Communities & Conservation
Positive actions, meaningful travels
We are the type of organisation that likes to make as positive impact when we can, and whenever we can.
Since 2006, Selective Asia has been directly investing in the lives and lands of the communities and regions we operate within. We support the retention and promotion of local cultures, and work alongside organisations that we believe are bettering the lives of the people, wildlife and environment in our destinations.
Whilst as an international long-haul tour operator, we of course recognise that we have a negative impact through flight carbon (and we are working at that), there are numerous other areas of our operations and your travels that can, and do, have far reaching, benefits.
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Our World Land Trust partnership
Our commitments include making a positive impact for wildlife, biodiversity and local communities. To help us do this, we have created our own Planet, Community & Conservation Fund, in partnership with the World Land Trust, a registered UK charity (1001291) involved in funding conservation projects across the world.
Contributions to the fund not only benefit the environment through rewilding and the planting of trees, they also create employment opportunities in a remote rural community and help support a local population of circa 500 elephants. The project will also facilitate the movement and wellbeing of other key species such as tigers, leopards, wild buffalo and Western Hoolock Gibbon. Furthermore, natural grasslands within the project area are known to be important breeding localities for the Bengal Florican – a bird listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List due to its small (<1000 birds) and declining global population.
Our project supports the World Land Trust’s D’ering-Dibru Saikhowa Elephant Corridor project, and your contributions are overseen by the World Land Trust.
The D’ering-Dibru Saikhowa Elephant Corridor
All bookings made with Selective Asia include a per person contribution to the World Land Trust’s Securing the D’ering-Dibru Saikhowa Elephant Corridor project.
The northeast Indian states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh represent one of the most important elephant landscapes of India, home to 25% of the estimated 27,000 elephants currently present in the country. However, widespread degradation and deforestation through human settlements, farming and livestock grazing has fragmented former elephant habitats, restricting the elephants’ range and reducing connectivity within the landscape, which has led to escalating levels of human-elephant conflict.
The project’s overall goal is to support local communities and authorities to establish and restore a natural corridor to provide long term connectivity for elephant populations moving between D’Ering Wildlife Sanctuary (Arunachal Pradesh) and Dibru Saikowa National Park (Assam), whilst enhancing the capacity and livelihood opportunities of local communities, offering employment for villagers through tree planting activities. The project will bring ~500 hectares (1235 acres) of habitat under the protection of the corridor.
WLT is working with our long-standing partner Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), who are engaging local communities and State Forest Departments, to set aside part of the D’Ering Dibru Corridor as a Community Conserved Area (CCA). Of the 18 corridors in the region WTI has identified that need protection to provide contiguous habitat for elephants, this corridor is also of key importance for wildlife as it is located in the Eastern Himalayas Biodiversity Hotspot.
Other projects we support
It is our firm belief that by bringing our clients to Asia, we are duty-bound to promote good travel practices, and we do everything within our power to ensure that the communities we love to travel amongst are flourishing.
What is Selective Asia doing?
As a tour operator specialising in Asia we are committed to donating a percentage of profits to charitable foundations and organisations within Asia and to fund initiatives we arrange ourselves.
With so many worthwhile charities and non-government organisations (NGOs) operating throughout Asia, selecting those to work with is never an easy task and it’s an area that is always under review.
The case studies set out below are projects and organisations that we have worked with for a number of years, however we’re always looking out for new ways to help. Our charity initiative lets us donate our own funds, and provides a suitable structure for clients who wish to contribute safely towards truly worthwhile causes.
Lone Buffalo
Lone Buffalo (LB) are an inspirational community project based in Phonsavan (Laos) dedicated to improving opportunities for young people from rural backgrounds through their free English tuition, sport and creative skills programmes. Besides the excellent work done in the classroom, LB also operate an acclaimed football coaching programme and have branched out into film-making, offering students fun, diverse opportunities to develop.
Lone Buffalo
Lone Buffalo (LB) are an inspirational community project based in Phonsavan (Laos) dedicated to improving opportunities for young people from rural backgrounds through their free English tuition, sport and creative skills programmes. Besides the excellent work done in the classroom, LB also operate an acclaimed football coaching programme and have branched out into film-making, offering students fun, diverse opportunities to develop.
Lone BuffaloThe project was co-founded by Mark Steadman, a former Wanderlust Guide of the Year, who lives in Phonsavan and leads the occasional Limited Edition Laos tour for us.
Selective Asia proudly sponsor Class 3C and have been avidly following each intakes development (like a proud parent!) since 2015. Students, who are in their early teens. We don’t get to personally visit the project as often as we’d like, however many of our clients who travel to Phonsavan stop by the English Development Centre and witness first-hand the extraordinary work taking place there.
Be sure to check out their website at www.lonebuffalo.org.
MAG (Mine Advisory Group International)
Work in Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, Sri Lanka & world-wide.
Every day, around 12 people are killed or suffer horrific injuries because of landmines and other explosive weapons. These weapons are indiscriminate killers during and after conflict. They don’t obey ceasefire agreements. MAG’s vision is a safe and secure future for men, women and children affected by armed violence and conflict.
Work in Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, Sri Lanka & world-wide.
Every day, around 12 people are killed or suffer horrific injuries because of landmines and other explosive weapons. These weapons are indiscriminate killers during and after conflict. They don’t obey ceasefire agreements. MAG’s vision is a safe and secure future for men, women and children affected by armed violence and conflict.
Working in over 20 countries, many in the Asian region, since 1989; MAG are saving lives and building safe futures by reclaiming land contaminated with the remnants of conflict and finding ways to reduce the daily risk of death or injury for civilians.
In early 2022, Selective Asia were proud to partner with MAG to help launch their Unlock the Land appeal, raising the funds required to allow their teams in Vangkhom, Laos to clear thousands of unexploded bombs which have laid buried since the 1960s, each one capable of taking a life.
Ahead of the launch spoke Nick Rebecca Letven, Country Director, MAG Laos. They spoke about the challenges on the ground, the current appeal’s focus, the impact that the pandemic has had on their work, and how tourism can help.
Turquoise Mountain
Turquoise Mountain was established in 2006 with the with a crystal clear mission and purpose – to support artisans.
Turquoise Mountain was established in 2006 with the with a crystal clear mission and purpose – to support artisans.
Their work in Afghanistan, Myanmar, Levant and Saudi Arabia. reviving historic areas and traditional crafts, supporting minority and oppressed groups, providing employment, skills and a renewed sense of pride.
Since 2006, Turquoise Mountain has restored over 150 historic buildings, employed and trained thousands of artisans and builders, built over 50 small businesses, and supported and generated over $17 million in sales of traditional crafts to international markets.. Learn more about this project here
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