In 2019, the AFR100 Initiative partners and the African forest landscape restoration actors, the Environmental Leadership & Training Initiative (ELTI) of Yale School of the Environment and IUCN with support from German development agencies GIZ and BMZ, delivered a series of courses to support environmental leaders in Ethiopia, Togo and Madagascar to achieve FLR goals in their countries. The courses brought together 114 environmental leaders from over 60 organisations. Highlights of the training experience and their outcomes are highlighted in the recent video Africa’s Restoration Leaders in Action.

The courses adapted a unique “blended” training model, which leveraged specific benefits of face-to-face learning, field visits, and online coursework into a single learning experience. Launching with an interactive three-day workshop the course made the most of face-to-face interaction through group activities. Next, participants engaged in experiential learning through field visits. They visited a series of local sites that illustrated both current degradation challenges and innovative approaches to restoration. Participants then enrolled in an intensive six-week online course that enabled them to explore concepts in greater depth.

The course has served as a point of inspiration for participants. They were already leaders, but they came away with a broader understanding of FLR and how to achieve restoration goals in their own countries. While on-the-ground restoration results will continue to evolve in the coming years, the immediate results can be seen in the outlook and actions of participants.

Since this completing this course series, ELTI continues to expand its reach on the African continent through its online training program. Over the last year, ELTI has worked with the FAO and WWF’s Education for Nature program to train practitioners working to achieve restoration goals at a variety of scales. ELTI’s Tropical Forest Landscapes: Conservation, Restoration & Sustainable Use online certificate program also continues to reach a global audience, including 15 individuals representing 10 African countries who are currently enrolled.