The TFL program has surpassed all my expectations! The professors and mentors are knowledgeable, passionate about conservation, and always available to answer any question. For someone who did not have a life sciences background, the course structure was perfect for covering the basics and building on essential concepts before introducing new topics  .

 

I recommend this course to anyone who wants to build a strong base in theoretical and practical tools for conservation while receiving valuable support and feedback from peers and professors.

The certificate program is a well-curated and tailor-made capacity development package for restoration and conservation practitioners and non-practitioners alike. Coming from an engineering and environmental science background, I had no prior academic experience in forestry.

 

The concepts and credentials gained from the program helped me to stand out in job interviews, and I was offered a role as an Environment and Forestry Specialist at the Société de Coopération pour le Développement International (SOCODEVI) in Ghana.

The TFL program is an eye-opening learning experience, where I am reshaping my approach to designing and implementing conservation and restoration projects in a fair and cost-effective manner. The lectures provide lessons learned from case studies from around the world, which are key inputs for my current and future conservation actions.

 

Definitely, this program has supported me to become a well-rounded forest landscape professional. 

The Tropical Forest Landscapes program has elevated my understanding of restoration pathways, stakeholder engagement, and project planning.

 

Because of the knowledge gained in this program, I was able to transition within my organization to work more directly on land management planning.

I manage a five-year project that aims to restore 10,000 Ha of degraded landscapes in Tana Delta, Kenya.

 

I received amazing mentorship, established incredible new networks, deepened my understanding of ecological processes, restoration strategies, and stakeholder engagement, and gained skills highly relevant to my work. I especially enjoyed the live sessions, capstone project and opportunities for peer-to-peer learning.

The Tropical Forest Landscapes program provides the needed in-depth knowledge, to analyze, structure and value nature projects from different perspectives.

 

You get to know people from different backgrounds and world regions, which also gives you enriching insights about the variety of nature restoration projects. I can highly recommend the program.

The course covers many interesting topics and discussions, and the instructors provide helpful feedback and suggestions that really improves your project.

 

Although I had to attend the live sessions late at night due to my time zone, it was well worth it to share and learn with my peers from around the world.

 

My employer now assigns me more project management-related responsibilities. Additionally, thanks to the knowledge obtained through the TFL certificate program, I was selected to participate in my first ever Conference of the Parties (COP27) in Egypt, and was selected for a competitive disaster management programme, sponsored by the Japanese government. My most important piece of advice? Don't hesitate to apply!

The program has been very eye opening in helping me to broaden my perspectives about conservation and restoration. I have come to realize that there is so much more than planting trees to make a restoration project successful.

 

 

I loved that the course integrated so much quality technical content with perspectives from sociology, anthropology and fundraising.

The program has been highly informative and pragmatic. The course instructors are erudite, and the mentors are patient in guiding us through the learning process.

 

I particularly appreciate the emphasis on indigenous land rights, gender equity, and environmental justice and how sustainable forest management requires us to incorporate both scientific and indigenous knowledge.

I came into the ELTI program to learn how to restore forest landscapes for resilience against flooding, landslides, tidal waves, and windstorms. ELTI trained me not only in the theory and practice of conservation, but also I was coached on how to navigate the right tapestry of traditional and community knowledge and social diversity which are integral for project success.

 

As a whole, ELTI's course structure and content were designed to give participants all the essentials in contemporary restoration practice; linking academic perspectives with industry knowledge, updates and application.

The ELTI program is one of the most comprehensive and complete professional certificate programs I have taken so far. The program thoroughly goes through every single element there is to know about the flora and its past, current and future management tools. I enrolled to enhance my knowledge as a specialist in wildlife conservation because I realized I couldn't be a balanced conservationist if I did not have complementary knowledge about the forest and tropical flora. The journey has well-exceeded my expectations. The Capstone feature of the program stood out to me the most. I enjoyed designing a conservation project that I hope to implement in the cultural community from which I originate.

 

I equally learned a great lot about other communities and management styles around the world from lecturers and fellow participants' posts in the discussion area and during live sessions. Prospective applicants should definitely go for it. It is worth the financial and time investment. I don't know anyone who had joined this ELTI certificate and regretted it.

The Tropical Forest Landscapes program is a very unique programme; the knowledge, skills and diversity of experience of those who run the programme is impressive, and they provide global experiences and practical examples from across the globe. I joined the program with misconceptions about conservation, restoration, monoculture plantations and the impact of economic and social impacts to forest ecosystems and landscapes.

 

I am now equipped with tools and techniques and knowledge of what I am passionate about -- contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation through restoration and conservation.

The TFL certificate program has enriched my understanding of reforestation and conservation with important concepts from the theory accompanied by the real experiences shared by the experts. The wealth of experiences shared give me confidence that the different concepts are implementable. The course is directly relevant to my own work to develop nature-based solutions in forest management in Indonesia.

 

So, if you are looking for the relative short yet comprehensive educational program, no doubt, this is the one!

This program is giving me very practical insights and tools that is helping me further develop and execute my site-specific project with the indigenous community that I am working with. The program has an excellent balance of theory and practice.

