Training is an integral part of the knowledge management pillar that the Resilient Watersheds strategy offers its partners, allies, and network members. The beneficiaries are usually technical staff and decision-makers in public authorities but may also include academic experts and opinion-makers in civil society. The in-person training and workshops promoted, supported, or organized by the resilient watersheds strategy offer participants the opportunity to learn about and share experiences concerning watershed investment programs in various regions & and countries and to strengthen and build the capacity of local and regional practitioners to scope, design, create, operate, and monitor Watershed Investment Programs.
© TNC
Primary Audience
The training is designed to meet the needs of practitioners and investors across a variety of sectors who may wish to improve water security by employing nature-based solutions. We target water users & and operators (Water and Power Utilities and corporations), civil society (NGO’s, Research Institutions, Academia, Indigenous People and Local Communities and Agricultural Associations) government agencies & parastatals, International Cooperations, and Development Finance Institutions from different regions to increase investments towards Nature-based solutions, and water security challenges awareness.
© TNC
Objectives
The workshops aim to provide trainees with a structured, multi-faceted approach that combines stepwise guidance with applied examples, coaching support, and a peer-learning environment.
The training objectives are built to support students;
Understand what nature-based solutions are and how they can help address critical water security challenges such as water quality, floods or droughts.
Establish a peer/mentor network to foster ongoing learning and mentoring throughout the Project Development Cycle.
Apply online training completed ahead of time through a series of hands-on exercises and presentations.
Demonstrate a working knowledge of the fundamental concepts of Governance, Science, Finance, and Implementation through the delivery of action plans.
Engage in applied learning by sharing experiences and expertise.
Develop a shared understanding regarding the overall process, activities, and milestones for incorporating NbS into water and land management investment programs
© Felipe Fittipaldi/TNC
Training in Practice
Water Funds’ in-person training has been applied in diverse contexts and phases. In the years leading up to 2019 the Water Fund model spread from one continent — Latin America — to North America, Africa, then Asia, and, more recently, Europe. During that time an impressive effort was made to standardize the process of developing a Water Fund and moving from creation to operation and then maturity. As the first official pilot of the Water Funds curriculum, TNC hosted a first-of-its-kind Western Water Funds in-person Workshop in the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico, where US-based collaborators were guided through the process of determining the feasibility of a Water Fund. Beyond that TNC experts developed the How to Guide which regional teams have been customizing material to different regions and sub-audiences, these topics range from governance, stakeholders mapping, financial sustainability, legal mechanism, business case, implementation, and strategic plan development, communications plan, community engagement, carbon projects development among other as described below.
ddgoldberg
Western Water Funds Workshop
City of Santa Fe, New Mexico
The Nature Conservancy hosted its first water funds training workshop in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where four US-based collaboratives were guided through determining feasibility of a Water Fund. 39 trainees who were representatives of Environmental non-profits, federal agencies, the private sector, and water utilities were trained in 2017. Training resources and report available.
© Erica Nortemann/TNC
Latin American Water Funds Workshop
Over 50 water professionals gathered in Lima to participate in a 4-day design phase water funds workshop. The trainees were from diverse geographies including Argentina (Mendoza), Brazil (Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro), Chile (Santiago), Colombia (Bucaramanga, Cartagena, Pasto, Santa Marta), Costa Rica (San José), El Salvador (San Salvador), Guatemala (Guatemala City), Mexico (Zacatecas), Perú (Cusco, Lima, PÍura). The goals of the training were to equip the stakeholders with knowledge and skills in establishing legal mechanisms, leading strategic planning processes, conducting business case analyses, and developing communication strategies for water funds projects.
Entrenamiento | Fondos de Agua (Lima, Peru)
© Roshni Lodhia
Africa Water Funds Workshops
Africa region has offered training opportunities to partners on different topics from feasibility, and design to operation of water funds and watershed investment programs. Over 250 persons have been trained and those who attended said that they were encouraged by sharing their experiences, and opportunities offered by the new informal network of water funds that the training initiated. See testimonial videos below.
Testimonials from Africa Water Funds Workshop | November 2017
Cape Town Water Funds | Training 2018
Development Finance Institutions (DFI) Training
These practical (virtual and in-person) trainings are intended to support greater consideration and inclusion of nature-based solutions (NbS) in land management (including agriculture and forestry) and water sector investments financed by the Development Finance Institutions (DFI’s). The training helps participants better understand what nature-based solutions are and how they can help address critical water-related challenges such as water quality, floods, or drought risks for different types of stakeholders (utilities, farmers, and other water users). Participants identify what they need to do to prepare a prioritized package of NbS that can be implemented at the scale needed to deliver measurable results and how to design an associated governance and funding package. All projects receiving 1:1 coaching during the trainings receive 2 person-days of follow-on technical assistance.
Target audience
Development Finance Institutions staff who are interested in incorporating and mainstreaming nature-based solutions into the mix for their investments, and/or are currently working on the preparation of water and land management projects and programs and have identified the potential to deliver outcomes through greater investment in nature-based solutions. It is particularly suitable for project teams that have identified a project and have a sound understanding of the water- and land-management-related challenges in the area of the proposed investment but who need help with designing the NbS component of the proposed project.
Indicative Agenda
| Time | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9:00 | Introduction (30 min.) Participants introduce themselves; a representative describes their project in <3 mins. | Welcome & Review Day (15 min.) | Welcome & Review Day (15 min.) |
| 9:15 | Integrating NbS into DFI Financing Cycle (45 min.) | Designing WIPs (30 min.) Case Study (30 min.) | |
| 9:30 | NbS & Water Security 101 (45 min.) | ||
| 9:45 | |||
| 10:00 | ROI Evaluation for NbS-WS (45 min.) Case Study (30 min.) | ||
| 10:15 | Project Team Breakout (1 hr.) | Project Team Breakout (30 min.) | |
| 10:30 | |||
| 10:45 | Group Presentations Share-Out (1 hr. 30 min.) Part 1 | ||
| 11:00 | |||
| 11:15 | WIP Development Process (40 min.) Case Study (20 min.) | BREAK (15 min.) | BREAK (15 min.) in b/w |
| 11:30 | Project Team Breakout (1 hr.) | Group Presentations Share-Out (1 hr. 30 min.) Part 2 | |
| 11:45 | |||
| 12:00 | |||
| 12:15 | Project Team Breakout (40 min.) Wrap-up & Looking Forward (5 min.) | Next Steps & Resources (30 min.) | |
| 12:30 | Wrap-Up & Looking Forward (15 min.) | ||
| 12:45 | [BUFFER] | Closing, Thank You & Feedback Form (15 min.) | |
| 1:00 | LUNCH (1 hr.) | ||
| 1:15 | |||
| 1:30 | |||
| 1:45 | |||
| 2:00pm+ | Office Hours* (as relevant) | Office Hours* (as relevant) | TNC debrief opportunity w. DFI host team |
Resources
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) Training: Nature-Based Solutions for Urban and Rural Landscapes
The Asian Development Bank (ADB), The Nature Conservancy, and Monash University organized a hybrid public lecture series followed by an internal project design clinic called “Nature and Climate Nexus: Nature-Based Solutions for Urban and Rural Landscapes” from 17–19 September 2024. This event shared best practices for integrating nature-based solutions into ADB investments, particularly in urban and rural development projects to enhance water security and create climate-resilience cities. In addition to expanding their project design skills, attendees learned the process for developing watershed investment programs and how to evaluate the return on investment for nature-based solutions. Video recordings of lectures are included below.
Day 1: Lecture Video
Day 2: Lecture Video
Day 3: Lecture video
© TNC
