The Planeterra Foundation’s sea turtle project (Playa Matapalo, Costa Rica) is a science-based conservation program, which was created with the purpose of protecting female sea turtles, nests, and hatchlings laid on the Matapalo beach, against poachers and natural and introduced predators. A turtle hatchery protects the eggs of this endangered species and the program has ensured the survival of the sea turtles with a large increase in the number of hatchlings in the area.

We were the five women who had traveled to Senegal with Women Travel for Peace. Our goal: to fund and help construct a sturdy, concrete well for the women’s farming collective. While this project had begun several months before our arrival with village meetings and discussion, on this, our last day in the village, we were all ready to inaugurate and celebrate our much needed contribution. Women Travel for Peace’s community-based tourism enables women from the industrialized world to work side-by-side with women in the developing world in support of a community project.

Mongolia Sunrise to Sunset – “The World’s Most Beautiful 100km Run” – is an annual event that allows runners to experience some of the most spectacular and pristine trail running in the world as well as a week of discovery and exploration. While the race offers a challenging competition, it also provides the opportunity to be part of the important efforts to preserve the beauty of Hovsgol National Park and the local cultural identity. Participants taking part in the Mongolia Sunrise to Sunset have the option to complete a marathon (42km) distance or the 100km course.

Planeterra is giving away a voluntourism trip for two to Costa Rica Sea Turtle Conservation Project, through BudgetTravel’s “True Stories” contest. The “True Stories” section highlight funny, strange, heartwarming, ridiculous (brief 250-word) travel stories, and the editor picks the best story. To win the Planeterra trip, enter your true travel story for the summer edition (deadline: August 28, 2009). This sea turtle project is a science-based conservation program, which was created with the purpose of protecting female sea turtles, nests, and hatchlings laid on the Matapalo beach, against poachers…

Planeterra was founded in 2003 by G.A.P Adventures, the largest independent adventure travel company in the world. Planeterra evolved out of a long history of travelers committed to giving back to the people and places they visit. Planeterra selects the projects and works with G.A.P Adventures to arrange voluntour travel programs. Richard Edwards, Director, Planeterra Foundation: “We define voluntourism as travel experiences that provide the opportunity to contribute to local community projects and development initiatives with some time off to visit the highlights of that particular destination or country…

Through practical steps facilitating and enhancing the natural regeneration of trees, Trees for Life works to re-establish areas of healthy young forest scattered throughout the barren, deforested glens. As these new trees reach seed-bearing age they will form the nuclei for an expanded natural regeneration in the surrounding area. “The Caledonian Forest originally covered 1.5 million hectares of the Scottish Highlands as a vast primeval wilderness of Scots pine, birch, rowan, aspen, juniper and other trees. Today, though, just 1% of the forest remains.”

Some of the UK and Thailand’s most highly acclaimed responsible tour operators have been working hand-in-hand with local Thai community members to develop new community-based tourism programs. This ground-breaking initiative has given the tour operators and local Thai community members a unique chance to meet each other in person, sit down together to compare their different roles, experiences and needs, and to design new tour programs together.

By Shelley Seale – There’s a trend in traveling that is sweeping the nation – it’s being called voluntourism. Foreign destinations are luring American citizens who want to sightsee, while at the same time engage in community service. The Miracle Foundation, a nonprofit based out of Austin, Texas, has been doing this in a big way for several years. The Miracle Foundation recruits donors and sponsors for children living in orphanages in India. I first went to India in 2005 on a 10-day volunteer trip, and it honestly changed my life.

GOPhilanthropic enters 2009 with a host of new travel programs aimed at providing support for the empowerment of communities worldwide and the protection of heritage and environment. The socially-conscious travel company embraces the combination of Travel Philanthropy, Geotourism and Sustainable Travel, coupling Vacations and In-depth Educational Tours with support for social and conservation projects worldwide. The result offers travelers meaningful and authentic exchanges with local communities and engagement in conservation efforts unique to each region