Overview

Conserving and restoring the planet’s tropical forest landscapes is essential for addressing many of our pressing environmental and social challenges. These efforts offer critical opportunities to combat climate change, restore ecosystems, protect wildlife, and enhance food security and economic growth. The Tropical Forest Landscapes (TFL) online certificate program, offered by the Yale School of the Environment (YSE) and Yale’s Environmental Leadership & Training Initiative (ELTI), explores diverse perspectives on managing tropical landscapes through a dynamic online experience.

The program is designed for postgraduate learners with a professional or intellectual interest in tropical forest landscapes with a focus on translating theory into action. Advance your career and achieve results for conservation and livelihoods from anywhere in the world.

Program Overview

This program is for current and aspiring environmental leaders eager to expand your knowledge and skills, advance your careers, and maximize your impact on tropical conservation and restoration.

The curriculum combines the expertise of Yale faculty and ELTI’s extensive training experience and network throughout the tropics. Courses cover important core concepts, showcase global case studies, and provide practical tools for understanding and managing the social, ecological, and economic aspects of effective conservation and restoration initiatives. Over the 10-month program, you will learn the science and solutions to help you design, implement and monitor effective conservation and restoration initiatives.

Key Learning Outcomes

Identify the building blocks of effective conservation and restoration initiatives and learn how to enhance your plans.

  • Expand professional networks and learn alongside a global network of online learners
  • Strengthen governance, foster stakeholder dialogue, and improve community engagement in your initiatives.
  • Learn how to select, plan, and monitor land-use strategies for sustainable management of tropical forest landscapes
  • Evaluate opportunities and tradeoffs across potential sources of funding for conservation and restoration.
  • Develop a comprehensive conservation and restoration project, practicing techniques for project planning and applying key concepts to a specific tropical landscape.

Who Should Apply?

Representing 70+ countries and 280+ organizations, participants to date include:

  • Professionals from governments, private industries, and nongovernmental organizations
  • Staff members from foundations, businesses, and aid agencies
  • Academics, lecturers, graduate students, and recent graduates
  • Landholders, farmers, ranchers, community organizers, and extension workers
  • Other champions of sustainable tropical landscapes

Key details

  • Program name: Tropical Forest Landscapes: Conservation, Restoration, and Sustainable Use online certificate program
  • Program website: https://environment.yale.edu/certificates/tropical
  • Program description: This program is for current and aspiring environmental leaders eager to expand your knowledge and skills, advance your careers, and maximize your impact on tropical conservation and restoration. The curriculum combines the expertise of Yale faculty and ELTI’s extensive training experience and network throughout the tropics. Courses cover important core concepts, showcase global case studies, and provide practical tools for understanding and managing the social, ecological, and economic aspects of effective conservation and restoration initiatives. Over the 10-month program, you will learn the science and solutions to help you design, implement, and monitor effective conservation and restoration initiatives.
  • Deadline: Rolling admissions through May 31, 2026
  • Program duration: 10 months, July 2026 – May 2027
  • Tuition: USD $7,500 with limited tuition support available
  • Contact: tropicalcertificate@yale.edu