Round River Conservation Studies
Round River Conservation Studies is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1991 that runs university-credit, field-based study abroad and conservation research programs in six countries, partnering with Indigenous communities and local agencies to deliver ecological fieldwork, wildlife monitoring, and community-led conservation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersSalt Lake City, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Round River Conservation Studies does
Round River Conservation Studies is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit (Tax ID 87-0499405) founded in 1991/1992 and headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, that combines ecological field research with university-level study abroad education. It operates field-based semester and summer programs in six countries — Botswana (Okavango Delta), Mongolia (Darhad Valley), Chile (Patagonia), Canada (Taku Watershed), the United States/Mexico (Sky Island Borderlands), and Nepal (launching Spring 2027) — enrolling undergraduates and graduates from institutions including the University of Vermont, Bowdoin College, Williams College, and Harvard for 9- or 15-credit terms. Programs are co-delivered with Indigenous communities and local conservation agencies, integrating Western scientific methods with Indigenous and local knowledge.
The organization's underlying technology stack is field-based rather than digital: drone-based wildlife surveying (e.g., DJI Mini 4k units in Mongolia for cormorant nest counts and taimen monitoring), extensive camera trap networks (50+ units deployed per Mongolia semester) producing occupancy data on wolverine, lynx, snow leopard, and other focal species, GPS tracking, and GIS spatial analysis — including GIS-based spatial decision support tools co-developed with the Taku River Tlingit First Nation in British Columbia. Outputs include a published 7-year (2013-2019) Okavango Delta wildlife monitoring report, 10+ years of guanaco survey data in Patagonia National Park, and contributions to the 2023 declaration of the T'akú Tlatsini Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area.
The revenue model is hybrid for a nonprofit: per-student tuition and program fees (bundling academic credits, lodging, in-country travel, equipment, meals, cultural activities, and medical evacuation) form the primary income stream, supplemented by tiered individual donations ($100/$250/$500/$1,000), foundation grants (Fundación Mar Adentro, Pew Charitable Trusts, Minnesota Zoo Foundation), and corporate sponsorships (Patagonia, Natural Selection, Nakina Adventures). Programs are distributed via a direct application on roundriver.org, accredited university study-abroad partnerships (with federal financial aid and external scholarships accepted), alumni referral networks, and listings on directories such as Abroad101 and GoAbroad. The organization is led by Executive Director Doug Milek with a Conservation Director (PhD), a Director of Operations, and a roster of regionally stationed program instructors, supported by 11-50 total employees.
Round River Conservation Studies firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Round River Conservation Studies
- Legal name
- Round River Conservation Studies
- Website
- https://roundriver.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Round River Conservation Studies is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1991 that runs university-credit, field-based study abroad and conservation research programs in six countries, partnering with Indigenous communities and local agencies to deliver ecological fieldwork, wildlife monitoring, and community-led conservation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Round River Conservation Studies industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Conservation Study Abroad / Experiential Education
- NAICS
- Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Environmental Consulting Services (541620)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Environmental Conservation & Sustainability Volunteering (EDAIAGAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Conservation, Research & Volunteer Experiences (THAJAIAJ), Faculty-Led & Research/Field Study Expeditions (THAKAGAK), Biodiversity Baseline Studies & Long-Term Monitoring Programs (EUAHAHAE)
Keywords
Where Round River Conservation Studies is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Salt Lake City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Round River Conservation Studies business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Student Tuition and Program Fees: Revenue from students paying tuition for study abroad programs (15 credits per semester, 9 credits for summer). Fees include lodging, research fees, in-country travel, meals, cultural activities, and medical evacuation services.
- Donations: Individual donations at various levels ($100 for student supplies, $250 for technology, $500 for student support, $1000 for research). Tax-deductible contributions from supporters. Tax ID 87-0499405.
- Foundation Grants: Funding from foundations such as Fundación Mar Adentro for interdisciplinary conservation and socio-ecological initiatives in Chile. Support from organizations like Minnesota Zoo Foundation and Save the Rhino Trust.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Support from corporate sponsors including Patagonia, Natural Selection, Nakina Adventures, and others for events and conservation programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Fall/Spring Semester Programs - 15 credits |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Summer Term Programs - 9 credits |
| Subscription | Annual | Sky Islands Borderlands - Fall/Spring Semester 15 credits |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Sky Islands Borderlands - Summer 9 credits |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Donation - Student Support ($100) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Donation - Technology ($250) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Donation - Student Experience ($500) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Donation - Research Investment ($1000) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels10 records
Round River Conservation Studies product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Round River Conservation Studies delivers field-based study abroad programs for university students, combining semester- and summer-long academic coursework (9-15 credits) with hands-on conservation research in six countries (Botswana, Mongolia, Chile, Canada, US/Mexico border, and Nepal). Alongside student programs, the organization conducts long-term community-based and Indigenous-led conservation projects, integrating Western science with traditional ecological knowledge through tools such as drones, camera traps, and GIS.
