About this Course

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Conserving and restoring tropical forest landscapes offers an opportunity to address pressing environmental and social challenges. Effective conservation and restoration initiatives support multiple objectives, including ecosystem functioning, climate change mitigation and adaptation, food security, and economic growth.
This seven-week course explores the technical, social, and funding aspects of this timely topic. You will learn:
The importance of tropical forest landscapes and the actors and motivations driving restoration and conservation efforts.
How tropical forest ecosystems work, and how they relate to climate change and biodiversity.
Fundamental human dimensions to consider in any project, including human livelihoods and local property rights.
Conservation theory and dynamic aspects of conserving species and landscapes.
A spectrum of restoration strategies and key considerations for restoration, such as species selection and planting design.
How agroforestry systems can integrate trees and production to meet different goals.
Basic financial concepts and potential sources of conservation and restoration funding.

The materials in this course offer a selection of key content from the Yale School of the Environment and Yale Environmental Leadership & Training Initiative's yearlong Tropical Forest Landscapes: Conservation, Restoration & Sustainable Use online certificate program.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

Learn more about Coursera Labs

Beginner Level

Approx. 19 hours to complete

English

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What you will learn

(1) Fundamentals of tropical forest landscape management
(2) Conservation & restoration strategies
(3) Funding conservation & restoration

Skills you will gain

Reforestation
Conservation Science
Agroforestry

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

Learn more about Coursera Labs

Beginner Level

Approx. 19 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.68/5 (21 Ratings)

Eva Garen

Ph.D., Director, Principal Investigator

School of the Environment

4,542 Learners

1 Course

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating99%(1,093 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

3 hours to complete

Why conserve and restore tropical forest landscapes?

3 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 38 min), 7 readings, 2 quizzes

7 videos

Welcome!2mThe important role of tropical forest landscapes5mThreats to tropical forests and degradation drivers4mOpportunities and priorities for conservation and restoration2mDefining "forests"6mHow definitions and values shape management8mWho conserves and restores, and why?7m

7 readings

Course structure10mPre-course Survey5mSpeaker introduction: Eva Garen5mForest and landscape restoration10mSpeaker introduction: Alicia Calle5mWhat is a forest?10mConclusion and what's next10m

2 practice exercises

Importance, threats, and opportunities20mMotivations for conservation and restoration20m

Week2

Week 2

3 hours to complete

Ecology of tropical forest landscapes

3 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 58 min), 4 readings, 4 quizzes

9 videos

Climate, history, and nutrients of tropical forests8mWhat causes biological diversity?4mQuantifying biodiversity7mTheories on species coexistence11mHow forests influence climate4mHow climate change influences forests7mDisturbance and equilibrium in forests4mDocumenting forest change - determing the baseline2mInteractions between human and natural disturbances7m

4 readings

Speaker introduction: Liza Comita5mClimate change solutions10mDrivers of degradation10mConclusion and what's next5m

4 practice exercises

Characteristics of tropical forests20mBiodiversity in tropical forests20mTropical forests and climate20mForest disturbance and degradation20m

Week3

Week 3

3 hours to complete

Social considerations for restoration and conservation

3 hours to complete

13 videos (Total 71 min), 6 readings, 2 quizzes

13 videos

Forests and livelihoods3mDefining livelihoods2mCompetition for resources and decision-making3mPerspectives on livelihoods and conservation6mCommunity forest management8mTake home messages on livelihood considerations2mProperty rights vs. land tenure6mProperty rights as windows into society7mTypes of property7mKey distinctions in different property rights6mHybrid systems of land tenure5mDecoding multiple property relations in a landscape3mTenure security8m

6 readings

Introduction to social considerations10mSpeaker introduction5mCommunity forest management examples10mSpeaker introduction: Amity Doolittle5mMore on land tenure10mConclusion and what's next5m

2 practice exercises

Livelihoods and conservation20mProperty rights20m

Week4

Week 4

3 hours to complete

Conservation strategies

In this module, we will look at some fundamental conservation concepts. At its core, conservation involves protecting existing habitat or forest cover, but selecting where to prioritize protection, is more complicated. Conservation decisions depend on a suite of considerations, such as how one measures biodiversity, how one considers changes in the landscape over time, and how conservation affects other goals, such as ecosystem function.

