but as part of our strategy, we also hope to raise £1m to help conservation projects around the world (as well as one of our own projects to help protect Lemurs) 

We already have a number of great projects onboard, but there is capacity for us to feature a couple more so this is where I'm hoping the knowledge of the WildLabs community can help us out with suggestions.

By way of an example, the type of projects we plan to feature include:
* how drones are being used to combat poaching
* how recycled mobile phones are being used to tackle illegal logging

Whilst we're happy to feature big projects (i.e. how Catlin SeaView Survey & Google are mapping the oceans), these typically require significant funding, so we're hoping to identify some smaller scale projects to put them "within funding reach" of the children. 

For example, as part of our strategy, schools will be able to (voluntarily) help raise money so that we can purchase a number of drones. Then, throughout the remainder of the year, the schools will gain access to view LIVE footage via the ACTUAL drones that THEY helped to buy.

It's this direct cycle which I believe is quite unique and we hope will really inspire and engage the children.

Our target age group (for this year) is 7-11 so the projects need to be at a level which the children can understand and connect with.

In particular, I'd love to find some interesting tech projects in the following areas:

* Tackling ocean pollution (i.e. removing plastics, litter, microbeads, etc)
* Working with Turtles / protecting coral reefs

... as I'd like to provide at least 1 ocean based project this year.

* Also, any projects to help tackle large scale slash & burn deforestation 

Of course, suggestions for ANY technology focused conservation projects are welcome... this is just a taster.

Many thanks in advance for any ideas and input you can provide

Kieran Thomas
Founder - The Dream Big Foundation
www.education4conservation.org.uk