ADVENTURES OF BIRDMAN & MICK J.
Forbes Magazine labeled Focus Conservation Fund President Douglas Trent as the “Birdman of Brazil.” His beautiful mix-breed rescue dog, Mick Jagger, often travels with Douglas as they make films to share the beauty of the natural world. Their trips evolved into an educational program: the Adventures of Birdman and Mick J. Douglas and Mick continued to film their nature adventures, and presented their films and stories to schools, museums, aquariums, and other groups, free of charge.
As an ecologist actively working with wildlife for decades, Douglas is familiar with much of the incredible natural beauty in our world. Unfortunately, we are now in the 6th great extinction, causing a rapid decline in animal populations. Scientific research has proved that a connection to nature benefits humans both physically and mentally. Learning about nature at the species level generates interest in conserving wildlife. Being in the field, photographing and video recording wild species, is a blessing that Douglas feels lucky to experience. To share this experience with others and see them grow excited about the natural world brings him more happiness than most can imagine.
This program aims to bring nature to the public settings and institutions to help reconnect people. Just a few years ago, for the first time, over 50% of people worldwide moved to live in cities. The nature deficit, as defined by author Richard Louv, is more widespread than ever, causing increased stress, depression, violence and a lack of social cohesion, increased illness, and even ADD. Reconnecting to nature has been proven to increase health, bring people together, and reduce depression and stress. By spreading the word of the benefits of connecting with nature, together with professional images and videos, we work to build a better society.
About the Birdman Project
Specific Objectives
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Show members of the network we are building what a spectacular natural world we live in.
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Deliver a non-partisan positive view of the world we share with wildlife.
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Be a positive voice for youngsters that hear so much negative news;
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Share our love and knowledge of nature with the world.
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Make people aware of other natural and cultural wonders on Earth.
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Spread knowledge of the benefits of connecting to nature, encouraging people to spend more time outdoors.
Methodology
Connecting with schools, museums and other entities or groups via Skype and other applications allows us to share nature and cultural attractions with the world, with an ever-growing network of participating institutions. When in the field and after in some situations, Douglas Trent will give both children and adult programs of roughly 20 minutes per day, showing the experiences and photos from the destination where he is. This can be recorded and the videos as well as photos will be on the project website for free downloading. This is necessary as some of the institutions in the network are in vastly different time zones.
Showcase your Nature and Culture!
Together with our American partners and the Instituto Sustentar in Brazil, we bring this adult program to bring nature and information about the natural world to the museums, aquariums, botanical gardens and universities across 17 countries in our network.
We provide information where teachers can find lesson plans for bringing nature into the classroom, ideas to develop businesses involving nature connection, show the strategies for bringing nature into the cities, and the homes, and revealing the connection to nature research.
We can also bring this program to countries and states or provinces that are interested in documenting and supporting their nature tourism industry. We can showcase each lodge, park or cultural attraction and its species with professional photos, videos and video programs that will be posted on our site and social media.