Planting Seeds for Conservation
Small investments. Bold ideas. Conservation solutions. Young people are taking action for nature in their communities.
Youth-led Conservation Solutions Take Root
Great ideas often start small—and yet, with the right support, they can grow into something much bigger. Through The Nature Conservancy and National Geographic Society Externship program, global youth are learning about environmental challenges and forging new ways to help solve them. Program participants can apply for seed funding to turn ideas sparked during the Externship into action.
Seeds funding by the numbers
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4
years of funding projects
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250
community projects funded
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500K
awarded in seed funding
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77
countries represented
What’s an Externship?
An externship is a new training and collaboration structure to support real-world learning. Aligning with the global shift to virtual education and remote work, mentoring and instruction happens online, and each participant determines their schedule, research topic and action steps. Learn more
From Ideas to Impact
These early investments in the work of young leaders are seeds for what comes next: giving them an opportunity to test an idea, build momentum and create solutions that make tangible contributions to conservation.
Provide Food and Water
5,000+ people gained access to clean, reliable water via water pumps, boreholes, ceramic and biosand filters, and rainwater catchment systems
Tackle Climate Change
More than 5,000 native trees planted through agroforestry systems, reforestation efforts and community-led watershed restoration
Protect Lands and Waters
More than 30,000 mangroves planted along vulnerable coastlines, restoring critical habitat that shields communities from storms and buffers against sea-level rise
Explore funded projects
Check out a small sample of the 250+ extern projects that have received seed funding.
Explore funded projects
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- Saim Shaikh
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Saim Shaikh
Sindh, Pakistan
A seed of funding helped Saim Shaikh turn an idea into Agahi, an AI-powered early warning system designed to help communities prepare for flooding in Sindh, Pakistan. After developing and piloting the technology, Saim reached more than 1,000 people and achieved an 85.5% accuracy rate. Now, he is working with Pakistan’s largest weather app, WeatherWalay, to integrate Agahi into its platform.
Image © Saim Shaikh
- Trinity Wildenstein
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Trinity Wildenstein
Sindh, Pakistan
Trinity Wildenstein used seed funding to install a rain catchment system at a public school in Utila, addressing water scarcity while improving access to fresh water and sanitation for more than 600 students. The initial investment was just the beginning; the community raised an additional $6,500. Trinity is preparing to bring a similar solution to a nearby island.
Image © Trinity Wildenstein
- Makur Majeng
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Makur Majeng
Sindh, Pakistan
What began as an effort to raise awareness about plastic pollution along the Nile grew into a broader movement. Makur Majeng reached more than 20,000 people through digital outreach and national radio, mobilized more than 30 volunteers for major cleanups and registered his project as a national NGO. The momentum helped unlock additional funding through the AU-EU Youth Voices Lab.
Image © Makur Majeng
- Emma Batty Sukerta
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Emma Batty Sukerta
Sindh, Pakistan
With seed funding, Emma Batty Sukerta purchased hydrophones to explore how the sounds of coral reefs could help assess reef health and support restoration and conservation. The funding gave her the opportunity to pursue this emerging area of research—and the confidence to seek additional support. She went on to secure another grant to create a film about divers in Indonesia.
Image © Emma Batty Sukerta
- Astrid Peraza
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Astrid Peraza
Sindh, Pakistan
Astrid Peraza’s documentary Women of the Mangrove began by sharing the stories of rural women creating sustainable tourism opportunities around mangroves. The film went on to build awareness and support for mangrove restoration and earn recognition at three film festivals. Astrid is creating another documentary following the journey of a mangrove seed.
Image © Astrid Peraza
Explore the externship program and stay connected
Today’s youth are inheriting complex and mounting environmental challenges. They want to act and lead on behalf of the planet. That’s why The Nature Conservancy and National Geographic Society have joined forces to offer young adults from across the globe a leadership experience to equip them with the knowledge, tools and relationships to seek solutions and take action for nature.
Nature's Next Generation
Nature Lab
Nature Lab is our hub for youth curriculum that gives teachers, students and families customizable, interactive lesson plans to explore and understand nature.
Stories from Conservation Changemakers
Across the globe, young people are taking action on our biggest environmental challenges.
Seed Funding
Through the National Geographic Society & The Nature Conservancy’s cutting-edge externship program, global youth learn about the challenges facing our world & forge new ways to help solve them.