CONCENTRATION in the BS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE MAJOR
What You’ll Study
While the topic of ecological forestry has a range of definitions, most are based on a few key themes: understanding what forests are made of and how the many micro-ecosystems interrelate; managing responsible consumption (and cultivation) of important forest products such as wood, raw materials for medicine, and more; and understanding the intrinsic experiential value of these lush landscapes. In addition to taking core courses within Environmental Science, Ecological Forestry majors complete a four-course sequence:
- Forest biology
- Silviculture
- Forest management
- Geographic information systems
Senior Capstone Course
In the forest management capstone course, you’ll work in a small team with fellow students writing forest management plans for private landowners, municipalities, or land conservation organizations. Much of your time is spent outside the classroom in professional settings with landowners or other natural resource and conservation experts. You’ll practice skills like:
- Remote data gathering
- Forest inventory and analysis
- Development of management recommendations
- Presentation of a management plan
Where You’ll Go from Here
Where does a forestry degree take you? Past graduates have gotten jobs with:
- Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy
- U.S. Forest Service
- Private Consulting Foresters
- Plum Creek Forest Products
- The Nature Conservancy
- U.S. National Park Service
- Forest Stewards
Students from this program have also gone on to prestigious graduate programs at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment, Yale’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, SUNY Environmental Studies and Forestry, and more.
