Impact Fund for Environmental and Community Initiatives

As part of our pledge to give back, 50 Degrees North donates 10% of our profits each year to charitable causes through our Impact Fund. This annual contribution reflects 50 Degrees North's commitment to regenerative tourism, actively contributing to restoring and revitalising the destinations we touch. We aim to support projects that align with our environmental and social objectives, fostering positive change in the Nordic region and beyond.

In 2024, this donation totalled 950,000 NOK (85,000 USD). Details of each recipient can be found below.

La Humla Suse

La Humla Suse, a Norwegian non-profit, was selected as our flagship charity. They work to promote the importance of wild pollinators, particularly bumblebees, in Norway and across the Nordic region, and to secure their habitats. Bumblebees are important pollinators for many plant species and are essential for the plants' spread and survival. They were selected as part of our ongoing commitment to counteracting biodiversity loss in the regions where we operate and as part of our long-term goal of climate restoration.

In 2024, we were able to make a donation of 350,000 NOK. With this contribution, La Humla Suse has been able to make several key advancements in their mission. The most significant effect of the contribution was their ability to bring a biologist on board on a full-time basis. This has allowed them to achieve several key milestones:

• The biologist allows them to dedicate more time and resources to their work and respond to more requests for guidance and assistance.
• They can better prioritise political advocacy efforts, effectively influencing policy decisions and advocating for environmental and wild bee population benefits.
• They can undertake new initiatives and expand existing ones, offering more in-depth and frequent training sessions for new business partnerships and their on-the-ground teams in various locations.

In addition to making a financial contribution to La Humla Suse, our Norway and Australian offices took part in ‘pollinator days’. In Norway, Sigrid Bakken Døsvik, CEO of La Humla Suse, visited the office, providing an introduction to pollinators and La Humla Suse's work. They conducted a 'bee walk' to survey the community, and the team created a 'bee garden' for local pollinators, enjoyed by both staff and visitors.

The social enterprise 'Friends with Honey' visited our regional office in Australia, educating the team about bees' roles in their hemisphere and local ecosystems. They learned to participate in the annual Australian Pollinator Count and enjoyed a honey tasting.

Nærøyfjord World Heritage Park

Nestled within the iconic western fjords of Norway, this UNESCO-listed site is dedicated to fostering nature- and culture-based community development. With Flam and Aurland being key destinations for 50 Degrees North, the Nærøyfjord region holds a special place in our hearts. We aim to support vital initiatives in the park that balance tourism with environmental protection, ensuring that this extraordinary heritage is preserved for generations to come.

Some of the projects that will benefit from our partnership may include:

• Sustainable Tourism Management: They conduct surveillance of popular hiking trails to gather data on visitor numbers and ensure responsible tourism practices. This data supports planning efforts for the sustainable management of the park's trails and other popular attractions.
• Trail Restoration and Maintenance
• Restoration of Cultural Heritage: The park is dedicated to preserving structures of historical significance.
• Community Engagement: The heritage park offers educational field trips, interpretive tours, and events that engage children, young adults, and local communities in the care and protection of the UNESCO World Heritage site.
• Guided Tours and Public Awareness: They organise guided tours and actively educate visitors on why the Nærøyfjord is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Information signs placed in key locations help spread awareness about the site's cultural and environmental importance.

Despite the incredible work that the Nærøyfjord World Heritage Park does, they face significant funding challenges. We are honoured to be able to provide much-needed support to help them continue their critical work and raise awareness about their efforts.

SeaForester

SeaForester is an innovative organisation working to restore the world’s lost kelp forests. Kelp forests can be thought of as the rainforests of the sea. They cover 25% of the world’s coastline and much of the Norwegian coast. Like rainforests, kelp forests are rich hubs of marine biodiversity, offering food, shelter, and nursery areas for countless species. They are also crucial in combating climate change, as they can capture carbon from the atmosphere at a rate five times faster than tropical forests on land.

Coastal communities have long depended on healthy kelp forests, not only for sustaining local fish stocks but also for supporting their economies. The tourism industry, in particular, thrives on the rich biodiversity and natural beauty these forests offer, providing opportunities for activities like kayaking and wildlife watching.

Over the past few decades, 50% of kelp forests have vanished, decimated by rising global temperatures, pollution, and, in Norway’s case, the overgrazing of sea urchins. SeaForester’s mission is to restore these lost underwater forests with an innovative solution: “green gravel.” Seaweed spores are seeded onto small stones, which are then dispersed into the ocean. These stones attach to the underlying reef, allowing the seaweed to grow, spread, and regenerate the underwater forest. With investment, their project has the potential to be deployed at scale, making them significant players in the restoration of Norway's coastal ecosystems.

A vibrant and healthy Norwegian coastline is of immense importance to 50 Degrees North. We rely on and cherish the many benefits it provides, from supporting coastal communities to enabling tourism experiences that connect us to these remarkable areas. This partnership also aligns closely with our Climate Action Plan, where we are committed not only to reducing our emissions but also to actively contributing to solutions that restore and regenerate nature’s capacity to absorb carbon.

Our donation comes at a crucial moment for SeaForester, as their pioneering efforts in Norway are still in the early stages. This funding has provided essential support, enabling them to identify planting sites, secure permits to deploy their innovative “green gravel” solution, and hire necessary staff. We are immensely proud to be the first corporate donor for SeaForester’s Norwegian project and the first partner from the tourism industry. This collaboration is not only instrumental in launching their project, but we hope it will highlight the vital role of kelp forests and their significance to other tourism operators who depend on these rapidly disappearing ecosystems.

For further information on our sustainable travel initiatives, please see our Sustainable Tourism page.