B.S. in Forestry

The forestry curriculum offers courses dealing with the management of forest ecosystems for multiple benefits including biodiversity, recreation, water, wilderness, wildlife, and wood and fiber. Conservation and preservation of natural resources are emphasized. The department offers work for the Bachelor of Science degree with a major in forestry and options in forest ecosystem management, interpretation of natural resources, urban and community forestry, natural resource conservation and restoration, or sustainable materials science and technology. All options lead to a professional degree in forestry (Bachelor of Science). The primary goal of the undergraduate curriculum in forestry is to educate foresters to be capable of scientifically managing the nation’s forest lands and related ecosystems - private and public. Graduates understand and can apply scientific principles associated with forests, forest ecosystem management, and wood and non-wood products. Graduates are able to communicate effectively and work well in teams. They are capable of preparing and delivering effective oral and written communication of scientific and technical decisions to professional and lay audiences. They are proficient in technical skills such as measurements, computer usage, inventory, economic analysis, data and situation analysis, and ecosystem assessment. They recognize the importance of ethics in forestry and are sensitive to cultural diversity and broad environmental concerns. Graduates of the forest ecosystem management option are skilled at understanding how forests function and how forests can be managed to produce desired goods (wood, fiber, recreation, wildlife habitat) and services (clean water, carbon sequestration, wilderness) in the long-run. They are skilled at interpretation of interactions and effects of abiotic and biotic factors in forests and quantification of bio-physical, social, and economic outputs from forest ecosystems. They are skilled at complex decision-making involving private and public forest resources where ethical, legal, social, economic, and ecological dimensions are explicitly considered. Graduates of the interpretation of natural resources option are skilled at communicating with the public about the values associated with forest ecosystems and providing educational programs for all ages. Graduates of the urban and community forestry option are able to combine biological, social, legal, and economic expertise to effectively manage trees or forests in an urban setting. They are skilled at decision-making related to site assessment, and long-term management of urban trees and forests to achieve multiple goals. Graduates of the natural resource conservation and restoration option are skilled at assessing the natural functions of the environment and human impacts. They are skilled at interpretation of forest and other natural environments and making decisions relating to their conservation and preservation. Graduates of the sustainable materials science and technology option understand the anatomical, physical, and chemical properties of wood and other bio-renewable materials and know wood processing operations involved in drying, composite materials manufacturing, and chemical treatment.