The Project
The Earth is currently experiencing a mass extinction, fueled by alterations in the earth’s atmosphere, rapid land development, and resource mismanagement. In the process, we are losing crucial systems which will need to be recovered by the restoration ecologists of tomorrow. But those scientists will require an identifiable historical standard to work from.
RARE Tomorrow is a non-profit organization creating a virtual reality archive of critically endangered ecosystems. Put simply, we design fully immersive references to guide future scientists tasked with restoring ecological systems, as well as to educate people today.
In 2018 we completed the field work for the Washington State feasibility project and in 2019 began engineering the online VR platform. The field team will continue their work in 2020 with the filming of all critically endangered ecosystems found in the contiguous United States. RARE Tomorrow will debut the Washington State pilot project in the fall of 2020, with the rest of the contiguous US to follow in the winter of 2021.
We’ve already raised half of the field budget. All we need now is 30,000 dollars to ensure we can successfully capture each of the critically endangered systems. We hope to have the funding in place to be able to start fieldwork in time for summer.
Rewards
We are keeping this simple. First, we have two ways to show your support to the world around you, a sticker and a badge. We're pretty excited about both, but to be honest that badge really does something to all of us here at RARE. Might be all those merit badges we didn't earn. Then at the founding member level and above, you’ll receive a gorgeous, one-of-a-kind landscape photo of one of the endangered sites you’re helping to preserve, plus a badge to stitch onto your backpack. Just a little something to remind you of the important work you’re helping to fund.
At all levels of support, your names will be added to the list of people who helped create this crucial archive, but let’s be honest; the real reward is to be part of an international effort to save this visual information for the next generation.
If you don’t have the money to pitch in, share the link and spread the word. The more of your friends, family, and co-workers who know about this campaign, the better.
Risks & Challenges
Honestly, the risks are low. We have the information and are building the relationships we need to make sure we have access to these landscapes. Our big hurdle is funding.