Whereas digging via my dive gear someday, I found two outdated GoPro cameras: a GoPro Hero 2 and a Hero 3 — each with underwater housings. After verifying the cameras nonetheless labored, I began on the lookout for nonprofits that settle for digicam donations.
When I discovered The Biodiversity Group, I knew it was “the one.” The US-based nonprofit funnels digital digicam donations to conservation teams in Ecuador, Mexico, Vietnam, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of Congo and america. The Biodiversity Group additionally accepts different used (however useful) tech together with laptops, tablets, newer smartphones and laborious drives. View the full record of drugs they’ll use.
I requested Scott Trageser, Government Director & Board Chair of The Biodiversity Group, how the donations get used. “Our digicam donations can go to park rangers for documenting wildlife and threats like logging or to conservationists who use the cameras to spotlight their work,” Trageser stated.
“The cameras are additionally utilized in youth education schemes. We get native kids into nature and empower them to be citizen scientists,” Trageser added.
“Laptop and cellphone donations sometimes go to conservationists,” stated Trageser. “We’ve had a number of conditions the place a conservationist has been robbed and might’t keep it up their work with no laptop computer or cellphone. Computer systems assist small organizations convey on extra volunteers as a result of they’ll create a workstation with the donated pc.”
About The Biodiversity Group
The Biodiversity Group is greater than a clearinghouse for digicam donations. Their fiscal sponsorship program helps worldwide nonprofits turn into eligible for grant funding in america. That is essential as a result of small organizations working on a shoestring finances might not have the sources to include as a nonprofit in america.
About 90% of tech and digicam donations go to fiscal sponsorship alliance/companions. The opposite 10% finally ends up with different conservation teams, sometimes organizations The Biodiversity Group has labored with prior to now.
“If a donor needs to earmark the donation, they definitely can,” Trageser stated. “However usually it’s finest to allow us to route the tools to the place it will likely be simplest.”
Documenting undetected species is one other essential initiative for The Biodiversity Group. When a land supervisor or conservation group has proof (images, movies, sound recordings) of an endangered animal residing in a sure space, it’s simpler to safe funding and safety for the creatures’ habitat.
The Rio Manduriacu Reserve in Ecuador doubled in dimension after scientists photographed the presence of many critically endangered species, together with some that hadn’t been documented earlier than. Their findings attracted consideration from larger funders, which led to the growth of the reserve.
The Biodiversity Group additionally gives pictures expeditions and workshops in addition to internships. Be taught extra about The Biodiversity Group and its mission.
The place Did My Private Donated Digicam Gear Go?
My digicam donations went to Centro de Rescate Rehabilitación primarily based in Guaymas, Sonora, México (CRIFFS). Veterinarian Elsa Coria Galindo co-founded CRIFFS in 2007 to rescue, rehabilitate and reintroduce wild animals — whereas adhering to native laws. CRRIFS participates in turtle monitoring and rescues sea lions and different marine creatures that turn into entangled in fishing nets, hit by vehicles or find yourself in a harmful location.
How CRRIFS Makes use of Digicam Donations
“Cameras are sometimes used to doc sea life rescues that are usually VERY costly and high-profile. Sometimes, criticisms are leveraged in opposition to nonprofits doing rescues, and the video can assist show they’re doing the fitting factor. The video is also essential for donor and social media engagement, which is integral to any profitable undertaking these days,” Trageser stated.
“CRRIFS additionally makes use of the cameras throughout area people outreach. They host snorkeling lessons for youngsters and their enthusiasm for sea life trickles as much as the mother and father, who might turn into supporters or (if they’re fishers) might change behaviors. The kids even have the next probability of selecting a nature-based profession due to the expertise,” Trageser added.
How To Donate a GoPro or Different Gear
The subsequent time you improve your gear, take into account donating your used GoPro, cell phone, pill or laptop computer as an alternative of letting it sit in a field. The Biodiversity Group can use:
- Laptop computer computer systems with 8GB or extra RAM
- Pill computer systems lower than 5 years outdated
- Moveable laborious drives 500GB or bigger
- Smartphones lower than 5 years outdated
- Tripods, batteries, and different digicam equipment
- Discipline audio loggers (i.e., AudioMoth) and high quality digital recorders
- Veterinary tools
- GPS models
- Drones
In addition they want low-tech and no-tech objects reminiscent of:
- Flashlights
- Two-way radios
- Backpacks and digicam baggage
- Tenting gear
- Binoculars and recognizing scopes
- Tree climbing gear
- Boots, rain jackets, and so forth.
Go to The Biodiversity Group’s web site for the entire record of things they want and the place to ship your donations. For questions, use their contact type or ship your inquiries by way of social media. The group may be discovered at @biodiversitygroup on TikTok and Instagram or as The Biodiversity Group on Fb and LinkedIn.
