Overview

Tropical forest landscape conservation and restoration offers an opportunity to address pressing global challenges and support multiple objectives, including ecosystem functioning, climate change mitigation and adaptation, food security and economic growth.

This yearlong program offered by the Yale School of the Environment and Yale’s Environmental Leadership & Training Initiative explores tropical land management through diverse perspectives in a dynamic online experience. Courses teach core concepts, highlight exciting global case studies, and illustrate practical tools to understand and manage complex social, ecological, and economic aspects of conservation and restoration initiatives.

Dates

Applications for the 2022-2023 program open January 10, 2022

Early admission deadline: March 4, 2022

Final application deadline: April 15, 2022

Program dates: June 2022 – May 2023

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Program benefits

  • Build your knowledge Learn cutting-edge science and applied experience from a diverse team of Yale University faculty members and global experts
  • Expand your networks Build new relationships, interact with experts and create your own peer community of practice
  • Connect with people in real time Discuss ideas with and receive feedback from instructors, peers and experts weekly
  • Access online materials from anywhere Learn at your own convenience without interrupting your professional commitments
  • Practice skills with expert advice Develop a project plan and gain the skillsets to make it happen, all with guidance from Yale University faculty members and international practitioners

Curriculum

The program includes:

Four 8-Week Online Courses

  1. Fundamentals: Ecological and social concepts Kick off the program by building an understanding of the fundamental ecological and social considerations for planning effective conservation and restoration initiatives.
  2. People: Community and institutional engagement Learn about the socio-economic and political contexts that drive the actions and decisions of diverse stakeholders in forest landscapes.
  3. Strategies: Implementing and monitoring techniques Develop the skills to assess, select, and plan conservation and restoration strategies that are inclusive of social, biophysical, and financial goals and are adapted to site-specific conditions.
  4. Funding: Financial concepts and tools Learn where conservation and restoration funding comes from and how to finance your initiatives.

One Yearlong Project Course

  • Capstone: Design a conservation or restoration project Learn underlying principles of project planning, practice techniques and apply concepts to a real-life project of your choice.

One 1-Week Field Course (Optional)

  • Field: Conservation and restoration in practice Immerse for one week in the tropics, see concepts in action and learn about what is happening on the ground.

Read more on program curriculum

What our participants have to say

“Within a very short time, I have been able to build, expand, and leverage my professional networks.” – Zipora Otieno, FAO Ghana

“Being from the private sector, the critical thinking I’m learning in this program is a key element for achieving transformative change in developing inclusive and responsible supply chains.” – Fabiana Servantes Munhoz, L’Oréal, Brazil

“This program is very beneficial for those who want to learn about conservation activities and the strategies of landscape restoration. We are guided step-by-step, given helpful tools, and provided with opportunities for feedback and discussion.” – Henry Putranto, Goodhope, Indonesia

“This program allowed me to integrate a solid knowledge base and practical experience with the most current solutions, challenges, and best practices in conservation and restoration.” – Anazelia Tedesco, The University of Queensland, Australia

“Taking this program allowed me to become a better advocate and translate my leanings into a proper narrative that can benefit lots of people.” – Pilar Pedrinelli, The Rainforest Alliance

Read more participant testimonials

Tuition

Tuition*: $6,000

Optional field course: $2,000

Tuition includes:

  •   Four 8-week online courses
  •   One yearlong capstone project course
  •   Unlimited access to all online course materials
  •   Technology use and other service fees
  •   Support from mentors throughout the program
  •   Weekly face-to-face online interaction with experts
  •   Personalized expert advice on course work

*Limited partial scholarships are available on a competitive basis to offset the cost of attendance.

Interested?

Sign up for updates at https://tropicalrestorationcertificate.yale.edu/contact-form

Applications for 2022-2023 open January 10, 2022 and close April 15, 2022.

For more information about the program, please visit https://tropicalrestorationcertificate.yale.edu/ or email tropicalcertificate@yale.edu.