Outdoor adventurers turn into citizen scientists to tackle environmental crises through adventure scientists

What started as one man’s search for purpose in nature has evolved into a powerful force for environmental conservation. Gregg Treinish, who discovered his love for the outdoors during his youth, founded Adventure Scientists to transform recreational adventurers into data-gathering citizen scientists. His nonprofit organization mobilizes tens of thousands of outdoor enthusiasts who are already exploring remote locations, giving them meaningful scientific missions that contribute to critical conservation research.

The concept is elegantly simple yet remarkably effective: harness the collective reach of hikers, climbers, kayakers, and other adventurers who regularly access hard-to-reach places that traditional researchers struggle to study. These volunteer “adventure scientists” have already achieved impressive results, creating what was once the largest dataset on microplastics pollution, advancing research into antibiotic resistance, and collecting vital information about threatened species in remote habitats.

Beyond the scientific contributions, Treinish emphasizes the profound personal impact on volunteers who previously felt powerless against massive environmental challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss. “It is so fulfilling to watch somebody who felt helpless against climate change, the microplastics issue, biodiversity loss — any one of these massive problems we’re facing — [and] give them a way [to feel] they matter and that they can have a positive impact,” he explains. This sense of purpose transforms not only how participants see their outdoor activities, but how they view their role in addressing global environmental crises, proving that meaningful conservation action can happen one adventure at a time.