Saving Leatherback Turtles On the Local Level - John and Hilda Denham

John and Hilda Denham had traveled broadly around the world before first visiting Costa Rica. But when John saw the leatherback and green sea turtles pull themselves onto the beach to give birth, he was taken by their vulnerability to crabs, gulls and poachers. To try to help, even on a local level, he bought a swath of jungle next to a turtle nesting beach and established the Pacuare Nature Reserve. Twenty-five years later, they are able to save 98% of the turtle nests adjacent to their property. For their success in helping leatherback numbers stabilize and their efforts to teach local school kids about the animals, they've been awarded the 2013 Sustainable Travel Leadership Award, established by United Airlines and National Geographic.