Patchouli oil jokes aside, this is a great project. They are currently in the running for a grant to continue with Positive Impact Ecotourism, so if you like the video, click on this link and give them a vote.

From the creators:
“As glaciers melt, our winter playgrounds shrink, worse yet, polar bears lose their home. The ironies of “ecotourism” become apparent as jetliners packed with eager tourists land in the Arctic Archipelago of Svalbard and embark on noisy snowmobile tours hoping to catch a glimpse of the same majestic beings they are unwittingly helping destroy.

A group of backcountry ski enthusiasts with careers in environmental science decided to redefine their Leave No Trace ethic by leaving a trace – a positive one. They are working with a family-owned dogsled business to develop Positive Impact Ecotourism and help create non-mechanized wilderness zones.”

Ski for Nature. Telemarkzone in Svalbard from Colin Witherill on Vimeo.