 

The program is refreshingly designed to address real world situations in tropical forest restoration where both intuitive and anti-intuitive solutions are warmly welcomed. I am now more convinced than ever that forest restoration is principally about restoring the mutually beneficial relationship between humans and nature. And with strong science and academic rigor to boot!

Taking this certificate program has allowed me to refresh and even reconsider my practices by putting people back in the core of every project. Restoration and conservation projects are a human endeavor, and the Yale certificate gives you all the key concepts for advancing these projects and achieving success.

 

The quality courses are skillfully built, and the program provides a unique opportunity to understand the conservation and restoration of ecosystems in a holistic way.

“The Tropical Forest Landscape certificate program is enlightening, as we are able to learn about strategies to restore degraded landscapes from lecturers and other students.

 

I love the interactive live sessions so much and the Capstone project helps one to think and be creative. The assignments invite one to reflect on what has been learnt and through the discussions one can have a taste of other people’s experience with different aspects of the course.”

“This program has taught me the basic concepts of ecology and how I can use this knowledge in conservation and restoration practices. What stood out to me the most is that there are many elements that determine the approach to be taken for a restoration project, making the process very complex.

 

 

“I joined this program with a literary and social science background, and I am lucky to be undergoing a personal ecological transformation as part of it.

 

By improving degraded, damaged, and destroyed landscapes, I will be contributing in my own way to sustainably meeting society’s diverse and changing land use needs as well as strengthening the livelihoods in my region.”

 

The Strategies course was especially useful in helping me design a meaningful conservation project. The mentors were supportive and encouraging, even when personal events got in the way of my course work. The faculty was also available for questions whenever I had them.”

“The ELTI Tropical Forest Landscapes program takes a multi-disciplinary focus and gives access to an abundance of knowledge with a broadly oriented curriculum that allows for people of many different professional backgrounds to enrich and consolidate their knowledge, in line with their particular needs.

 

The assignments, and in particular the Capstone project, have helped me to build skills in project development by offering a structured approach to project formulation. The program instructors are very accessible and eager to engage with you on any topic. Many guest lecturers also contribute to the program with their complementary approaches and knowledge. Last but not least, the program provides you with a large abundance of relevant resources. The program has helped me to professionalize my career by both deepening and broadening my knowledge, as well as provided me with tools, references and a network that will prove to be useful throughout my future work."

“Initially, I thought that I was only going to learn things I was already familiar with considering my background in forestry and environmental science coupled with my extensive experience in the environmental field.

 

The course enables you to look at conservation and natural resource management from diverse angles that incorporate people, ecosystems, and strategies. There are many insightful reading materials available, and the live sessions and reflections introduce you to different perspectives from colleagues and help shape your thoughts. The capstone gives you hands-on experience designing your own project. Joining this program will be a rewarding experience for prospective students; I highly recommend it.”

 

After every lesson I am blown away by the Yale ELTI team’s vast knowledge and incredible dedication, the infectious enthusiasm of fellow course participants with their rich experience in ecological restoration from all around the globe, and the invaluable insights and tools which I cannot wait to apply to and implement into my own large-scale river and wetlands restoration work on the Lower Murrumbidgee River in south-eastern Australia.”

“Through this program I am gaining the knowledge I needed to parlay my career in commercial arboriculture into a Community Forestry model.

 

For anyone like myself who is outside of the typical forest restoration scenario, I'd encourage you that the concepts apply far beyond the bounds of the obvious, and as an example, I've been able to utilize them within master-planned communities. It's worth your time investment!”

“The program provides a primer, and solid scientific underpinning to broad-ranging and interconnected theories of conservation, restoration, and planning, as well as exposing participants to a range of real-world examples and lessons. It allows me to exchange and engage in dialogue on the most up-to-date and recent literature on the subject matter.

 

The live sessions are well run, engaging, and use examples from student submission which allow them to be dynamic and personal. The content is also well thought out, and extremely engaging - there is not enough time in the week to digest it all, although I wish there was. This is a real commitment, it will take time to truly benefit from this course, however, your level of commitment can be tailored to your needs - which means for working professionals this can be a great after-work personal development course. In the end, the program exposes you to a wide range of critical skills and theories that are at the forefront of the global biodiversity, climate, and other agendas, which are crucial to understand and thrive in the space.”

“The programme is incredibly insightful! I feel I am making progress already after a few months in my daily work. I learned planning tools that I can directly use, and each week brings both new practical and academic knowledge. The capstone course is a unique opportunity to focus on my project and has already led me to gather all project partners around the table so that we can consolidate a common vision and move forward all together.

 

The courses cover an incredibly vast array of subjects, yet we can dig quite deep into each issue thanks to the live session and the possibility to exchange with the lecturers. I am sincerely amazed by the diversity and the quality of the students’ backgrounds and the exchanges we have. The cohort itself is a wealth of information!”

