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Business Model Innovation for Sustainable Landscape Restoration

Approx. 40 hours to complete

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Course Summary

Learn about sustainable landscape restoration with this course. Gain the knowledge and skills necessary to restore degraded landscapes, maintain healthy ecosystems, and promote sustainable development.

Key Learning Points

Understand the principles of landscape ecology and restoration ecology
Learn about the social and economic context of restoration projects
Gain the technical skills necessary to carry out successful restoration projects

Learning Outcomes

Understand the principles of landscape and restoration ecology
Gain practical skills in landscape restoration
Develop the ability to carry out successful restoration projects

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

Basic knowledge of ecology and environmental science
Access to internet and computer

Course Difficulty Level

Intermediate

Course Format

Online
Self-paced

Similar Courses

Introduction to Ecology
Sustainable Development

Related Education Paths

Notable People in This Field

Environmental Filmmaker
Environmental Activist

Related Books

Description

Land degradation is a widespread problem across the globe with serious consequences for the environment and all of society. Worsening land degradation caused by human activities is undermining the well-being of two-fifths of humanity, driving species extinctions and intensifying climate change. But there’s a huge potential for restoring landscapes: around two billion hectares of land, about two times the size of China, can be restored.

In this MOOC we focus on the potential of business model innovation for the challenge of large-scale landscape restoration. We take a partnership approach and make a bridge between ecology and economy. Learners get to design their own innovative business model for landscape restoration with 4 returns: return of natural capital, return of social capital, return of inspiration and return of financial capital. You move from ideation towards successful implementation. Each step is illustrated with three real-life cases of landscape restoration in Spain, Iceland and Portugal. We highlight the following elements over a period of 8 weeks: 1. Vision Formulation 2. Systems Analysis 3. Stakeholder Analysis 4. Opportunity Analysis 5. Business Model Design 6. Solution Validation 7. Assessment & Monitoring 8. Reflection & Iteration This MOOC provides you with a meaningful opportunity to start contributing to the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (https://www.decadeonrestoration.org/ ), which aims to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems on every continent and in every ocean. Your participation is more relevant now than ever! This MOOC builds on the MOOC "A Business Approach to Sustainable Landscape Restoration" but can also be followed as a stand-alone. In the first MOOC you get comprehensive knowledge of landscape degradation and landscape restoration from both the perspective of natural science and from an economics and management perspective. (https://www.coursera.org/learn/landscape-restoration-sustainable-development/home/welcome ) These MOOCs are designed by ENABLE, a consortium of: Erasmus University Rotterdam, Commonland, United Nations University Land Restoration Training Programme, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC-CEBAS), and Nova School of Business & Economics. ENABLE was co-funded by the Erasmus+-programme of the European Union.

Outline

Vision Formulation
Introduction - Zooming in on landscape restoration
Getting started
IN THEORY - Land degradation as a grand societal challenge
IN THEORY - Land restoration partnerships
IN THEORY - Sustainable business model innovation for landscape restoration
IN THEORY - Discovering your means
IN PRACTICE -Introduction to the Hekluskógar restoration project in Iceland
IN PRATICE - Introduction to crop diversification and low input farming in southeastern Spain
IN PRATICE - Introduction to forest fires and project CAuSA in Portgual
Unlock a joke
Formulating a shared vision
Landscape restoration partnerships - Interviews with landscape restoration partners
Vision formulation – Interviews with landscape restoration partners
Instruction on assessment
Helpful links
Workbook: Introduction and vision formulation
Teams only
About this week's optional videos
Watch the video: Let's talk about soil
UNCCD Report - Global land outlook
UNCCD Report - Land degradation neutrality
Van Tulder (RSM) - A framework for effective corporate involvement
Reflection

Systems Analysis
IN THEORY -Understanding social-ecological systems and tensions
IN THEORY - What is a system analysis?
IN THEORY - Social-ecological system analysis: Identifying factors and understanding relationships
IN THEORY - Central narrative and interventions
IN PRACTICE - Systems analysis in Iceland
IN PRACTICE - Systems analysis in Spain
Workbook: Systems analysis
Helpful links
Unlock a recipe: Traditional Icelandic flatbread
About this week's optional videos
UNCCD Report - Sustainable land management for climate and people
UNCCD Report - Sustainable land management contribution to successful land-based climate change adapation and mitigation

