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ECO-ADVENTURE TOURISM
Earn college credit while trekking in the Himalaya. Nature-Link provides a unique blend of ecotourism, adventure tourism and academic tourism in mountains around the world. Nature-Link promotes community based sustainable development through responsible tourism. Our mission at Nature-Link is to re-connect individuals with the natural environment through research, education and advocacy.

WHY NATURE-LINK?
We decided to form the Nature-Link Institute after experiencing first-hand, communities who, through their livelihood activities, actively participated in their natural environment. For these communities, ecosystem participation is an essential strategy for sustainable development. While we talk about conserving biodiversity, these communities, all over the world are cultivating biodiversity.

This got us thinking about our own lives and how disconnected we are from our local environment. So disconnected, in fact that most of us could not survive let alone thrive in the natural environments in which we live. Our food comes from hundreds if not thousands of miles away and is purchased from the store, our houses are now being built in factories and delivered on trucks and our livelihoods do not contribute in any way to the health of the environment. Most people are unaware of the effects of their lifestyle on the environment at all scales from the local to the global.

Therefore, it is no surprise that even our best and most sincere efforts at conservation are misguided and ineffective. Simply making an area off limits to humans does not help humans or the environment. Even the well-protected reserves are subject to global warming and other global atmospheric changes caused by human activity. Our research initiatives have shown that communities, whose culture and livelihood practices place
them within the ecosystem as active participants, are adaptable to the forces of environmental, cultural or political change.

So, why did we form the Nature-Link Institute? Because, we want to educate and inform people about different ways to view the human-environment interface. Furthermore, we want to redefine the way humans interact with nature through our programs of research, education and advocacy and along the way, we want to share our experiences with you.

     
     

NEWS & EVENTS

3-15-2010: BUY A G4G HOODIE! Help support our annual gear drive and purchase a Gear 4 the Garhwal sweatshirt.

03-07-2010: Nature-Link is partnering with another local Missoula based business AERIE to provide support to Mountain Shepherds Initiative for sustainable livelihoods and disaster risk management in the Garhwal region of the Indian Himalayas. .

10-05-2009: The 2010 Indian Himalaya Field Course May 18 - June 10 is offered for the second time in partnership with the University of Montana's College of Forestry and Conservation.

9-01-2008: The 2009 Indian Himalaya Field Course May 18 - June 10 is an exciting study abroad opportunity, exploring the wonders of the Indian subcontinent and local mountain cultures. The program will introduce students to the Garhwal region of the Indian Himalaya located in the northern state of Uttarakhand.

8-28-2008: Nature-Link is now registered as a business in Missoula, MT!

7-03-2007: Nature-Link is on the move! Homebase is relocating from Boone, NC.

6-23-2007:
Himalaya Course 2007 -- Another wonderful experience! Trekking at 14,000ft, morning yoga, herds of goat in camp... Every morning began with a yoga session to clear the mind and awaken the body...
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8-20-2006: “Gear for the Garhwal” is an overwhelming success! This year...
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