Affiliations
Aurora Expeditions is proud to work with a number of select organisations, in its quest to create ambassadors for the protection of the precious destinations we visit.
By working together with like-minded organisations, we believe we are able to reach out and capture that sense of adventure, respect and the need to give backing some way. We like to call it the ‘Aurora Philanthropy’ – the small chance for us to give something back and for our like-minded passengers to join in.
Although the list is not exhaustive, here are some of the affiliates we work most closely with:-
IAATO (International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators)
IAATO is a member organisation founded in 1991 to advocate, promote and practice safe and environmentally responsible private-sector travel to the Antarctic. Since the beginning of the modern Antarctic tourism industry in 1969, the number of tourists in Antarctica has grown from a few hundred to more than 30,000 each year. Recognizing the potential environmental impacts that such growing numbers of tourism could cause, seven private tour operators conducting excursions in Antarctica joined together in 1991 to practice and promote the highest possible standards of travel in this remote, wild and delicate region of the world. Aurora Expeditions was one of the seven founding members of IAATO and the first Australian member of the association. Our co-founder and current CEO are actively involved with its Executive Committee.
AECO (Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators)
Aurora Expeditions are proud to be a founding member of AECO. AECO was founded in 2003 and is an international organisation for expedition cruise operators. The association is dedicated to manage respectable, environmentally-friendly and safe expeditions in the Arctic. The members agree that expedition cruises and tourism in the Arctic must be carried out with the utmost consideration for the vulnerable natural environment, local cultures and cultural remains, as well as the challenging safety hazards at sea and on land. AECO-members are obligated to operate in accordance with national and international laws and regulations and agreed upon AECO by-laws and guidelines.
AECO presently has 13 member companies from seven different countries operating 20 vessels within AECO's geographical range, sizes ranging from small sailing yachts to expedition cruise ships with up to 320 passengers. AECO's geographical range is Svalbard, Jan Mayen and Greenland. Expansion into other Arctic regions will be considered.
Australian Geographic Society (AGS)
www.australiangeographic.com.au/society/sponsorship.htm
Each calendar year the Australian Geographic Society donates approximately $150,000 to maintain its programme of sponsorship of Australian adventurers, scientific and environmental research, and community projects. Over the years it has spent more than $8,000,000 supporting Australian endeavour in all these fields. Australian scientists, community organisations and individuals developing projects in Australia and abroad are welcome to apply for Society sponsorship. Aurora Expeditions has worked closely with the AGS over the years, donating profits from its Kimberley voyages and working on joint projects together to preserve the environment through research and widen awareness of its shared ideals. Aurora Expeditions run Australian Geographic Expeditions to the Kimberley Coast and The High Arctic’s Spitsbergen, click here for more details: http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/society/expeditions.htm
Australian Antarctic Division (AAD)
The Australian Antarctic Division is a government body leading Australia's Antarctic program. As a division of the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, its charter is to ensure Australia's Antarctic interests are advanced. AAD has four goals: Maintain the Antarctic Treaty System and enhance Australia's influence in it Protect the Antarctic environment Understand the role of Antarctica in the global climate system Undertake scientific work of practical, economic and national significance Aurora Expeditions is proud to have worked together with AAD in transporting staff to Antarctica to carry out valuable environmental and scientific researcher and conservation projects.
Friends of the Scott Polar Research Intitution
The world-renowned Institute within the University of Cambridge, England, links the history of polar exploration with modern research in both polar regions. Formed in 1920 as a memorial to Captain Scott and his colleagues, it is now a major international centre for polar research, information and expertise. The Friends of the SPRI were established in 1946 to permit individuals to aid the Institute in carrying out its role as guardian and repository of Antarctic and Arctic artefacts bequeathed to it or purchased for the Nation. The Friends provide ongoing support by maintaining the Institutes library and museum collections as well as providing research grants to support polar specialists.
Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA)
www.conservationvolunteers.com.au
Conservation Volunteers is Australia’s leading practical conservation organisation. Founded in 1982, Conservation Volunteers completes over 2,000 conservation projects every year, involving more than 14,000 volunteers annually. Projects are as distant, diverse and unique as the Australian continent, including activities such as tree planting, wildlife monitoring surveys and heritage restoration. Conservation Volunteers is both not-for-profit and non-political, and operates projects across Australia with 22 offices across Australia. Choosing Aurora means you’re already environmentally aware and the affiliation with CVA helps take your support for the environment to the next level. All passengers who travel with Aurora Expeditions are entitled to a year’s membership to Conservation Volunteers. Members have first access to join projects, and Conservation Volunteers has opportunities in urban, regional and remote locations every month of the year. Above all, Conservation Volunteers’ members are part of a special group of people who support the environment. Being a member means your support is counted, and helps Conservation Volunteers to leverage more government, corporate and community support for essential conservation programs.
Clean Up Svalbard
Clean up Svalbard, Aurora Expeditions and the governor of Svalbard invite all passengers on our High Arctic voyages to participate in this environmental stewardship program. Whilst on Svalbard, we actively help the fragile ecosystem there by participating in the ‘Clean up Svalbard’ program, collecting and removing rubbish that is swept to this precious coastline. This interactive initiative has achieved a positive result in making tangible differences to the Arctic environment and its wildlife. Already, ‘Clean up Svalbard’ has seen several thousand tons of rubbish being removed from the shores of the island archipelago.
Mawson’s Hut Foundation
The Mawson’s Huts Foundation has been established to conserve in perpetuity for the Australian people the unique, historical buildings known as Mawson’s Huts, base for one of the most significant expeditions in Antarctic history. The Foundation’s website provides a variety of resources concerning current and future efforts to conserve the huts and information about the archaeology and heritage of the site. Aurora Expeditions is proud to support the foundation on restoration projects and looks forward to working together on joint expeditions to Deep Antarctica.
Oceanites Foundation
Oceanites is a non-profit, science and educational foundation that fosters the conservation of the world’s oceans, islands, and their wildlife, as well as a better appreciation of the sensitive connections we humans have to our watery globe. Founded in 1987, its major scientific project is the Antarctic Site Inventory, which, since 1994, has collected data to monitor penguin and seabird population changes in the warming Antarctic Peninsula, and to detect changes that are occurring. Antarctic Treaty countries rely extensively on the Inventory's database and its cutting-edge scientific analyses to manage the continent effectively. Aurora Expeditions works together with the foundation by ferrying scientists in Antarctica to conduct research at penguin breeding sites. Click here for more information.
Antarctic Heritage Trust
Inspired by need to recognise and conserve Britain’s long and distinguished history of exploration and scientific research, the United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust was set up as a charity in 1993. The trust helps conserve British historic sites and monuments on the Antarctic Peninsula for the enjoyment and education of visitors and support the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust in conserving the historic huts in the Ross Sea area. In short, the AHT exists to conserve evidence of Antarctica’s history now and for the future. The Trust's Patron is HRH The Princess Royal and its Vice Patrons are Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Dr Charles Swithinbank.
New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust
The New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust is recognised internationally as caring for four iconic expedition bases associated with the great polar explorers Captain Robert Falcon Scott, Sir Ernest Shackleton and Carsten Borchgrevink. Located in the Ross Sea region of Antarctica the expedition bases have been described as amongst the most evocative heritage buildings in the world. The Trust’s Ross Sea Heritage Restoration Project is an international, long-term cold climate conservation project which aims to conserve both the buildings and the extensive artefact collections. The Trust’s vision is to conserve this important heritage for future generations and to inspire in future generations the spirit of adventure, discovery and endurance synonymous with the early Antarctic explorers. The Antarctic Heritage Trust is a registered New Zealand charity. The United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust is the Trust’s sister organisation.
Blue Whale Study
Since 1998 the Blue Whale Study has been investigating the ecology of blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus), the largest animal on Earth, in their feeding habitat in waters off south-west Victoria and south-east South Australia. The Blue Whale Study, conducted by whale ecologists Dr Peter Gill and Margie Morrice, has unraveled and described the fundamental ecology underlying the presence of blue whales in this feeding area.
