Sustainable Expeditions
Our Environmental Values
Value and respect for the global environment are fundamental to the principles of Venture Force. We are passionate about the outdoors and the life changing benefits of giving people the opportunity to experience different environments and ecologies. We believe it is vital that expeditions are conducted in a sustainable way, in order to minimise our impact and preserve these environments.
Carbon Off-Setting
We off-set the carbon from all our expedition flights. We calculate our expedition flight carbon by using the calculator at Carbon Footprint which uses the UK Government’s advised methodology for calculating carbon generated by flights.
We off-set the calculated carbon through planting trees in collaboration with the Orangutan Information Centre (OIC) based in Sumatra. One of the OIC’s missions is to restore jungle habitat in order to help conserve orangutans and other threatened wildlife in Sumatra.
Venture Force donates funds to the OIC who plant trees on our behalf. The amount donated to off-set our carbon is calculated using the following;
Number of tons of carbon x 4 = Number of trees
There is no exact calculation for the number of trees needed to off-set a certain amount of carbon because of the huge number of variables such as tree type, location and environment. We’ve based the number of trees on the advice of Trees For Life which uses the above calculation as an average.
OIC Jungle Rehabilitation
The Leuser Ecosystem is in northern Sumatra and is one of the largest expanses of tropical rainforest left in the world. It is the last remaining area where populations of Sumatran tiger, elephant, rhino and orangutan cohabit. The size and richness of it’s biodiversity means that it plays an important role in climate regulation.
Venture Force has been working with the OIC on our Sumatran expeditions for a number of years. Our teams have worked alongside the OIC on projects to help restore the Leuser forest habitation, to support the conservation of orangutans and other jungle animals. The OIC work is focused on 1500 hectares of high conservation value forest which was illegally cleared to grow palm oil trees, rubber trees and other illegal crops. So far the OIC has replanted more than 800 hectares, with more than 1,647,853 seedlings!
When deciding how to off-set our carbon it was important for us that it wasn’t done through a faceless, corporate scheme, where it wouldn’t be clear how our donations were being used. We’ve chosen instead to create our own scheme and work with our friends at the OIC on a project that we have direct experience with. The Leuser ecosystem is considered of global importance and Venture Force is proud to support this important reforestation work.
For £2.50 the OIC is able to plant a tree and care for it for 6 months after planting, which is the most vulnerable period for establishing trees. To find out more about the OIC please visit their website Orangutan Information Centre.
