Jan-2011 - Two young French environmentalists are helping eco-projects in remote regions of South America publicise their work to the outside world via BGAN.

Nicolas Quendez and Anne-Laure Allegre are spending a year travelling around nature reserves in Equador, Peru, Argentina and Bolivia, studying plants and animals and volunteering for local organisations.

Inmarsat distribution partner Vizada has provided the pair with an AddValue Sabre 1 BGAN terminal, which they are using to help various environmental projects with their communication needs, as well as staying in touch with supporters themselves.

Media outlets
Under the banner L'Arbre à Noix (The Nut Tree), Nicolas and Anne-Laure are filming, photographing and writing reports on the organisations they visit, to send to media outlets or for use on their own websites.

They have already helped out at the Yasuni Research Station in Amazonian Ecuador, which supports scientific research into the sustainable use of natural resources and advises the indigenous communities of the vast Yasuni National Park and Waorani Reserve.

They also created an online virtual tour of the Yanachaga-Chemillen National Park, which covers 122,000 hectares of Peru. They are also working for Parks-Watch, a US organisation monitoring protected areas of South America.

Jungle locations
Nicolas and Anne-Laure's remote jungle locations mean a terrestrial internet connection is not always available, which is where BGAN comes in.

"We were surprised at how easy the Sabre 1 is to use, and the internet connection is always excellent," says Nicolas.

"When working in isolated areas, this tool is incredibly useful."
The couple, who are both taking a year out from careers in engineering, left France for South America last August.

Solar panels
They mostly travel on foot and being able to slot the BGAN terminal into a backpack is a huge advantage.

The unit's foldable solar panels allow them to stay in touch wherever they are, and knowing they can use the satellite terminal in case of emergency provides peace of mind.

Nicolas and Anne-Laure are documenting their progress on a blog for followers including the Jean Jaurès primary school in Lille, France, which is incorporating their activities into its curriculum.

The Nut Tree: http://the-nut-tree.org
The Nut Tree blog: http://l-arbre-a-noix.org/Blog/
Vizada: www.vizada.com