Forest Resources and Conservation

major

Providing students with a solid understanding of ecology, this major prepares students to manage and develop forest areas for economic, recreational, and ecological purposes. Forest Resources and Conservation students study natural resource management and analysis, soil and water sciences, plant identification, law and policy, fire management, and natural resource economics.

About this Program

To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college, and major requirements.

School Information

The School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences is a unit within the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) and the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS). The school is home to three distinct yet integrated program areas: Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Forest Resources and Conservation, and Geomatics. The school’s faculty, staff, and students conduct research, teaching, and extension that cuts across a wide range of environments and disciplines.
Website

CONTACT

Email | 352.846.0850 (tel) | 352.392.1707 (fax)

P.O. Box 110410
1745 McCarty Drive
136 NEWINS-ZIEGLER HALL
GAINESVILLE FL 32611-0410
Map

 Curriculum

The Forest Resources and Conservation major prepares students to sustainably manage forests to meet some combination of ecological, economic, and social/recreational objectives. Graduates are commonly employed in managing public or private land, in areas such as timber management, habitat restoration, outdoor recreation management, environmental law and policy, and similar.

Coursework is diverse, with an emphasis on field experiences which give students hands-on exposure to topics in ecology and biology, economics, administration and planning, and the use of various tools and techniques to manage forests to meet society’s needs. Students have the option to complete a certificate in Fire Ecology and Management, Urban Forestry, Recreation Resource Management, or Environmental Policy, Law, and Regulation. This major is accredited by the Society of American Foresters.

Critical Tracking records each student’s progress in courses that are required for progress toward each major. Please note the critical-tracking requirements below on a per-semester basis.

Equivalent critical-tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students.

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semester 3

Semester 4

  • Complete all remaining critical-tracking courses
  • 2.5 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 5

Semester 6

Semester 7

Semester 8

To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold. These courses must be completed by the terms as listed above in the Critical Tracking criteria.

This semester plan represents an example progression through the major. Actual courses and course order may be different depending on the student's academic record and scheduling availability of courses. Prerequisites still apply.

Plan of Study Grid
Semester OneCredits
Quest 1 (Gen Ed Humanities) 3
Select one: 3
Basic Chemistry Concepts and Applications 1 (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Biological and Physical Sciences)
General Chemistry 1 (Critical Tracking; State Core Gen Ed Biological and Physical Sciences)
FOR 2662 Forests for the Future (Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences; recommended course) 3
State Core Gen Ed Composition; Writing Requirement 3
Elective 3
 Credits15
Semester Two
BSC 2010
2010L
Integrated Principles of Biology 1
and Integrated Principles of Biology Laboratory 1 (Critical Tracking; State Core Gen Ed Biological and Physical Sciences)
4
FAS 2024 Sustainable Fisheries (recommended elective) 3
MAC 1105 Basic College Algebra (Critical Tracking; State Core Gen Ed Mathematics) 3
State Core Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences 3
Elective 3
 Credits16
Semester Three
AEC 3033C Research and Business Writing in Agricultural and Life Sciences (Critical Tracking; Writing Requirement) 1 3
STA 2023 Introduction to Statistics 1 (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Mathematics) 3
FOR 2662 Forests for the Future (recommended, if not already taken) 2 3
Gen Ed Composition 3
Elective 2
 Credits14
Semester Four
Quest 2 (Gen Ed Physical Sciences) 3
Select one: 3-4
Economic Issues, Food and You (Critical Tracking)
Principles of Macroeconomics (Critical Tracking)
Principles of Microeconomics (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences)
Select one: 3
Effective Oral Communication (Critical Tracking)
Introduction to Public Speaking (Critical Tracking)
FAS 2024 Sustainable Fisheries (recommended elective, if not already taken) 3
State Core Gen Ed Humanities 3
 Credits15-16
Summer After Semester Four
FOR 3200C Foundations of Natural Resources and Conservation (Critical Tracking; Summer B only) 1
FOR 3434C Forest Resources Information Systems (Critical Tracking; Summer B only) 3
 Credits4
Semester Five
FNR 3131C Dendrology/Forest Plants 3
FNR 3410C Natural Resource Sampling 3
FOR 3153C Forest Ecology (Critical Tracking) 3
FOR 3342C Tree Biology 3
FNR 3020 Professional Practice in Natural Resources 1
 Credits13
Semester Six
FOR 3162C Silviculture (Critical Tracking) 4
SWS 3022 Introduction to Soils in the Environment 3
FOR 3430C Forest Mensuration 3
FOR 4060
Global Forests
or Society and Natural Resources
3
FNR 4660 Natural Resource Policy and Economics 3
 Credits16
Semester Seven
FOR 4621 Forest Economics and Management 3
FNR 4624C Field Operations for Management of Ecosystems (Critical Tracking) 3
FOR 4664 Sustainable Ecotourism Development 3
Certificate coursework or advisor-approved electives 4
 Credits13
Semester Eight
FNR 4343C Forest Water Resources 3
FNR 4623C Integrated Natural Resource Management (Critical Tracking) 3
FOR 3214 Fire Ecology and Management 2
FOR 4624C Forest Health Management 3
Certificate coursework or advisor-approved elective 3
 Credits14
 Total Credits120

The Forest Resources and Conservation major provides a broad education in the ecological, economic, and social aspects of forest and natural resources and their management. The major also provides national accreditation from the Society of American Foresters.

Before Graduating Students Must

  • Pass the forest resources and conservation competency exam, given in five parts. One part will be given in each of these required courses:
    FNR 3131CDendrology/Forest Plants3
    FNR 3410CNatural Resource Sampling3
    FNR 4040C
    FNR 4623CIntegrated Natural Resource Management3
    FNR 4660Natural Resource Policy and Economics3
  • Complete requirements for the baccalaureate degree, as determined by faculty.

Students in the Major Will Learn to

Student Learning Outcomes | SLOs

Content

  1. Demonstrate competency in biology/ecology, quantification, policy/administration, and management of forest and related natural resources.
  2. Analyze, interpret, synthesize, and communicate information and data, including the use of mathematical and statistical methods.

Critical Thinking

  1. Solve novel problems in forest and natural resource management.

Communication

  1. Create, interpret and analyze written text, oral messages and multimedia presentations.

Curriculum Map

I = Introduced; R = Reinforced; A = Assessed

Courses SLO 1 SLO 2 SLO 3 SLO 4
FNR 3131C I I
FNR 3410C I
FNR 4343C R R R
FNR 4623C R A A
FNR 4660 I R R
FOR 3153C I I R I
FOR 3162C R R R
FOR 3200C I I I I
FOR 3202 I R R
FOR 3214 R R R R
FOR 3434C I I
FOR 4020 R R

Assessment Types

  • Final group project
  • Exams
  • Program exit exam