ESF Academic Catalog
Bachelor of Science in Forest Resources Management
Professional forestry education has been featured at ESF since the College's founding in 1911. Today's Forest Resources Management program is consistently ranked as one of the top forestry programs in the United States according to Study.com. The program is based on a clear vision that combines professional competency with a strong foundation in the biophysical sciences, humanities, and social sciences to meet society's needs for forest managers.
Many ESF students enjoy trees and forests and want to work in forested settings. They appreciate nature, and want to master the knowledge and skills needed to conserve and manage forests and the environment. With 25,000 acres of college forestlands as teaching and research laboratories, ESF provides many opportunities to meet student needs for experiential learning. The Forest Technology program at ESF's Wanakena campus prepares students for careers in field forestry and is one option towards the Forest Resources Management program that emphasizes field skills. Internships with forest-based organizations in the private, public and nonprofit sectors amplify these hands-on experiences. Practical experience is combined with learning concepts and problem solving and critical thinking skills in the classroom and laboratory on ESF's Syracuse campus.
Forest resources management is an integration of forest ecology and biology, forest measurements, forest policy and administration, and courses to predict and evaluate the effects of manipulation.
Timber, water, soils, recreation, wildlife, and a broad array of environmental values and services, such as biodiversity and healthy forest systems, are important results of effective management. This major prepares students to be well-rounded generalists who can practice forestry and succeed as professionals in a variety of allied natural resources management fields.
Forest resources management offers a wide variety of employment opportunities. Our graduates are working throughout the United States as professional foresters and natural resource managers in private industry, public agencies, and for nonprofit organizations. Their duties can range from timber management to recreation planning to environmental education, to name a few.
The educational program, leading to the professional Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Resources Management, is accredited by the Society of American Foresters (SAF) under Forestry.
Lower Division Required Courses
| Course Number | Course | Codes * | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| APM 103 OR APM 104 |
Applied Algebra & Trigonometry College Algebra & PreCalculus |
G | 3 3 |
| APM 210 | Intro/Probability&Stats | G | 3 |
| EFB 100 | Survey of Biology | G | 4 |
| EFB 336 | Dendrology I | 3 | |
| ESF 200 | Information Literacy | 1 | |
| EWP 190 | Writing And The Envrnment | G | 3 |
| EWP 220 | Public Presentation Skills | 3 | |
| EWP 290 | Research Writing & Humanities | G | 3 |
| FCH 110 AND FCH 111 OR FCH 150 AND FCH 151 |
Survey of Chemical Principles Survey/Chemical Principles Lab General Chemistry I General Chemistry I Lab |
G | 3 1 3 1 |
| FOR 132 | Orientation Seminar: SRM | 1 | |
| FOR 207 | Introduction to Economics | G | 3 |
| FOR 232 | Natural Resources Ecology | G | 3 |
| FOR 313 | Tree Structure and Function | 3 | |
| FOR 332 | Forest Ecology | 4 |
Upper Division Required Courses
| Course Number | Course | Codes * | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESF 300 | Intro/Geospatial Info Tech | 3 | |
| FOR 304 | Adirondack Field Studies | 4 | |
| FOR 322 | Nat Res Measuremnts & Sampling | 3 | |
| FOR 323 | Forest Biometrics | 3 | |
| FOR 333 | Natural Resrc Managerial Econ | 3 | |
| FOR 334 | Silviculture | 4 | |
| FOR 345 | Introduction to Soils | 3 | |
| FOR 360 | Principles of Mgmt/Envrn Prof | 3 | |
| FOR 370 | Forest Mgmt Dec Mkng&Plng | 3 | |
| FOR 373 | Sustainable Harvesting Pract | 3 | |
| FOR 402 | Prof Forestry Mentoring Prog | 1 | |
| FOR 421 | Prctical Ethics for Rsrce Mgrs | 3 | |
| FOR 433 | Advanced Silviculture | 3 | |
| FOR 465 | Natural Resources Policy | 3 | |
| FOR 490 | Integrated Resources Mgt | 3 |
Elective Courses
| Course | Codes* | Credits |
| Technical Electives (see below) |
PE | 18 |
| Free Electives | 15 | |
| General Education Course in one of the following categories: US History & Civic Engagement, The Arts, World History and Global Awareness, World Languages |
G | 3 |
| General Education Course in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice | G | 3 |
Technical Electives
Eighteen (18) technical elective hours are restricted to six (6) resource areas: business
finances, forest health or protection, human dimensions, water resources, wildlife
management,
and wood technology/science. Students must choose one course from each of these resource
areas to meet graduation requirements. Courses that satisfy this requirement include
the
following (other courses may be substituted with an approved petition):
Business Finances
- FOR 205 Principles of Accounting
- ACC 151 Intro. to Financial Accounting
- ACC 201 Essentials of Accounting
Forest Health/Protection
- EFB 340 Forest and Shade Tree Pathology
- EFB 351 Forest Entomology
- EFB 352 Entomology
Human Dimensions
- EST 353 Behavior Change & the Environment
- EST 370 Intro. Personal Environ. Interpret. Methods
- EST 471 Non-personal Environ. Interpret. Methods
- EST 366 Environmental Ethics
- FOR 372 Fundamentals of Outdoor Recreation
Water Resources
- FOR340 Watershed Hydrology
- FOR442 Watershed Ecology and Management
Wildlife Management
- EFB 390 Wildlife Ecology and Management
- EFB 413 Introduction to Conservation Biology
- EFB 484 Mammalian Winter Ecology
- EFB 487 Fisheries Science and Management
Wood Technology/Science
- CME 400 Introduction to Forest Products
- CME 444 Materials Marketing
- RMS 387 Renewable Materials for Sustainable Construction
Total Minimum Credits for Degree: 125