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

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  Resource Pack

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  Presentation Slides

Resource Pack Presentation Slides

READING LIST

IMPACT PLANNING TOOLS

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  DocSociety: Impact Field Guide

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  Nature: Participatory Action Research Primer

DocSociety: Impact Field Guide Nature: Participatory Action Research

RGS: People Oriented Research

CASE STUDIES

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  Case Study 1: eXXpedition

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  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

Lynne Campbell & Michael Warne

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