Hi there! I signed up to be an ambassador but I currently have no home made. I’ve been living on the road for the last 2+ years in a camper van and have no plans to stop. I’m in the US currently and we have plans to spend a good part of 2026 in Canada. That’s awesome for me because I get to meet so many cool plants and animals whatever I go. But not great for developing local relationships and connections. I try and follow local nature/public lands nonprofits whatever I go, but since I change locations frequently it’s very difficult to coordinate events.
I’m wondering if anyone else is in a similar information and if you have any stairs to help connect you to places you temporarily stay.
I look forward to a future ambassador map/calendar where I can overlay my travel destinations and connect with others where my route takes me (or perhaps it can help me plan a route!)
I’m always excited to learn about where I’m going. I participated in my first BioBlitz on the road and had a fantastic time! Looking for ways to give back.
Replying to this thread to follow because I was interested in signing up for the ambassador program but I hesitated, as I thought my semi-peregrine lifestyle might preclude any use to becoming an ambassador (as you said, it makes it difficult to plan to host/attend iNaturalist events in a specific area, etc.). I’m in a slightly different situation– I don’t live on the road, but I am a field ecologist, so every 6 months or so I will move for work, which provides me housing in that area for the length of that field season. I will say I totally understand the difficulty in developing local relationships, it can be hard to find community sometimes! I am curious to hear about your experiences and how the program fits in with your lifestyle, and I hope you connect with others on a similar wavelength!
Sorry to be off topics, but genuine question as someone who also loves hiking in traveling - how do you fund that lifestyle? It sounds awesome, I just have no idea how I could make it work!
I agree that a little more consideration could be given to the fact that not all Ambassadors are rooted in one geographical area. Although I do have a static home base, the vast majority of my iNat activity takes place around the world as I frequently accompany expeditions, lead small-group wildlife tours, and travel on ships as a specialist guide. I too was somewhat hesitant about signing up to be an ambassador when I saw that a lot of the supporting materials make reference to “raising awareness in your own community” and “organising events with local organisations” etc. In reality, it doesn’t make much difference – I can still raise awareness and help run iNat projects on the road, whatever country I am passing through. I read somewhere that Ambassadors are expected to help organise at least two iNaturalist events “in your area” per year. I’m sure it’s fine that my events will all be with tourists in random different countries, rather than with locals near my own home, but I would like to see the guidance documentation written in a way that doesn’t appear – when read too literally – the preclude the idea of roving Ambassadors.
Currently I live between Tasmania (where I am studying) and Nova Scotia (where I have the family farm), which is a lot less nomadic than I used to be. Still a bit complicated to explain!
I did wwoofing when I was on the road (2023-24) and offered to set up bioblitzes for the wwoof hosts during my stay. I could arrange that ahead of time and contact the local nat clubs, but it required some forethought on where I was going (sometimes difficult while hitching!)
Your life sounds super fun! I’ll follow your blog :)
Sorry for the late reply, I guess I’m not getting forum notifications but I’m happy to update and keep in touch with folks. I’ve connected with so many “online friends” because I happened to travel through their area. It’s a good reminder that these tiny photos are linked to actual living, breathing humans who have full lives off of this screen.
I am a member of the native plant society in my home state and they have an iNaturalist committee, so I’ve joined that and will learn how I can help out from afar (my first meeting is later this month on zoom!) I’ll also see if any online database materializes here where I can meet up with local hosts where I’m traveling. Thanks for jumping in with your thoughts. I know I can’t be the only one in this situation. Cool to hear about the traveling scientists:)
but I’m happy to update and keep in touch with folks. I’ve connected with so many “online friends” because I happened to travel through their area. It’s a good reminder that these tiny photos are linked to actual living, breathing humans who have full lives off of this screen.