“This is a practical, hands-on course focusing on the application of knowledge, skills, and techniques rather than just the theory itself. I am finding the course interesting and immensely useful and relevant to my current role at the FAO. The course has made me think more critically about the tools and strategies I use on a daily basis and how they can be applied in a more effective way.

 

The flexible learning arrangements, the support from the program mentors, and the quality of content provided by the instructors have been outstanding, allowing me to effectively balance my work commitments and studies. The course instructors have extensive field experience and real-life insights! They are not just academics. They are also very easy to contact and very personable. Despite it being a distance learning course, which requires greater self-motivation, the weekly live sessions and the blended learning allow greater interaction among students and the faculty. I highly recommend this course for any environmental professional looking to take the next big step in their career.”

“The instructors have done a remarkable job showing us every tool in the toolbox: from ecology, biodiversity, and soil health to land tenure, governance, and community-based conservation to stakeholder analysis, research design, and monitoring programs.

 

The integration of this knowledge and my capstone project has dramatically improved the clarity, organization, and precision of my work restoring tropical dry forests in Thailand.”

“This program presents relevant content in a very practical fashion. The courses allow us to learn about and discuss the relationships between people and tropical forests, including people from different cultures.

 

Overall, the program encourages us to analyze and address the many social issues around people and inclusion in conservation projects.”

“This program is very beneficial for those who want to learn about conservation activities and the strategies of landscape restoration.

In addition, the lectures and case studies in the program are really valuable and eye-opening.”

“For me, diversity is what captures best the essence of this fascinating program.

 

That diversity is reflected in the lively discussions of multidisciplinary approaches which suit the complexity of the topics at hand. All this makes the program a truly rewarding experience!”

“I knew based on the Yale School of the Environment's reputation that the content of the program would be excellent. However, as we have worked through the different courses of the program, I am continuously impressed by the flexibility of the ELTI program.

 

The effort each week can easily be adapted based on interest in a topic, workload outside of ELTI, or anything else that comes up. It has made me feel like I am learning for the sake of learning and not just completing assignments to meet deadlines or professor expectations.”

“I decided to join the program as a way to refresh my knowledge on forest governance regimes, reforestation, and landscape restoration. I did not expect the courses to go deep into very scientific topics such as forest disturbance and soil science.

 

The lectures, readings, discussions with my cohort via the weekly reflections and the live sessions with the instructors are very useful to clarify these concepts.”

“In spite of having my entire career related to conservation and restoration of tropical forests, I had never pursued formal training in the area.

 

“After working in agriculture, clean energy, and carbon for ten years straight out of college, it feels great to be back in a rigorous learning environment at ELTI.

 

Engaging with the instructors and students from around the world has been a highlight of the ELTI course thus far.”

“This capacity building, which is in line with the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100) to which Cameroon is committed to restoring 12 million hectares, will be of great importance for the improvement of my knowledge on restoring degraded landscapes. From a general point of view, this program has allowed me to distinguish between restoration and aspects of reforestation and afforestation which only represent part of the operations of a restoration project. This training is also very beneficial in the sense that it exposes you to the management of a conservation project.

 

The capstone project of this training has caught my attention because of all the tools you learn. I have learned to carry out a SWOT analysis and develop multi-stakeholder radargrams based on the strength, capacity, motivation, and mandate of many different actors. I have also learned to identify the threats to conservation and contributing factors while proposing strategies to be implemented to mitigate these threats and develop a real project that will benefit communities.”

“In this program, I am broadening my understanding of how restoration strategies can impact the landscape whilst taking into consideration how important people are in this scenario. The program has enabled me to speak to stakeholders and other partners in a comfortable manner on the challenges that Barbados is currently going through. It will furnish me with the knowledge of building out a larger conservation and food security project in my country.

 

The live sessions every week along with the assignments and instructors have been beneficial and outstanding thus far. They grow my knowledge and challenge me weekly to think through my proposed Capstone project. Overall, the courses allow for the digestion and assimilation of knowledge at a pace that is thrilling and challenging. Prospective applicants should be aware that this is a serious commitment. I spend roughly 6-8 hours a week with readings, viewing the lectures, case studies, and of course attending class. However, the sacrifice of time directly affects my knowledge and ability to follow the systematized way of thinking through the context of my landscape, its history, social behaviors and intrinsically the nature of post-colonial societies.”

“Protecting forests is to me one of the most efficient and best ways forward to combat climate change. One of the biggest yet rewarding challenges that we have as an organization (Rainforest Alliance) in this field is working globally with indigenous and local communities to increase their capacity for forest management and enterprise development.

 

I am leading the Rainforest Alliance's public engagement work, and I developed my career in this field as I believe that what is going to make us change and click as humankind is proper informed storytelling. I joined this online certificate program to be able to understand the causes and the effects of deforestation and, in detail, how we can effectively reverse the direction that our world seems to be heading towards. My personal challenge is to understand all the complex nuances of this work and make sure that I am educated enough to distill the key message and connect it to people's everyday life and everyday choices. I love to translate complex topics in a simple (yet not simplistic) version that can connect with people, and I was provided now with a great and important platform to tell a great story.”