REPLANTING TREES WITH WOW NATURE

Eco-sustainability and environmental protection are core values of the people living in the Alta Badia in Italy’s Dolomites region. One local organization, Wow Nature, is working to restore century-old forests that were damaged during Storm Vaia in 2018. Donations for Larch and Fir trees can be made on their website, and B&R will match every tree you adopt. Be sure to add “br” to the promo code section for a 10% discount and so that we can keep track of your donations (valid until December 31, 2020). The trees will be planted on the Campolongo Pass, just above the town of Corvara, where we hike and bike during our Dolomites trips. This summer, B&R guides will plant the donated trees and share GPS coordinates for you to see your tree. Better yet, join us on a future trip, and we’ll include a visit!

PRESERVING THE ANGKOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK WITH WMF

Angkor Archaeological Park is one of the most culturally significant sites in Cambodia and a powerful symbol of its heritage. At the end of the 19thC, French archaeologists, art historians and architects thoroughly documented the buildings they found hidden mysteriously in the overgrown jungle. B&R and the World Monuments Fund (WMF) have had a long-standing relationship for many years. Through our fund, we are proud to support WMF’s conservation efforts in Cambodia. WMF and many international teams have worked closely with Cambodian professionals and the APSARA Authority to document, conserve and protect these buildings. When we travel to Cambodia, we partner with WMF’s program to tour the site and learn about the conservation efforts underway.

RICE PRODUCTION WITH OZUCHI VILLAGE

Nimaida Noboru is the sole rice farmer and caretaker of the all-but-abandoned site at Ozuchi village. He returned to the village he was raised to tend to his family’s land, and his story of loyalty and dedication is an inspiring one. Nestled in the Noto mountains, the remote village of Ozuchi is a true preservation of historic, rural Japan.

The B&R Fund supports Nimaida’s efforts and rice production practices and has included a stop at Ozuchi on our Japan Walking trip. Throughout the year, Nimaida welcomes agriculture students, volunteers, and tour groups to learn about how he helps preserve the heritage of the land. In helping Nimaida develop this visitors program, the B&R Fund both supports Ozuchi and educates visitors on traditional Japanese farming.

COMMISSIONING NEW INSTRUMENTS FOR MUSIKA ETXEA – ACADEMIA MUNICIPAL DE FOLKLORE

Focused on preserving the culture of traditional arts in the Basque region, the Musika Etxea Academia Municipal de Folklore is an important organization in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. The academy is dedicated to teaching traditional Basque music and dance just north of Rioja. Through concerts, as well as Agurra dancing, the school has kept this slice of Basque heritage (from instruments to attire) alive throughout the city with its performances.

The B&R Fund supported the commissioning of new instruments for the Academia Municipal de Folklore, and the teaching of students on performing traditional Txalaparta, Alboka and Txirula music. B&R’s travellers in the Rioja region are often treated to a private performance of traditional Basque music and dance.

SCHOLARSHIP FUND WITH KUSKA SCHOOL

The Kuska School is an alternative educational initiative in Ollantaytambo, Peru, where education, community and an appreciation for Mother Nature is fostered. While monthly enrollment fees are manageable for some families, equal opportunity for education is bolstered through a community scholarship fund, which B&R helps to support. This means that families who cannot afford to send their child to the Kuska School can still enroll their children in classes alongside their peers.

As the only local education offering in rural Ollantaytambo, the school utilizes the multi-cultural environment to nurture individual creativity for local children, and the curriculum is focusing on developing each child at their own pace. Kuska School offers a multi-grade educational environment, accommodation for visiting guest teachers, and a fully organic farm.

EMPOWERING FEMALE EDUCATION WITH EDUCATION FOR ALL

EFA is a foundation that helps young women from the Imlil Valley in Morocco pursue their studies up through high school and go on to study at University. In the High Atlas region of Morocco, more than 70% of young women have no access to education due to the vast distance to the closest school, high cost for transportation and the likelihood that family funds are often allocated to their male siblings instead. EFA has established five houses that provide lodging, meals and education to support nearby communities. Butterfield & Robinson sponsors three young women, allowing them to live at these houses, receive an education and nurture their spirit of togetherness and learning. In getting to know these women, they have shared their aspirations with us. They include becoming an engineer to build schools and hospitals, studying architecture abroad, and studying medicine to become a surgeon. Their stories inspire us, as they speak of representing females in male-dominated industries, as well as the importance of supporting each other and the communities that they come from.

SUPPORTING RESEARCH WITH UJUBEE PROJECT

The Ujubee project is a conservation effort focused on recording scientific data on wild honeybee populations in South Africa. Unlike many parts of the world where bee populations are managed by humans and live in manufactured hives, South Africa is home to honeybee populations where 80% remain wild and an integral part of their habitat’s ecosystem. This provides an opportunity to study their natural habitat and behaviour, contributing valuable research that can help honeybee populations around the globe. In turn, Ujubee can take steps in order to protect the delicate biomes where these bees live, ensuring both the survival of the bees and the range of species their pollination helps to maintain—specifically, the fynbos region of South Africa, which is the smallest and most diverse floral kingdom in the world. Butterfield & Robinson is proud to support their research efforts. When possible, we bring our travellers through these areas in the Western and Eastern Cape, led by an ecologist to explain the importance of biodiversity and habitat conservation.

Supporting Local Businesses and Independent Artists

Browse and shop artwork, crafts and local products from the places we love by the people who we love even more. Our B&R Artisan Marketplace promotes the small businesses and independent artists of our extended community—from our guides and staff members to the locals we meet on our trips.

Peruse the B&R Artisan Marketplace