The Conservation Finance Network: Boot Camps & Beyond Leigh Whelpton Harvard Kennedy School Webinar, June 19, 2013
Outline • Conservation Finance “Boot Camp” • Problem Workshop & Preliminary Outcomes • The Conservation Finance Network Initiative • Operating Plan • Strategic Planning and Next Steps
Conservation Finance “Boot Camp” Intensive training and exchange • Peer exchange and networking • Carefully vetted presenters • Dynamic syllabus • – Public, private, and philanthropic funding and financing – Innovative tools, strategies, programs, and partnerships – Based in case studies and experience Conservation project workshop and advising •
Alumni Network 9 Camps 191 Attendees 113 Presenters (15 also attendees) 289 Total Participants
“Problem” Workshop • Attendees bring a “problem” from their work • Five projects selected and work- shopped • Groups work through the week on strategies • Strategies are presented with goal of implementation
Conserving the Nine Times Tract Naturaland Trust President Frank Holleman, 2012 Yale CFC camper, is turning his project into reality: Base of SC’s Blue Ridge Mountains - One of largest private intact forested tracts • (peregrine falcons & bears) $3.5M for 560 acres - Partnership: Upstate Forever & The Nature Conservancy • Funding: • USFS Community Forest Grant ($400,000) State Conservation Bank Grant Angel donor $500,000 - timbering & carbon credits Making progress on $$ •
Preliminary Outcomes From May 2013 Survey: “…created multiple organic farms and “Led to community forest initiative.” • • interactive outdoor experiences for kids based upon conservation projects we were “As a result, in process of creating …first • exposed to at last year’s camp.” two conservation banks in Ohio for the Indiana Bat” “...new conservation initiatives/projects • with new financing methods” “Changed my perspective of what I am • capable of doing for the Texas coast.” “Utilized a PRI to bridge a $1.6M • acquisition.” “…two grants 4.4M for 200 acres…” • “Applied for FRPP grant.” • “Developed a farm investment model.” • “Started an LLC specifically for • conservation finance and land acquisition”
Boot Camps & Beyond… • Need for integrative rather than ad hoc approach to conservation finance • Creating a coordinated national network to leverage the growing body of thought leadership in this area • Secure an organizational home and seek professional staff to expand the training program and establish a networked community of practice – Operate additional boot camps – Strategically plan and evaluate trainings around the country
The Conservation Finance Network at Island Press • Delivering conservation finance tools and training to people working to protect and steward natural resources • Our goal is – Help people increase natural resource conservation and stewardship through the use of innovative funding and financing strategies. • How we plan to do this: – build a community of practice that brings together thought leaders, practitioners, and partner organizations and creates new training opportunities
Working Group Story Clark • Renee Kivikko – Founder of Conservation Consulting – Author of A Field Guide to Conservation Finance Brad Gentry • – Senior Lecturer and Research Scholar at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Peter Stein Studies and – Co-Director of the Center for Business and the Brad Gentry Environment at Yale Renee Kivikko • – Director of Education at the Land Trust Alliance Peter Stein • – Managing Director of Lyme Timber Denise Schlener • Story Clark – VP for Strategic Advancement, Island Press Denise Schlener
• Why Island Press? – To provide the best ideas and information to those seeking to understand and protect the environment and create solutions to its complex problems
Operating Plan • Yale CFC (June 17-21, 2013) • Featured Session at Land Trust Rally (Sept 19, 2013) • Federal Partners CFC (October 2013) • Western Rangelands CFC (February 2014) • Borrowing Money CFC (2014) • Stanford CFC (2014?) • Yale CFC (2014?) • Strategic Plan • Webinars • Website improvements • Networking events • Who knows??
Information Clearinghouse Beta-version of eventual resource hub will allow usability testing
Strategic Direction & Adaptive Plan • Creating an inclusive roadmap to guide the program (Fall 2013) – Conservation Finance Boot Camp Alumni Survey – “2013 Finance Survey: Borrowing Money For Conservation” in collaboration with TCF and LTA – One on one in-depth interviews – Scan of the field
CFC Alumni Survey - May 2013 71 respondents (attendees and presenters) • Over 90% of attendees rated the experience as valuable, very valuable, • or essential Majority of attendees (64%) and presenters (61%) sought advice from • other attendees or presenters on conservation deals following CFC 32% cited specific programs, deals, or projects that resulted or • benefitted from the course “Advice from peers and mentors” and “the boot camp courses” were • most important to utilizing CF strategies
Findings from Alumni Survey
Advisory Committee Tom Daniels – University of Pennsylvania • Tom Duffus – The Conservation Fund • Erin Heskett – The Land Trust Alliance • Patrick Holmes – US Department of Agriculture • Jim Levitt –Harvard Forest Program on Conservation Innovation • Carl Palmer – Beartooth Capital • Steve Rosenberg – The Scenic Hudson Land Trust • Megan Shore – Sewall Foundation • Buzz Thompson – Stanford Woods Institute • Tom Trinley – Donnelly Foundation • Julie Turrini – Resources Law Group, LLP • Matt Zeiper – The Trust for Public Land •
Next Steps • Develop new training opportunities • Create additional CF courses on specific topics, geographies, and land-use contexts • Build trainer capacity through workshops • Build an interactive and dynamic online community and support network • Create and support alumni network
Join us as we grow the network! www.conservationfinancenetwork.org For more info or to join the listserv please contact: lwhelpton@islandpress.org Twitter: @ConsFinance Many thanks to our partners and supporters, including a number individuals and private foundations
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