The profession of forestry is the science, the art, and the practice of managing and using for human benefit the natural resources that occur on and in association with forest lands. Benefits are derived from the multiple resources of the forest – wood, water, wildlife, recreation, forage, and environmental amenities. Foresters are managers of these resources. Thus, our principal instructional objective is to provide the broad education needed to deal effectively with the complex of forest resources.
The urban forestry concentration is an interdisciplinary program emphasizing forestry, arboriculture, horticulture, urban forest management, and urban wildlife. In addition to the general education courses, the urban forestry curriculum includes core courses in the traditional forestry discipline. The curriculum is designed to prepare graduates who can evaluate, plan, and resolve problems in an urban and traditional forest.
Foresters work closely with the public and private sector, so the development of excellent personnel management and communication skill is encouraged. In addition to the completion of courses, students are required to complete a 6-10 week professional internship experience (2 credits) in the summer prior to their senior year. Internships are structured to address specific learning objectives established by the instructor and field supervisor.
To remain in the Urban Forestry concentration, students must maintain a 2.5 cumulative GPA and earn no less than a C grade in FWF 212 . If a student does not meet the aforementioned criteria, the student will be removed from the Urban Forestry concentration, and the student must meet with their advisor to identify an alternative major.