Conservation Strategy Fund and Duke University have launched a collaborative partnership to create a Conservation Economics Initiative. The Initiative will make economics training more readily available to conservation professionals around the world by combining the academic capabilities of a university leader in the environmental field with CSF’s agility and experience in delivering training to conservation practitioners.

The initiative will improve the quality and quantity of training currently available, develop new course content, and connect Duke faculty and students with environmental practitioners in developing countries.

The Conservation Economics Initiative will
• Develop cutting edge curriculum for conservation economics.
• Build online teaching capabilities to fulfill the growing demand for economics training by conservation professionals in developing countries.
• Create an online repository of syllabi, lectures, exercises, simulation materials, readings, evaluation forms, sample schedules, an instructor directory, photos, videos, testimonials and how-to guides for course implementation. These resources will be accessible to training teams from anywhere in the world.
• Develop a Training Partnership Network to scale up and replicate CSF’s training model in other regions of the world.
• Foster collaboration between developed country academics and conservation professionals, economists, and regional organizations in developing countries.
• Provide hands-on learning opportunities that link university students and faculty with decision-makers facing real-world conservation challenges. Internships and post-doctoral opportunities will connect young economists to people and places where they can make a tangible difference and will build local capacity in developing countries.
• Create a “core” faculty familiar with the needs of course participants coming from diverse backgrounds and skill sets.

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