NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/1040966
NOVEMBER 2018 • NEBRASKAland 43 said Hollis. They had seen the fish, the sea turtles, the coral reefs. Now they cared about them. Hollis saw an opportunity here, too. He began working more closely with the biologists and researchers who had talked to his students, and he found opportunities for divers to aid researchers in their conservation efforts. DiVentures divers have tagged sea turtles, hammerhead sharks and great white sharks so researchers can track these animals and learn more about their migration habits and other behaviors. DiVentures staff are working with the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha on a coral propagation program, in which divers there will painstakingly place coral on the ocean floor. These trips make divers feel like they're helping do their part. Additionally, Hollis has found that his customers value once-in-a-lifetime experiences like these over just about anything they could buy. "Do you want to buy something, or do you want to tag a great white shark?" Hollis asked. "How many people would love to say they tagged a great white shark?" All of these things – the research trips, the talks, the act of experiencing underwater landscapes – help amplify the message of conservation. "All those little barks turn into one big roar," Hollis said. Locally, Hollis is involved in education and conservation efforts, too. DiVentures participated in the 2018 Missouri River Outdoor Expo at Ponca State Park, conducing a program introducing visitors to snorkeling and scuba diving. Additionally, DiVentures donated funds to help renovate the Aksarben Aquarium at Schramm Park State Recreation Area. The renovated aquarium and nature center will open next year as part of the Venture Parks project, which aims to bring innovative and unique features to four different parks along the Platte River: Schramm Park State Recreation Area, Louisville State Recreation Area, Platte River State Park and Eugene T. Mahoney State Park. The Venture Parks program is funded in large part by private donors, like DiVentures. "Dean (Hollis) has built a culture where his customers are curious, they're engaged with the natural world, and they're inspired to help conserve an environment that is important to them for future generations. That mission is really parallel to ours," said Jim Douglas, director of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. DiVentures may not be the small, tiki dive shop that Hollis initially envisioned running in retirement. But he's doing what he loves, he's helping others do the same, and his business is inspiring Nebraskans to learn and care about ecosystems they might not otherwise see. "It's pretty neat to be doing this from Omaha," Hollis said. ■ DiVentures offers swimming lessons, scuba certification, equipment rental, travel packages and much more.