Hello and thank you for looking at my GoFundMe page. I'm Ruth, I am a Wildlife and Conservation Management student in Dumfries, Scotland (and qualified in riverfly monitoring as you can see by my certificate in picture). I am going to Mexico with Operation Wallacea in June/July 2025 for two weeks with my college. We will be going to Mexico with Operation Wallacea to learn about conservation, the Jungle, the coast and open water diving. The trip will cost £3206, part of this cost we are fundraising as a group, and part as individuals. I am going to row 100 miles to raise money to pay for the trip!

This trip to Mexico is in two parts, the first a week in the Mayan Jungle, within the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve. The second on the coast at Akumal in the Marine Protected Area.

I will take part in daily surveys, lessons and talks. As well as travel to see the ancient Mayan Ruins in the Jungle there. Possible Jaguar tracks and Monkey sightings out here. Up on the coast we will take dive training for 5 days or surveying training. Surveying and lessons daily, with talks every evening. Highlights, are turtles and sea grass!

This trip is a incredible opportunity to understand international conservation and science efforts in Mexico, and the role we can, or not, play in this. Personally as someone retraining in a new career this opportunity is essential for my learning and understanding of the career path I am heading along. Essential skills, meeting new challenges as well as getting new qualifications in open water diving will all add to my conservation CV.

Here is a video about the specific trip I will be on to give a bit more context, it is a little out of date, but the itinerary seems the same.

I am asking for some help to get me there, whatever you feel able to donate to me to help me raise the amount needed. The money you donate will go towards paying for the trip which will cost £3206.

Even sharing this fundraiser on your social media will be a massive help if you're unable to donate! Another option is to get my easyfundraising link and passively raise through any online shopping! https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/ruths-mexico-trip

This trip is not going to be a holiday! We are helping undertake research with and for Operation Wallacea, the money we are paying to them is essentially funding their research while they train students in surveying and conservation. The timetable over the two weeks is full on.

I will keep folk updated with some fundraising activities I have planned (think rowing a distance, or something like that...), but for now just share this around if you can and think of me swealtering in a jungle in the name of science and conservation...

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this!

Cheers

Ruth

P.S. I do smile more, but these photos are giving... conservation effort and science.