ECOSTAR provides training and support for young professionals and students to improve entrepreneurship and innovation skills tailored to the marketing and economics of ecosystems and biodiversity.
The following sections provide access to our resources and online training programme that will help deepen your knowledge on developing business initiatives that market and promote ecosystem services and biodiversity.
ECOSTAR online training programme is composed of several specialized e-modules, and eventually culminates with the development of a business idea.
Our e-students will eventually be encouraged to apply and compete within our global Nature-Accelerator programme!
ECOSTAR offers training for young professionals and students that leads them to acquire high level entrepreneurial skills which teaches them to convert innovative ideas into successful business plans, in the field of marketing and economics of ecosystem and biodiversity.
The entire course “Ecosystem services entrepreneurship: from ideas to business” is carried out on the e-learning platform Moodle. Find out more!
Ecosystem services entrepreneurship: from ideas to business
SOLD OUT The online course providing continuous interaction with top international professors, experts and company directors specialized in the fields of forestry and ecosystem services and products. The e-learning course will run from 10th [...]
Natural Capital
Natural capital comprises Earth’s natural assets (soil, air, water, flora and fauna), and the ecosystem services that come from them, which make human life possible. In this topic, you will learn: the theory of Natural [...]
Economic Evaluation
Estimating the value of ecosystem services helps to justify policy’ support for, and private investments in, ecosystem restoration. In this topic, you will learn: general principles of economic evaluation (e.g. cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analysis, benchmarking [...]
Wild Forest Product
Wild forest products such as greeneries, mushrooms, berries, nuts, resins, essentials oils, litter, medicinal plants, and other products sourced from the forest, play an important role in many rural economies as a source of food [...]
Investments
Investments in forestry and natural ecosystems have grown exponentially in recent years. Once almost exclusively focused on timber production, investments are now rapidly broadening their scope to embrace products and services that include ecosystem services, [...]
Payment for Ecosystem Services
Forests play an important role in providing essential ecosystem services such as regulating water quality, reducing the risk of floods and food, medicines and timber provision. This is particularly important in countries where reduction of [...]
Forest Certification
Forest certification emerged as a voluntary instrument of corporate social responsibility in the 90s’ with the publication of the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) standards. The FSC system is based on the promotion of environmentally appropriate, [...]
Carbon Market
Climate change is probably one of the greatest challenges we are facing today. Forests and natural ecosystems, if properly managed, can help reduce climate change. In this topic, you will learn: institutional, voluntary and domestic [...]
Ecotourism
Tourism is growing worldwide and ecotourism can provide significant finances to the responsible management of natural ecosystems. In this topic, you will learn: theory and the basics of sustainable tourism (e.g. from destination to experience); [...]
Natural capital accounting
Wild forest products marketing
Forest and carbon certification
Ecotourism