News Published: 12 February 2024

São Paulo, Brazil – In a significant leap forward for biodiversity is restoration projects, the inaugural Train the Trainer workshop for the Global Biodiversity Standard (GBS) has successfully concluded. The two-week intensive program, held at the lush Araribá Botanic Garden in São Paulo, Brazil, aimed at empowering a new generation of restoration leaders with the tools and knowledge to drive positive biodiversity outcomes for nature-based solutions worldwide. 

The workshop, which took place from 22nd January to 2nd February, brought together 20 trainers from nine countries, representing the GBS hubs set to spearhead assessments and mentoring in various regions. These trainers are now equipped to train an additional 180 assessors over the next 12 months, expanding the reach and impact of the GBS methodology on a global scale. 

Developed by leading environmental organisations, including BGCI, SER, CIFOR-ICRAF, TRAFFIC, Plan Vivo, Reforest’Action, Ecosia, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and our nine hub partners, the GBS is a pioneering certification and mentoring programme designed to enhance biodiversity outcomes in restoration, tree planting, and other nature-based solutions. The workshop covered the full assessment process, teaching participants how to evaluate the biodiversity of sites, build reference models, and use rapid biodiversity assessments and remote sensing to gauge project outcomes. 

A key highlight of the training was the emphasis on ecological restoration principles, with participants learning to assess the outcomes of restoration across a range of ecosystem attributes. The workshop also focused on the importance of social benefits in restoration projects, with Plan Vivo and TRAFFIC leading sessions on the GBS safeguarding protocol and social survey techniques. Understanding stakeholder engagement, benefit distribution, and sustainable economies was underscored as crucial for long-term project success. 

The second week of the workshop was dedicated to practical fieldwork skills, including vegetation, beetle, mammal, bird survey techniques, and soil sampling methods. Innovations in biodiversity monitoring technology were also a focus, with hands-on training in drone usage by Bioflore and an introduction to bioacoustic technology by Rainforest Connection. 

The workshop concluded with a practical and written exam, resulting in the certification of the first cohort of GBS trainers and assessors. This milestone marks a significant advancement in the global effort to preserve and enhance biodiversity. 

Parallel discussions among the technical partners of the GBS also took place, covering crucial topics such as data tools, PR and marketing strategies, safeguarding procedures, and stakeholder mapping. These discussions are essential for the successful launch and implementation of the GBS standard. 

The success of the Train the Trainer workshop signifies a promising start for the GBS, laying the groundwork for a more biodiverse future. As these newly certified trainers begin to impart their knowledge and skills across the globe, the vision of a world where nature-based solutions recover biodiversity worldwide becomes ever more attainable.