LIFE STEWARDSHIP launches a training program of five courses to build capacity for land stewardship
The Fernando González Bernáldez Foundation, partner of the project, has developed a training program launching in 2027 as part of the LIFE STEWARDSHIP project. Titled “Building Capacities for Land Stewardship“, the program is structured into five online courses, each lasting 40 hours.
The training begins with an overview of land stewardship and subsequently focuses on more specific topics related to this conservation tool. The target audience is broad, from individuals interested in land stewardship to representatives of organizations, public agencies, and companies—both those already active in stewardship and those wishing to get started. The specific target audience may vary depending on the specialization of each course.
The courses will begin in January 2027. The exact dates to be announced in the final quarter of 2026 via the Plaza de la Custodia platform and the LIFE STEWARDSHIP project communication channels.
The training will take place via an online educational platform, using different methods: instructor videos, presentations, or webinars with experts for the exchange of experiences. Available resources will include presentations on key topics, scientific-technical documents, and an open catalog of exemplary land stewardship cases. For completing the course, students should do a practical exercise, a final project, and a self-assessment test.
Program Schedule
The first course serves as an introduction to land stewardship, aiming to introduce interested individuals to this social tool for nature conservation (January–February 2027).
Next, a second course on land stewardship for nature conservation will be held to provide students with the keys to designing land stewardship initiatives—specifically, nature conservation projects involving the participation of various entities, groups, and individuals (February–March 2027).
The final three training courses focus on specific land stewardship competencies: legal aspects, financing, and communication.
The course on the legal aspects of land stewardship will explore the various legal and administrative tools available for the practical implementation of land stewardship initiatives, with a particular focus on stewardship agreements (March–April 2027).
The financing course aims to offer participants a wide range of funding instruments that are particularly relevant for launching and developing land stewardship initiatives (May–June 2027).
Finally, a course on communication and participation in land stewardship will be conducted and will cover the theoretical and practical foundations of environmental communication, as well as tools and methodologies for planning and designing communication strategies for land stewardship initiatives (September–October 2027).
LIFE STEWARDSHIP
The overall aim of the LIFE Stewardship project is to use land stewardship-based approaches to boost collaboration involving public and private entities as well as civil society for nature conservation and restoration in Spain, in the framework of the Europe Biodiversity Strategy 2030 and international agreements.
The project is coordinated by the Biodiversity Foundation of the Spanish Ministry of Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, with the participation of Eurosite, the Forum of Land Stewardship Networks and Entities (FRECT), Global Nature Foundation (FGN), Fernando González Bernáldez/ Europarc-Spain Foundation, SEO/BirdLife and Nature Conservation Network (XCN) as partners. It has the financial contribution of the LIFE Programme of the European Union.