RGS Explore 2025: Impact Planning for Expeditions

We often talk about the idea of "Travel with Purpose" when planning expeditions and fieldwork: the idea of adding meaningful work to existing expedition plans. At RGS EXPLORE 2025, the Impact Planning for Expeditions talk explores how this can be reframed to "Purpose with Travel": where we work with communities to create impact goals to collaboratively address their needs and then ask: "what journey is required?"

The resources below will help the expedition planning process and share new voices on the topic of meaningful expeditions and fieldwork planning.

IMPACT PLANNING RESOURCES

Resource Pack

Presentation Slides

Resource Pack Presentation Slides

READING LIST

IMPACT PLANNING TOOLS

DocSociety: Impact Field Guide

Nature: Participatory Action Research Primer

DocSociety: Impact Field Guide Nature: Participatory Action Research

RGS: People Oriented Research

CASE STUDIES

Case Study 1: eXXpedition

Case Study 2: The Queer Outdoor Expedition

Case Study 1: eXXpedition Case Study 2: The Queer Outdoor Expedition

CITED ARTICLES AND USEFUL LINKS

British Exploring Society (2022): Sustainability and Inclusion in the Outdoors

Nan Shepherd (1977): The Living Mountain

Pattie Gonia (2021): Drag and Identity in the Outdoors

Equal Adventure

RGS Field Centres Register

RGS Expedition Reports

THANK YOU

Emily Penn | eXXpedition

Global Impact Producers Alliance

Honor Wilson-Fletcher | British Exploring Society

Nigel Winser

Pattie Gonia & Jenny Dugan | Queer Outdoors Expedition

Shane Winser and Tom Allen | RGS

Suresh Paul & Poppy Burges | Equal Adventure

Sally Earthrowl & Pattie Gonia | Photo Credits