The Numbers for Nature Institute at Conservation Strategy Fund (CSF), in collaboration with the Austral University Academy of Protected Areas (AUA) and the Austral Patagonia Program at the Austral University of Chile, has launched the online, self-paced course “Introduction to Protected Areas Financing”. Delivered in Spanish, this initiative aims to strengthen capacity in one of the key challenges in conservation.

Over the course of four thematic modules and eight total hours, the program provides a comprehensive overview of the context and key factors driving financing gaps in protected area management. It also introduces a range of financing mechanisms and sources—both traditional and innovative—that can help improve the financial sustainability of these areas.

Adequate financing for protected areas has long been a persistent challenge, particularly in biodiversity-rich regions such as Latin America. Increasing pressures on these ecosystems, combined with limited public budgets and a lack of sustainable financing models, have resulted in a critical gap that undermines effective management and conservation outcomes.

In this context, the course aims to make key concepts accessible while offering practical tools to better understand the opportunities and limitations of conservation financing at both national and international levels.

The course is free, fully online, self-paced, and open to participants from different countries. This initiative is supported by Pew and is part of CSF’s broader efforts to promote practical solutions to close financing gaps in nature conservation.

To learn more about the course, we invite you to watch the introductory video and complete your registration using the link below.

https://www.numbersfornature-es.org/courses/financiamientoareasprotegidas