Promoting Biodiversity Conservation on a Global Scale

participant with a compassThe National Zoo has a long history of training scientists, zoo personnel, wildlife managers, environmental educators, and many others throughout the world.

During the past 20 years, it has trained more than 3,000 professionals from nearly 80 countries at its Washington, D.C., and Front Royal, Virginia, facilities and also at sites in about 20 foreign countries.

A variety of programs are periodically conducted to achieve our objective of promoting biodiversity conservation around the world. Courses are designed to:

  • Augment professional training
  • Provide long-term assistance to course participants and collaborating foreign institutions
  • Provide financial support for people to conduct conservation-oriented field projects and/or to attend universities for post-graduate studies
  • Train instructors and educators who could produce the multiplier effect of their training in their home countries
  • Assist collaborating foreign institutions over the long-term to establish centers for conservation biology that are specifically designed to address the research, training and environmental education needs of the country or the region

participants in a class

Participants
Many who have participated in the Zoo's professional training initiatives now hold influential positions at government agencies, universities, and non-governmental organizations in their home countries.

Using their influence, they have made significant strides to promote biodiversity conservation both locally, and have also collaborated with course participants in neighboring countries to address trans-national conservation issues.

Programs available:

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