Product overview
Round River Conservation Studies is a nonprofit educational institution that operates a portfolio of field-based study abroad programs focused on community-driven conservation. The core offerings are semester and summer-long student programs in Patagonia (Chile), Botswana, Mongolia, Taku Watershed (Canada), Sky Island Borderlands (US/Mexico), and Nepal. Each program combines academic coursework with hands-on conservation research, working alongside local communities and Indigenous partners. Beyond student programs, Round River conducts long-term conservation projects including the T'akú Tlatsini IPCA initiative and the How We Walk with the Land and Water spatial decision support tool, which integrate Indigenous Knowledge with western scientific methods. The organization functions as a unified platform combining education, research, and conservation delivery across multiple geographic regions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Patagonia Student Program (Chile) A semester-long study abroad program in Chilean Patagonia focused on conservation research including guanaco monitoring, steppe biodiversity surveys, Magellanic woodpecker studies, and community-based conservation work in partnership with Raíces de Calafate, Pew Charitable Trusts, and Universidad Austral de Chile.
- Botswana Student Program (Okavango Delta) A semester-long study abroad program in the Okavango Delta focusing on wildlife monitoring, community-based natural resource management, and conservation with local communities in Sankoyo, Mababe, and Khwai.
- Mongolia Student Program (Darhad Valley) A study abroad program in the Darhad Valley, Mongolia, working with the Ulaan Taiga Protected Areas Administration on research including camera trap monitoring, cormorant diet studies, pika population studies, Vansemberuu plant monitoring, and taimen fish research.
- Taku Watershed Student Program (British Columbia) A study abroad program in the Taku River Watershed of British Columbia, Canada, working with the Taku River Tlingit First Nation on ecological research, thinhorn sheep habitat studies, and Indigenous-led conservation initiatives.
- Sky Island Borderlands Program (US & Mexico) A study abroad program in the US-Mexico borderlands region (Arizona/Sonora), partnering with Sky Island Alliance to monitor wildlife movement, survey perennial springs, and study elevational distribution of species using camera traps.
- Nepal Student Program (Annapurna to Chitwan) An upcoming study abroad program in Nepal expanding to the Chitwan-Annapurna landscape in partnership with BIOCOS-Nepal, focusing on snow leopard, common leopard, musk deer, blue sheep, Bengal tiger, and Himalayan black bear conservation research.
Quantifiable outcome
- 170+ students trained in conservation field methods since 2012 in Botswana alone
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Round River Conservation Studies
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Round River Conservation Studies technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Round River Conservation Studies partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- BIOCOS-Nepal (Biodiversity Conservation Society Nepal)coreNew partnership for student programs in Nepal's Chitwan-Annapurna landscape. Round River will support BIOCOS-Nepal research on snow leopard, common leopard, musk deer, blue sheep, Bengal tiger, Himalayan black bear, and Himalayan pheasants. First Nepal student cohort expected Spring 2027. Founded a decade ago, BIOCOS-Nepal focuses on community-based conservation through awareness initiatives and applied research.
- Raíces de CalafatecoreChilean community organization developing non-formal socio-environmental education in Aysen region. Joint launch of Ecology of the Steppe: Biodiverse Classroom Laboratory project in Chile Chico, a participatory biodiversity monitoring project for Patagonian steppe. Funded by Fundación Mar Adentro through August 2026.
- Sky Island AlliancecorePartnership for Sky Island Borderlands program (US & Mexico). Round River supports ongoing projects and initiates new conservation efforts where resources are limited. Focus on wildlife monitoring across US-Mexico border using camera traps, perennial spring surveys, and saguaro cactus distribution studies.
- How We Walk with the Land and WatercoreFirst Nations-led initiative in northern Canada. Round River staff participate in Youth and Elders Advisory Committee gatherings to review progress and envision next steps for territorial stewardship. Work on spatial decision support tool development with Taku River Tlingit First Nation.
- Okavango Research InstitutecorePartnership for community-based wildlife monitoring in Okavango Delta since 2012. Published joint report covering 7 years of monitoring data (2013-2019). Updated 10-year report in development. Dr. Gaseitsiwe Masunga provides ongoing support for Botswana program.
- Ulaan Taiga Special Protected Areas Administration (UTSPAA)coreMongolia's protected areas administration in Darhad Valley. Round River has worked with UTSPAA since approximately 2010. Collaborative research including wolverine studies, camera trap monitoring, cormorant diet studies, and Vansemberuu plant research. Awarded recognition to Round River instructor as American Teacher of the Darhad Valley.
- Dr. Jeff Muntifering (Minnesota Zoo Foundation / Save the Rhino Trust)supportingConservation Scientist with Minnesota Zoo Foundation and Science Advisor to Save the Rhino Trust and BIOCOS-Nepal. Longtime associate and friend of Round River who directed Namibia program 2002-2008. Facilitated establishment of Nepal partnership.
- The Pew Charitable TrustssupportingProvided technical assistance for Chilean Patagonia Gateway Communities Strategy for protected areas. 18 workshops between December 2020 and October 2021 with 380 participants including governors, mayors, and local residents. Round River contributed expertise to strategy design.
