Cloud Ridge Naturalists is one of the oldest and most respected nonprofit environmental education programs in North America. Over the past 38 years, several thousand people have experienced the special blend of natural history education and exploration that Cloud Ridge offers.We are proud to provide educational opportunities that inspire and enable our participants to become better-informed stewards—not just “snapshot” sojourners of the natural world. Moving beyond the “last great place” model that drives traditional ecotourism, our educational vision embraces a multi-disciplinary perspective well grounded in state-of-the-art science. Just a glance through the biographies of our leaders and guest lecturers conveys the excellence and dedication they bring to everything we do—their expertise and passion for teaching is unsurpassed!
Our voyages of discovery take us to some of the world’s most beautiful places—celebrating the wonder but acknowledging the environmental challenges that transcend both ecological and international boundaries. We minimize our travel footprint wherever we go and work only with out- fitters and guides whose operating principles and environmental ethics parallel our own. We select vintage boats, expedition-style ships, and classic lodgings that have a strong sense of place and purpose. Your safety, comfort, and enjoyment are of upmost importance to us—even in the remotest of settings. Groups are kept small to create the best possible atmosphere for discovery and learn- ing. More than 80% of trip participants each year have traveled with us before. We look forward to welcoming new friends and old
GLOBAL OCEAN CONSERVATION
Cloud Ridge’s focus on global ocean conservation embraces the extraordinary role that oceans play in our lives. What does the term “global ocean” mean—and why should we care? The world’s five ocean basins are interconnected by major surface and deep-water currents in a circulation system that creates a global ocean covering more than 70% of the earth’s surface. The global ocean is the world’s largest wilderness, with a lineage of life at least 3 billion years older than anything above sea level. Marine scientists estimate that 90% of the world’s biodiversity once resided in the global ocean—and that human actions have degraded ocean ecosystems more in the past 50 years than in all of human history. Cloud Ridge participants have witnessed dramatic examples of these changes during our Arctic and Antarctic voyages.
Thread by thread, the interconnections that exist between global climate, the oceans, and terrestrial ecosystems are being revealed. The consequences of ignoring the environmental challenges facing the global ocean are truly profound. Conserving life in the sea and on land requires that we view the world through a vastly different lens—and that we all work together to inspire the next generation of ocean stewards.
