Under the second phase of the Initiative for Conservation in the Andean Amazon (ICAA) of the United States Agency for International Development and in collaboration with Wildlife Conservation Society, CSF is moving forward with the creation of three sustainable business plans for the indigenous Tacana community. The community, located in Bolivia's Amazon region north of La Paz, is home to approximately 5,000 people. Their land is known in Spanish as a Tierra Comunitaria de Origen, and is similar to a Native American reserve in the U.S., designated as a permanent home for the Tacanas to continue their traditions. It is located on the banks of the Beni River in the village of San Miguel del Bala.

Knowledge of economic tools in conservation shouldn't just exist on an individual level. In order to make an even bigger impact on nature, CSF is taking its training to the institutional level this month with Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in Bolivia. WCS was selected by CSF for our first ever In-House Training, funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation's Andes-Amazon Initiative (AAI). WCS saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world's largest system of urban wildlife parks.

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.

Born in La Paz, Bolivia, Alfonso Malky Harb first came to CSF as a student in 2006, where he participated in the Madidi National Park course on economic tools for conservation. Two years later, Alfonso joined CSF as an Economic Analyst in the Bolivian office. With a Master's degree in Agricultural Economics from Catholic University of Chile, an undergraduate degree in Economics from the Bolivian Catholic University, and a diploma in Environmental and Social Research Methods from PIEB (Programa de Investigación Estratégica en Bolivia), he was a natural fit for CSF.

Born in La Paz, Bolivia, Alfonso Malky Harb first came to CSF as a student in 2006, where he participated in the Madidi National Park course on economic tools for conservation. Two years later, Alfonso joined CSF as an Economic Analyst in the Bolivian office. With a Master's degree in Agricultural Economics from Catholic University of Chile, an undergraduate degree in Economics from the Bolivian Catholic University, and a diploma in Environmental and Social Research Methods from PIEB (Programa de Investigación Estratégica en Bolivia), he was a natural fit for CSF.

Born in La Paz, Bolivia, Alfonso Malky Harb first came to CSF as a student in 2006, where he participated in the Madidi National Park course on economic tools for conservation. Two years later, Alfonso joined CSF as an Economic Analyst in the Bolivian office. With a Master's degree in Agricultural Economics from Catholic University of Chile, an undergraduate degree in Economics from the Bolivian Catholic University, and a diploma in Environmental and Social Research Methods from PIEB (Programa de Investigación Estratégica en Bolivia), he was a natural fit for CSF.

Born in La Paz, Bolivia, Alfonso Malky Harb first came to CSF as a student in 2006, where he participated in the Madidi National Park course on economic tools for conservation. Two years later, Alfonso joined CSF as an Economic Analyst in the Bolivian office. With a Master's degree in Agricultural Economics from Catholic University of Chile, an undergraduate degree in Economics from the Bolivian Catholic University, and a diploma in Environmental and Social Research Methods from PIEB (Programa de Investigación Estratégica en Bolivia), he was a natural fit for CSF.