- Descubriendo CochranesupportingLocal Chilean organization in Cochrane. Patagonia students support river clean-up efforts and collaborative conservation projects with this community organization.
- Naturaleza PúblicasupportingChilean nonprofit partner for ethnobotanical work. Previously collaborated with Round River on ethnobotanical garden installation at Cochrane Hospital in 2025.
- Universidad Austral de ChilesupportingPartner in Chilean Patagonia Gateway Communities Strategy. Provided technical assistance alongside Round River, Pew Charitable Trusts, and other organizations for protected area management strategy.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Round River Conservation Studies competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS): NOLS is a much larger outdoor education nonprofit offering field courses globally, with some academic credit partnerships. While broader in scope (leadership, wilderness skills), it shares the model of tuition-funded, multi-week, field-based experiential education with conservation elements.
- Fauna & Flora International (FFI): FFI is a global conservation NGO operating community-based conservation programs across multiple continents. It shares Round River's community-based, partner-driven conservation model and operates in overlapping geographies in Asia and South America, though at much larger scale.
- Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS): WCS is a major conservation NGO running field research and protected-area management globally, including in Botswana and Mongolia where Round River operates. It represents both a potential partner and a comparable conservation-research organization with overlapping geographies.
- School for International Training (SIT) / World Learning: SIT is a major study-abroad provider offering undergraduate programs with an environmental and sustainability track in multiple countries. It competes for the same student demographic via university partnerships and credit-transfer arrangements, though its programs are less field-research-intensive.
Direct peers
- Earthwatch Institute: Earthwatch runs citizen-science and field research expeditions where participants contribute to active conservation research. It overlaps with Round River's research-driven expedition model, particularly in wildlife monitoring and community-engaged fieldwork, though it skews more toward paying volunteers than credit-bearing students.
- School for Field Studies (SFS): SFS is the most direct comparable - a nonprofit operating credit-bearing, semester-long field study abroad programs in conservation and environmental topics across multiple countries, with comparable student credit structure, tuition model, and partner-university channel. Both organizations target the same undergraduate segment with hands-on field research experiences.
- Wildlands Studies: Wildlands Studies runs credit-bearing field study programs focused on wilderness conservation and environmental research across multiple countries. It shares Round River's model of combining undergraduate fieldwork, academic credit, and conservation outcomes, with a similar program-length and credit structure.
- Ecology Project International (EPI): EPI operates field-based conservation education programs that combine student research with community-based conservation outcomes, including in Latin America and other regions. It overlaps with Round River's mission-driven, field-research educational model and target student demographic.
Emerging players
- Polar Latitudes: Polar Latitudes operates small-ship expedition-style educational trips focused on polar regions with strong conservation and wildlife content. While geographically narrower, it shares the high-touch, field-based, conservation-education model that Round River uses in its remote international programs.
Regional players
- Andes Amazon Fund: A conservation NGO focused on the Patagonian and Andean regions where Round River's Chile program operates. It overlaps with Round River's community-based conservation work in Aysén region and Patagonia National Park, including shared partner organizations like Pew Charitable Trusts.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Round River Conservation Studies social profiles
Digital presenceRound River Conservation Studies financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Round River Conservation Studies leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
Round River Conservation Studies funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Round River Conservation Studies M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Round River Conservation Studies
What does Round River Conservation Studies do?
Round River Conservation Studies delivers field-based study abroad programs for university students, combining semester- and summer-long academic coursework (9-15 credits) with hands-on conservation research in six countries (Botswana, Mongolia, Chile, Canada, US/Mexico border, and Nepal). Alongside student programs, the organization conducts long-term community-based and Indigenous-led conservation projects, integrating Western science with traditional ecological knowledge through tools such as drones, camera traps, and GIS.
Is Round River Conservation Studies a public or private company?
Round River Conservation Studies is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Round River Conservation Studies founded?
Round River Conservation Studies was founded in 1992. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Round River Conservation Studies based?
Round River Conservation Studies is headquartered in Salt Lake City, United States, in the North America region.
How does Round River Conservation Studies make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Student Tuition and Program Fees are the primary driver. The others are donations, foundation Grants and corporate Sponsorships.
Who are Round River Conservation Studies's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), Fauna & Flora International (FFI), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and School for International Training (SIT) / World Learning. Direct peers are Earthwatch Institute, School for Field Studies (SFS), Wildlands Studies and Ecology Project International (EPI). Polar Latitudes is listed as an emerging player. Andes Amazon Fund is listed as a regional player.
Does Round River Conservation Studies have an API?
No public API is recorded for Round River Conservation Studies.
What industry is Round River Conservation Studies in?
Round River Conservation Studies's product category is Conservation Study Abroad / Experiential Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAIAGAB, Environmental Conservation & Sustainability Volunteering, with a secondary code of THAJAIAJ, Conservation, Research & Volunteer Experiences. Its NAICS code is 54162 and its SIC code is 8731.