CSF has gathered a group of emerging conservation economists in the tropical Andes to help them design research that will contribute to sustaining ecosystems in the region. The program is part of the Initiative for Conservation in the Andean Amazon (ICAA) of the United States Agency for International Development. Today in Coroico, Bolivia, the CSF technical team is evaluating 20 research proposals - finalists from 100 submissions - in order to select up to 10 awardees, who will receive research grants and a year of mentoring from CSF.

On March 29th and 30th, 2011, CSF Brazil Technical Manager Leonardo Fleck led a conservation economics workshop at an event organized by the TEEB initiative (The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity) from the United Nations Environment Program. The event was held in Corrientes, Argentina, and was co-sponsored by the Avina Foundation. The workshop aimed to promote the use of economics in environmental conservation with a focus on climate change. The workshop was attended by 80 participants from various governmental and non-governmental organizations, including representatives from Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia. Leonardo taught principles of microeconomics, environmental valuation and cost-benefit analysis.