An easy way for hosts to contribute to nature conservation?

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Hey everyone,

Sorry, didn’t mean this to sound like a business proposal. Rather, we’re curious if there’s any value in this kind of thing - both for hosts and for nature itself.

The only way I can think of to explain the general concept is to share a sample link.

I’m wondering for those with large gardens or natural landscapes, do you think nature-loving guests could find value in easily seeing what wildlife exists in the area?

Maybe there’s a bird or type of butterfly they’d want to see?

For example, could a web page like this be of any value (just a sample of something we’re experimenting with):

No plans to charge for this, certainly not in this experimentation phase. It’s entirely free and voluntary. But of course if it’s something hosts want, then I imagine we’d need to think about how to support such a service in the future.

First step is to even know if there’s even a value add here.

Would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions. If you’re interested, we’re happy to create a free (forever) test page for your property.

Thank you in advance.

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I have read of other hosts doing this, but it was a pamphlet, rather than a webpage and I think it’s a cool idea.

But is your offer to create a sample page for others something you are planning to charge for? Because soliciting business isn’t allowed here.

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Thanks for this.

No specific plans at this point, just trying to see what people think, if there’s value here for something like this (for both hosts and the local nature), what that value might be, how it might look. Quite open to suggestions.

Definitely no cost for this process of experimentation, but of course if it’s something hosts want, then I imagine we’d need to think about how to support such a service in the future.

Thanks again!

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So… yes you are planning to charge.

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@GoE How would this contribute to nature conservation? Are you a host yourself? It seems like you just want hosts to donate their time for free to help you do market research for something you plan to charge for in the future. That sort of thing isn’t really welcome here.

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Over the years, we’ve had so many ‘entrepreners’ who have a great idea to ‘help’ hosts.

Which is lovely.

But none, as far as I know, have come to fruition.

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Thanks for this feedback and appreciate your understanding.

I do think it’s important for us to explore innovations that might help address an increasingly urgent need (globally) for biodiversity conservation - new ways of thinking about it, new approaches, with new technologies.

If anyone would be interested in exploring this with me, just let me know. I definitely won’t charge (ever) for creating samples for you to experiment with, and will not solicit business through this forum in the future.

Thanks again for your understanding.

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I certainly agree with that, I’m just not sure how educating guests on the local wildlife would accomplish that. Guests who would be interested in such things are likely already of that mind set, and the others have meltdowns if they see a spider or a field mouse and want us to kill it, or want to cancel the rest of their booking. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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Thanks for this, oh, that’s interesting. Spiders! Yes, I do notice that seems to be a big issue for hosts/guests.

And I doubt that asking guests to record them via an app for “biodiversity mapping” will help very much. :grinning: Especially if they’re in your bedroom! :grinning:

What about - an idea…

Would hosts be interested in maybe “adopting” (virtually) a nearby territory, or parkland or something?

For example, suppose a host has a property called “XYZ”? We could set up a nearby nature area - maybe a park - called something like “XYZ’s realm?” This would be exclusive to them.

This could be a special place where guests could visit, see the local wildlife, and contribute (via their favourite apps) to the knowledge of the nature there? As it grows, with more info, maybe more people would want to visit?

Something like that? The host gets credit - “this is our contribution to biodiversity conservation, and the guest gets to participate and contribute too.”

Does that resonate? Or am I way off the mark?

Again - thanks for your time in discussing this. I understand people are busy so I appreciate the time being offered.

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Who would fund this ‘nearby nature reserve’ you are going to offer hosts @GoE

Who is going to maintain this ‘nature reserve’

How would you make sure only guests can use it?

It doesn’t resonate with me . We have a stunning huge park with a lake leading through woods that follow the river to a local beauty spot a fifteen min walk from my house . And a converted railway line that’s now a walking and cycle path connecting my city to another through local villages and countryside . These are the local nature spots I direct my guests to.

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Not the ‘royal’ we, for sure. And yet, this thread continues with the OP still soliciting ‘buy in’ through ‘conversation’…

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I can’t imagine how an app would facilitate a list of local wildlife, since an app doesn’t know what is endemic to any given area. So hosts would have to research and input the species themselves, which is just as much work as if they created a guidebook like this themselves, which some hosts already do.

The problem with people trying to come up with ideas for apps and other things to “help” hosts, is that these folks aren’t hosts themselves, therefore have no idea what would be valuable or what hosts already do.

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How could public lands be “exclusive” to one host? This makes no sense at all.

Don’t you think hosts already inform guests of nearby areas of interest, local wildlife, etc.?

And when businesses, or organizations like Kiwanis or Rotary Club “adopt” an area, that involves them keeping that area clean, well-kept, etc. What if a guest sees some garbage someone has dumped in this “host-exclusive” area? Are they then going to blame the host for that? Write a bad review?

While I applaud your interest in preserving biodiversity, this isn’t the way to accomplish that. Habitat destruction and resulting species decline is largely the result of corporate greed, not hosts and their guests. I don’t see how guests identifying birds and butterflies counters habitat destruction or preserves biodiversity.

And there are already businesses in my area which offer bird watching tours, hiking tours, etc. and my guest room has pamphlets and business cards provided for these.

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An easy way for hosts to contribute to nature conservation:

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My recent coffee-swilling guest had a meltdown over the little birds that fly in the villa for crumbs. She told our housekeeper to keep all the doors shut “to keep the f@$@ing birds out of the house”.

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As opposed to the guest bothering to clean up the crumbs.

I just had a guest who was super nice and easy to have around, left her room and bathroom quite clean and tidy, but kept ignoring my request not to put any food in the garbage- it needs to go in the compost pail. I went to lift the garbage bag out of my kitchen bin this morning, only to have the bottom of it fall out, with a mess of wet food leftovers in the bottom of the bin, with fruit flies and maggots. I can do without that sort of wildlife.

And while she brought her bathroom garbage bin downstairs and responsibly emptied it, not something I ask nor expect guests to do, into a half-full garbage bag I had out on the terrace, it also had food remnants in it (I had told her no food upstairs, but she seemed to enjoy eating at the table outside her room on the balcony, which I didn’t really mind, but I didn’t realize she was throwing leftovers in the bathroom garbage) so when I got up this morning, the animals had ripped a hole in it overnight and there was garbage with mucky food all over.

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Thanks for these replies!

Sorry, I don’t think I was clear in explaining the idea. My apologies.

What I mean is just a visual representation of the land that appears on the guest’s phone.

Here’s a random example of a property:

It shows the different species on the land and nearby, tells you what you’re most likely to find, etc. But more importantly, it also allows the guests to contribute photos.

So in other words, the activity maps the land, which helps researchers, property owners, policy makers etc understand what’s there, what’s disappearing, what needs protection. etc. (Like an inventory).

This can be created for any property. It would appear on the guest’s phone. At least, that’s one idea. And after hearing your responses, I’m thinking it’s not a good idea? :slight_smile: Perhaps you have other suggestions that would work better, which would be great.

I understand I’m taking your time and I truly appreciate these responses. But I think it’s for a worthwhile cause.

I have been an AirBnB host myself, but I’ve never done it in a full capacity (so yes, I don’t fully understand your challenges). And yes, I completely understand your concerns about solicitation. I’m really not sure how else to go about it than to ask hosts like yourselves.

Given the urgency of the biodiversity crisis today, I think we need to think across boundaries, creatively, using new tools. The old ways of thinking - e.g. environment work belongs over here, business work over here - will probably not help going forward. Biodiversity impacts us all.

Thanks again for your responses and your understanding. Feel free to contact me if you’d like me to spin up some examples for your properties (no cost, ever).