Stakeholder Analysis
IN THEORY - What is a stakeholder analysis?
IN PRACTICE - Stakeholder analysis in Iceland
IN PRACTICE - Stakeholder analysis in Portugal
Joke (unlock a joke)
Stakeholder analysis - Interview about the Scale project
Workbook: 'Stakeholder Analysis'
How to find stakeholders? (Tip: use the online 4 returns community)
Helpful links
About this week's optional material
EcoAgriculture Partners and IDH Report - Public private civic partnerships for sustainable landscapes

Co-Creation and Opportunity Analysis
IN THEORY - Building a co-innovation network
IN THEORY - Opportunity analysis
IN PRACTICE - Co-creation in Iceland
IN PRACTICE - Co-creation in Spain
Unlock a joke
Opportunity analysis – Interviews with landscape restoration partners
Opportunity analysis - Interview with Thekla Teunis and Liz Metcalfe from Grounded
Workbook: 'Co-creation and opportunity analysis'
About this week's optional videos
Helpful link - Grounded
GPFLR Report - Restoring forests and landscapes
Ipbes Report - Thematic assessment of land degradation and restoration
Graded Quiz on Week 1-4

Business Model Design
IN THEORY - Sustainable business models
IN THEORY - Triple layered business model canvas
IN PRACTICE - Business model design in Iceland
IN PRACTICE - Business model design in Spain
IN PRACTICE - Business model design in Portugal
Unlock a recipe: Spanish recipe
Business model design - Interviews with landscape restoration partners
Business model design - Interview with Thekla Teunis and Liz Metcalfe from Grounded
More in the workbook
Helpful links
Workbook: Business model design
About this week's optional material
WBCSD Report - The business case for investing in soil health

Solution Validation
IN THEORY - Validating the business model design
IN THEORY - Systems and stakeholders
IN THEORY - Prototyping and testing
IN PRACTICE - Solution validation in Portugal
IN PRACTICE - Solution validation in Spain
Unlock a joke
Solution validation - Interview about the Scale project
Solution validation - Interview with Thekla Teunis and Liz Metcalfe from Grounded
Solution validation with stakeholders - Interviews with landscape restoration partners
Testing - Interviews with landscape restoration partners
Validation methods
Research methods
Workbook: 'Solution validation'
About this week's optional videos

Assessment and Monitoring
IN THEORY - 4 returns assessment
IN PRACTICE - Assessment and monitoring in Portugal
IN PRACTICE - Assessment and monitoring in Iceland
FINANCE Q&A - Intro
FINANCE Q&A - Mark Gough
FINANCE Q&A - Dr. Rudolf de Groot
FINANCE Q&A - Prof. Dirk Schoenmaker
FINANCE Q&A - Willem Ferwerda
FINANCE Q&A - Paul Chatterton
Unlock a joke
Introduction to the Natural Capital Coalition NCC
Helpful links
What is a financial analysis of your business model?
Outcome indicators
What is the 4 Return Approach?
What is a scenario analysis?
Workbook: 'Assessment and Monitoring'
About this week's optional material
Ferwerda (Commonland) - 4 returns, 3 zones, 20 years
Schoenmaker (RSM) - From Risk to Opportunity a Framework for Sustainable Finance

Reflection and Iteration
From me to we
Keep momentum - Join the community
The end of the beginning
Zooming out
Unlock a joke
Reflections of landscape restoration partners
Reflections - Interview with Thekla Teunis and Liz Metcalfe from Grounded
Join the 4 returns community
Workbook: 'Reflection and iteration'
Instructions for the graded reflection assignment
About this week's optional videos
Helpful links
WRI Report - Roots of prosperity
Graded quiz: week 5-8
Graded Reflection assignment

Summary of User Reviews

Discover the fundamentals of sustainable landscape restoration with BMI Sustainable Landscape Restoration course on Coursera. Students commend the course for its comprehensive content and practical approach.

Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course

comprehensive content

Pros from User Reviews

In-depth and comprehensive course content
Practical and applicable to real-life situations
Well-structured and easy to follow
Great resource for professionals and students alike

Cons from User Reviews

Some videos and lectures can be a bit lengthy
Could benefit from more interactive elements
Not suitable for those looking for a quick overview

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