Strengthening Conservation Through South-South Knowledge Exchange
By Maria Luisa Hernandez, Program Manager, Enduring Earth
In late March 2025, Enduring Earth, in partnership with the Global Environment Facility, The Nature Conservancy, and Forever Costa Rica, hosted a South-South knowledge exchange in Costa Rica. This gathering convened global leaders in conservation finance, governance, and community-led stewardship to exchange strategies, share insights, and explore innovative solutions for strengthening long-term conservation efforts.
A delegation of government representatives from Gabon engaged with sustainable finance experts, park staff, and civil society leaders from Costa Rica, Zimbabwe, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Kenya, Guinea, and Gabon. Together, they examined sustainable tourism, private and public conservation, the Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) model, trust fund governance, and community-driven conservation approaches, identifying opportunities to adapt and scale these strategies across diverse ecological and policy landscapes.
Here are 5 key takeaways from supporting the exchange:
1. Co-design the learning experience
Effective knowledge exchange begins with collaboration and shared ownership. The agenda was developed in partnership with the Gabon delegation, incorporating their learning priorities and drawing from the expertise of Forever Costa Rica, park directors, rangers, and community leaders. This approach ensured a locally relevant and action-oriented experience.
2. Bridge theory and practice
To ground discussions in real-world applications, the exchange participants visited Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve and explored several protected areas where Costa Rica’s pioneering PFP model has invested and impacted nature and people in Guanacaste. These field experiences highlighted best practices in ecosystem services, conservation finance, and community-driven governance, reinforcing the importance of financial sustainability in long-term environmental protection.
3. Building connections beyond sessions
Some of the most valuable insights emerged in informal settings—over shared meals, coffee breaks, and walks through Costa Rica’s forests. One impactful moment came when, after deep discussions on the Monteverde Community Fund, payments for ecosystem services (PES), and conservation finance, participants spontaneously continued exchanging ideas, asking questions, and connecting concepts among themselves. These organic discussions exemplified how knowledge takes root through active engagement.
4. The power of peer-to-peer learning
South-South exchanges foster mutual learning, where conservation practitioners share solutions tailored to similar regional challenges. By learning directly from Costa Rica’s experience, delegates gained practical insights they could adapt within their own national contexts—demonstrating the strength of regional collaboration in scaling conservation finance models that work.
5. It takes a community to drive impact
This exchange underscored the power of collaborative learning and the diverse contributions that make it successful—from the hospitality of local hosts and the expertise of translators to the curiosity and dedication of every participant. More than just an event, these exchanges build lasting partnerships and equip conservation leaders with the knowledge, networks, and tools needed to implement durable conservation solutions worldwide.
By facilitating cross-border knowledge sharing, South-South exchanges accelerate conservation impact by enabling countries to adapt proven strategies, build stronger institutions, and enhance community leadership.
When local expertise meets global collaboration, we create scalable, lasting solutions for environmental resilience and sustainable development.
This learning exchange was supported by the GEF-funded project Enduring Earth: Accelerating Sustainable Finance Solutions to Achieve Durable Conservation – that is working to create long-term funding for protected and conserved areas, supported by The Nature Conservancy and World Wildlife Fund.
The Gabon-Costa Rica learning exchange is the fourth capacity building training that Enduring Earth has co-hosted, with past delegations including representatives from Mongolia, Kenya, and Belize.