3 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 56 min), 4 readings, 4 quizzes

8 videos

Prioritizing areas to protect species7mBiodiversity metrics6mSpecies rarity5mDiversity across landscapes3mDynamism across landscapes10mClimate change and conservation4mConserving functional diversity8mAnimals and ecosystem services7m

4 readings

Speaker introduction: Oswald Schmitz5mConservation practices10mClimate and conservation10mConclusion and what's next5m

4 practice exercises

Conservation fundamentals20mConserving biodiversity20mConservation and landscapes20mFunctional diversity and ecosystem services20m

Week5

Week 5

3 hours to complete

Restoration fundamentals

3 hours to complete

12 videos (Total 65 min), 7 readings, 3 quizzes

12 videos

Definitions of restoration4mDegradation levels and restoration treatments5mNatural processes as the foundation for restoration5mANR: Reducing disturbance and competition4mANR: Facilitating growth and enrichment planting4mANR: Putting it all together1mDefinitions of reforestation4mSpecies selection6mTree planting design9mOther approaches and putting it all together4mFarm-scale restoration7mLandscape-scale restoration6m

7 readings

Speaker introduction: Mark Ashton5mSpeaker introduction: Gillian Bloomfield5mMore on ANR10mResources for species selction10mApplied nucleation10mSpeaker introduction: Zoraida Calle5mConclusion and what's next5m

3 practice exercises

Restoration basics20mAll about ANR20mRestoration in practice20m

Week6

Week 6

3 hours to complete

Agroforestry and agroecology

3 hours to complete

11 videos (Total 52 min), 4 readings, 3 quizzes

11 videos

Agroforestry systems5mIdeal characteristics of MPTS3mClassification of AFS2mPermanent crops with tree shade6mTemporal systems5mAgrosilvopastoral systems5mRoles of agroforestry5mAgroforestry and ecosystem services4mAdoption of agroforestry systems3mMonitoring and evaluation of agroforestry systems6mConclusions on agroforestry3m

4 readings

Speaker introduction: Florencia Montagnini5mAgroforestry guides10mAgroforestry adoption10mConclusion and what's next5m

3 practice exercises

Agroforestry: basic concepts20mClassification of agroforestry systems20mRoles, adoption, and monitoring of AF systems20m

Week7

Week 7

4 hours to complete

Funding conservation and restoration

4 hours to complete

13 videos (Total 67 min), 9 readings, 3 quizzes

13 videos

Using financial tools2mThe time value of money3mNet present value (NPV)5mInvestment example with scenarios4mIntroduction to foundations7mTypes of philanthropic support5mTheory of change5mSubmitting a successful proposal10mLimitations of foundation support3mThe importance and role of public finance6mSubsidies, donors, and specialized funds7mBlended finance1mConclusion2m

9 readings

Introduction to this module5mCurrent state of conservation financing10mSpeaker introduction: Dominick Grant5mAdditional tools for financial assessments10mSpeaker introduction: Marina Campos5mSpeaker introduction: David Meyers5mConservation Finance Guide10mCongratulations and additional learning10mPost-course survey10m

3 practice exercises

Using financial tools20mFoundations and philanthropic support20mPublic finance for nature20m

Reviews

4.9

5 reviews

5 stars
90.19%
4 stars
9.80%

TOP REVIEWS FROM TROPICAL FOREST LANDSCAPES 101: CONSERVATION & RESTORATION

by CBJul 2, 2022

The course gave me a cleared perspective and wider understanding on this very complicated issue of tropical forest restoration, and tropical conservation.

View all reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

Tropical Forest Landscapes 101: Conservation & Restoration