Numbers for Nature Training Institute
Conservation Economics for Environmental Leaders
Changing the way conservationists use economics to solve environmental challenges.
Our unique and effective capacity building program in economics and finance provides the knowledge, skills, and language that are key for solving environmental challenges. CSF courses are taught by experts who understand real-world development issues and who demonstrate how economics can advance environmental goals in practical, strategic ways. This approach is crucial at a time when global-scale environmental changes are being driven by diverse economic factors, and when conservation leaders are striving to preserve critical ecosystems.
Results
Our alumni are using economics to be more strategic in their work, and influence local, regional, and national-level decisions in favor of nature:
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95% say the CSF course was one of the most useful short courses they have ever attended
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95% say their CSF training experience changed how they approach their work
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82% say attending the CSF course contributed to a career advancement
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75% say the CSF training helped them achieve a specific success
Economics & Finance for Environmental Leadership
CSF's Flagship International Course (In-Person in 2025)
For the first time since 2019, our annual Economics & Finance for Environmental Leadership course will be hosted in person in 2025! This course empowers conservationists with strong economic arguments for sustainable development, tools for financing nature, and methods for understanding and solving the challenges facing our environment today. Apply or register now to join us August 18-29 at Stanford University.
NEW: Introduction to Cost-Benefit Analysis
Self-paced course (Virtual)
Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is a powerful economic tool for communicating the potential gains and losses of pursuing development projects. This self-paced course empowers participants to be leaders in decision-making for conservation, policy, and more.
Introduction to Environmental Valuation
Self-paced course (Virtual)
Interested in learning how you can use economic tools to value ecosystem services? Our new self-paced course provides you with the fundamentals of environmental valuation, including exposure to a range of valuation approaches and a chance to apply what you've learned through project design.
Introduction to Conservation Finance
A self-paced course produced with the Conservation Finance Alliance (Virtual)
Learn the basics of Conservation Finance from the experts themselves.
This course covers the fundamentals of Conservation Finance solutions, public and private sector partnerships, scalable strategies and emerging tools and opportunities to help finance nature now and far into the future.
Economía y Finanzas para el Liderazgo Ambiental
CSF's Flagship Spanish Course (Virtual)
This 100% online and Spanish course introduces conservation economics and how it can be used to make strong economic arguments for environmental protection. Participants gain a suite of economic and financial tools to integrate into their own conservation or environmental work.
Strategies for Effective Nature-Based Tourism in Africa
An in-house course designed for the Africa Nature-Based Tourism Platform, supported by World Wildlife Fund
To serve Africa Nature-Based Tourism platform partners, this course provided an overview of economic fundamentals from theory to practice, and explores the links between ecosystem services and human benefits. It also included emerging financing opportunities for IPLC tourism-based businesses, effective models for community ownership, and how to use an economic impact analysis to improve conservation outcomes. This course concluded on June 28, 2024.
Strategies for Effective Protected Areas Management in Africa
An in-house course designed for IUCN grantees, supported by the The Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management (BIOPAMA) Programme
This course covered fundamental economic and finance theory and practice for successful conservation strategies across Africa. It grantees with the knowledge and tools to become effective leaders on Protected Areas Management, with an emphasis on conservation finance, environmental valuation, and cost-benefit analysis. This course concluded on October 18, 2024.
CSF's Economic Video Series
Free animated video lessons for learning at your own pace
Want to understand the economic drivers of environmental problems? How to value things in the natural environment? The essentials of fisheries and forestry economics? Step-by-step instructions on cost-benefit analysis? View our video lessons to learn more!
4Nature Podcast
It’s time to rethink our incentive systems so they work for Nature and People.
Hosted by David Meyers, Executive Director of Conservation Finance Alliance, and Kim Bonine, Training Director at Conservation Strategy Fund, 4Nature Podcast interviews some of the world’s most innovative thinkers and driven actors all committed to restructuring financial, economic and social incentives to be more nature positive, and dedicated to transforming the role humanity plays within Nature.
Valuing nature and people to inform business decision-making
A FREE course from our Partners at Capitals Coalition
The course helps you to understand how to drive change at the organizational level and teaches you what you can do to make a difference as individual. You will learn why it is important to include nature, people and society in business decision-making, how businesses impact and depend on natural, human and social capital, how that translates into risks and opportunities, and how to get started with a capitals assessment.
Transforming Business: Valuing social and human capital
A FREE course from our Partners at Capitals Coalition
Explore how societal challenges affect businesses and why it is important to include social and human capital in business decision-making, how to identify, measure and value relevant social and human capital impacts and dependencies within your business context, and how you can take action, make commitments, and transform business decision-making to respect human rights, tackle inequality and improve well-being.
Introduction to Sustainable Livelihoods
A FREE course from The Nature Conservancy
This course offers conservation managers and practitioners a comprehensive overview of sustainable livelihood concepts. It explores how partnerships for sustainable livelihood initiatives can align conservation goals with the needs, priorities, and vision of local communities and Indigenous Peoples.
Natural Capital for African Development Finance
FREE Resources from the NC4-ADF Project
The Green Growth Knowledge Partnership, African Development Bank, World Wildlife Fund, and Conservation Strategy Fund, among others, have partnered under The Natural Capital for African Development Finance (NC4-ADF) project to mainstream natural capital in African development finance. Explore Knowledge publications from this project on the Green Policy Platform.
Partnership Opportunities
Work with us to design a custom economics course for your organization!
CSF offers tailored training in economics and finance tools to empower conservation organizations, decision-makers, and communities to find more sustainable development pathways. Reach out to us and explore training opportunities in specific themes and regions relevant to your conservation work!
Testimonials
What do past participants say about our courses?
Titus Muia
“This training is one of the greatest ideas in community-based conservation. It has empowered me as a key decision maker in a conservation organization to have a not just a voice, but a voice of reason. This is exactly what I needed, and now I have it, thanks to CSF.”
Scott Edwards
"It is our conviction that by raising economic literacy and building a better case for conservation, we can direct human behavior and decision making to support better outcomes for people and nature."
Indekhwa Anangwe
“I have picked up invaluable conservation finance and economics aspects that are going to be very useful for my day to day work. We are currently working towards establishing a sustainable financing mechanism for protected areas in Africa and how we create a case for conservation of these conserved and protected areas is going to be very critical as we talk to governments, potential funders and other key stakeholders. This course couldn't have come in at a better time for me."
Kerstin Brauneder
“I can whole-heartedly say that this was a great experience. I think it's great that this is carried out online rather than on-site, because it allows more people to attend and reduces the carbon travel footprint."
Hannah de Villiers
"One of the best courses I've ever done and what I learned will stay with me for life.”
Maxene Atis
“I plan to apply the knowledge I acquired in this course directly in my conservation work, particularly in my interactions with policymakers, the private sector, and government entities. I am definitely better prepared to supervise or provide important feedback on my external consultants' studies on ecosystems services and biodiversity in general. As far as sharing, I will be using all platforms and avenues (e.g. as a board member of a National Conservation Trust Fund in Haiti, in training workshops with local organizations, communities, and government, in meetings, workshops and conferences).”
Samantha D. Leone
The course was an excellent refresher! For anyone considering it, it provides a great introduction to environmental economics, policy and conservation finance! I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking to expand their knowledge in these subjects! Added bonus: The instructors are amazing and the learning materials and platform are top notch!"
Thank you to our partners!
For a full list please visit https://www.conservation-strategy.org/about/partners
