That’s a wrap! Conservation Strategy Fund (CSF) concluded its third and final week of our 2021 annual international course: Economics & Finance for Environmental Leadership. This year’s course was hosted as a part of the soft launch of CSF’s Numbers for Nature Training Institute (N4N), the new training arm of CSF through which we will reach even more people in more places with our capacity-building courses, workshops, and webinars. 

With 46 participants from 25 countries representing 25 different organizations and institutions, our 2021 cohort was a diverse group of conservation professionals from all around the world. Ranging from technical advisors and program directors to researchers and specialists, each of our 2021 participants gained a better understanding of the complex interaction between conservation finance and economic analysis, as well as the primary drivers of natural resource degradation and the conservation of our limited natural resources.

Through a combination of pre-recorded lectures, live-sessions, and interactive games and group exercises, participants reported high levels of satisfaction with the format and content of the course. 90% of surveyed participants reported that they were very satisfied with the course topics and modules, and 86% of the participants surveyed reported that they were very satisfied with the overall value of the course. “There is no single word that can explain how much I enjoyed the course,” says Philipo Lukumay, a monitoring evaluation and learning specialist with The Nature Conservancy based in Tanzania. “The instructors were extraordinary, and presented the materials in an easy-to-understand way. I would enjoy participating in another course, which takes participants through the practical aspects of doing environmental economics analysis and policy analysis.”

Overall the course was a huge success for CSF and the N4N Institute, providing our training team with an invaluable opportunity to test our new platform and interact with participants in our new virtual and online workspace. Looking forward, our 2021 participants are already excited to use what they learned in the field. “I have seen an immense improvement in my earlier skills and knowledge on matters concerning environmental economics and conservation finance,” says Christine Nyangweso, a senior investigation officer with the Kenya Wildlife Service. “I can now confidently have a discussion regarding the economics of conservation around the world. The application of economic valuation tools will also enhance my work and will go a long way towards supporting my PhD studies in the economic valuation of coral reef ecosystems in Kenya.”  

To learn more about our 2021 course, Economics & Finance for Environmental Leadership, or the Numbers for Nature Training Institute, please visit our new training platform here.