College of Natural Resources and Environment
www.cnre.vt.edu/
Paul M. Winistorfer, Dean
Associate Dean, Academic Programs: Dean F. Stauffer
Associate Dean, Engagement: Robert L. Smith
Assistant Dean for Administration and Finance: Thomas E. Olson
Coordinator of Academic Advising: Stephanie Lang
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Overview
The College of Natural Resources and Environment, through offerings in the Departments of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Geography, and Sustainable Biomaterials, provides an integrated education in renewable natural resource management, conservation, and utilization as well as a valuable perspective for understanding and solving critical contemporary environmental problems at local, regional, and global scales. All undergraduate programs of the College of Natural Resources and Environment are designed to provide a professional education that starts with core courses emphasizing physical, biological, and social sciences, along with concepts of renewable natural resource management. More advanced courses teach the principles and practices of individual disciplines, along with advanced skills in communications and computer use. Students prepare for professional careers with public agencies responsible for managing forest, water, wildlife, fish, and recreation resources; with private firms concerned with producing, manufacturing, and marketing wood products; with planning agencies and private firms utilizing skills in environmental and land-use analysis and geospatial techniques; or for graduate studies. Students develop a specialization. These majors with options are described below and are administered by departments:
Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation
- Fisheries Science
- Wildlife Science
Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation
- Environmental Informatics
- Environmental Resources Management
- Environmental Resource Management option
- Watershed Management option
- Forestry
- Forest Resource Management option
- Forest Operations and Business option
- Urban Forestry option
- Natural Resources Conservation
- Conservation and Recreation Management option
- Environmental Education (K-6) option
- Natural Resources Science Education (6-12) option
Department of Geography
- Geography
- Culture, Regions and International Development option
- Geospatial and Environmental Analysis option
- Meteorology
Department of Sustainable Biomaterials
- Packaging Systems and Design
- Sustainable Biomaterials
- Wood Science and Forest Products
- Wood Materials Science option
The college offers minors in Forestry, Urban Forestry, Natural Resource Recreation, Watershed Management, Geography, Meteorology, Sustainable Natural Environments, Wood Science, and Packaging Science. Contact the respective departments for more information on minors.
Accreditation
The educational programs in Forest Resource Management, Forest Operations and Business, and Urban Forestry qualify graduates as professional foresters and are accredited by the Society of American Foresters, the recognized accrediting body. Graduates in fisheries and wildlife sciences meet certification requirements of the American Fisheries Society and The Wildlife Society, respectively. The Wood Materials Science, the Forest Products Business, Packaging Science and Residential Wood Structures programs are accredited by the Society of Wood Science and Technology, the recognized accrediting body.
The Honors Program
The University Honors Program is available to students in the College of Natural Resources and Environment. The program provides enriched opportunities for highly qualified and motivated undergraduate students. Faculty advisors can provide additional information.
Cooperative Education
The college encourages students to become involved in the Cooperative Education Program, in which students alternate on-campus academic terms with off-campus employment in their areas of interest. Additional information is provided in "Academics."
Exchange Programs
The College of Natural Resources and Environment participates in a reciprocal exchange program with the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. Where appropriate, students can also participate in the International Student Exchange Program.
Graduate Programs
The college offers educational programs leading to the M.S., M.F., MNR, and Ph.D. Complete information on these programs is in the Graduate Catalog.
Undergraduate Course Descriptions (NR)
1114: INTRODUCTION TO RENEWABLE NATURAL RESOURCES
Introduction to careers in forestry, wildlife, fisheries, recreation, and forest products professional fields. Discussion of current global and regional problems affecting natural resource professionals. (1H,3L,2C) I.
1115-1116 (GEOG 1115-1116): SEEKING SUSTAINABILITY
Definition of, conditions of, and strategies for achieving sustainability. 1115: History, current conditions, and trends of sustainability from ecological, economic, and social perspectives. 1116: Detailed conditions and trends, tools for constructing sustainability, integrative project application. (3H,3C)
1234: FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE IN NATURAL RESOURCES & ENVIRONMENT
Introduction to problem solving related to natural resources and environmental issues. Developing a sense of identity and place within the college while acquiring skills and knowledge that enhance academic success. Exposure to programs on campus that support sustainability and student success. Introduction to a variety of career pathways within natural resources and environmental conservation. (2H,2L,3C)
2004 (GEOG 2004): INTRODUCTION TO WATER RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Introduction to the hydrologic cycle, water resources, and related environmental issues. Emphasis on relationships between human needs for and effects upon water including; factors influencing water quality, droughts, and floods; water for health, energy, and food; water laws, allocation, and conflict; water resources and climate change; and potential solutions for these and other critical water issues. Pre: Sophomore-level standing. (3H,3C)
2974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.
2984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.
3954: STUDY ABROAD
Variable credit course.
3964: FIELD STUDY
Variable credit course.
4014 (FOR 4014): NATURAL RESOURCES ECONOMICS
Examination of domestic and international natural resource use, exploitation, and degradation problems, with special focus on use of economics to understand why potential overuse of natural resources exists, and what policy options are available to correct these problems and ensure sustainable natural resource use over time. Water, forests, fisheries, land and exhaustible resources. Permission of instructor may be substituted for the pre-requisite. Pre: ECON 2005 or AAEC 1005. (3H,3C)
4105-4106: LEADERSHIP IN NATURAL RESOURCES
Preparation for leadership roles in the natural resource professions. Introduction to theories of leadership; characteristics of effective leaders; leading and working in interdisciplinary teams. Techniques of meeting facilitation; written and oral communication skills in a leadership context. Effects of preferred modes of interacting with others, perceiving information, making decisions, and approaching tasks on the ability to lead and work with others. Consent of instructor. Pre: FIW 2114 or FOR 2314 or GEOG 3104 or SBIO 2124 for 4105; 4105 for 4106. (3H,3C)
4444: PRACTICING SUSTAINABILITY
Practicum in sustainability. Synthesize and integrate knowledge from undergraduate career and apply to real world problems of sustainability. Topics and projects selected from opportunities to examine specific local and regional sustainability issues on the VT campus, in the New River Valley and the Commonwealth at large. Pre-requisite: Senior Standing required. (3H,3C)
4614 (ALS 4614): WATERSHED ASSESSMENT, MANAGEMENT, AND POLICY
Multidisciplinary perspectives of assessment, management, and policy issues for protecting and improving watershed ecosystems. Topics include: monitoring and modeling approaches for assessment, risk-based watershed assessment, geographic information systems for watershed analysis, decision support systems and computerized decision tools for watershed management, policy alternatives for watershed protection, urban watersheds, and current issues in watershed management. Pre: Two 4000 level courses in environmental/natural resource science, management, engineering, and/or policy in BSE, CEE, FOR, GEOL, LAR, CSES, ENT, BIO, GEOG, AAEC, UAP or equivalent. (2H,2C)
4964: FIELD STUDY
Variable credit course.
4974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.
4984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.
4994: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Variable credit course.
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