The Department of Forestry offers programs of instruction in forest resource management, urban and community forestry, wood products manufacturing and marketing, forest conservation and environmental studies, and forest sciences, all leading to the Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Forestry. Michigan State University’s undergraduate forestry program is the oldest existing undergraduate forestry program in the United States. The forest resource management curriculum is accredited as a professional forestry program by the Society of American Foresters. Students who are enrolled in the Bachelor of Science degree program with a major in Forestrymayelect a specialization in agricultural and natural resources biotechnology. For additional information, refer to the Specialization in Agricultural and Natural Resources Biotechnology statement.
Students who are enrolled in the Bachelor of Science degree program with a major in Forestry may elect a specialization in agricultural and natural resources biotechnology. For additional information, refer to the Specialization in Agricultural and Natural Resources Biotechnology statement.
Forestry
Forest ecosystems, which comprise about one-third of the land area of the United States, are an extremely valuable resource that benefit society in many ways. They provide the renewable resource base for essential forest products, forage, and wildlife habitat. Forests stabilize stream flow, reducing soil erosion, floods, and avalanches, and are important in the regulation of air temperature in urban and rural settings. Forests also play a critical role in maintaining a proper carbon dioxide balance in the earth’s atmosphere and are valued for their aesthetic enrichment of our lives and for the widespread opportunities for outdoor recreation they provide.
Forestry is the science and art of managing the natural resources that occur on and in association with forested lands in both the urban and rural landscape. These resources include trees, other plants, animals, soil, minerals, and climate and related air and water. The practice of forestry means management for specific objectives, whether timber production, recreational opportunities, wildlife habitat, forage, water regulation, preservation
for scientific studies and special uses, or combinations of these uses.
Foresters are employed in a variety of settings. Many choose careers with industry, working for large multinational forest products companies or for smaller producers of forest products. Others work for public land management agencies, such as the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Soil Conservation Service, or state departments of natural resources. Conservation organizations, such as the Wilderness Society or Sierra Club, have foresters on their staffs. Foresters with an international interest work for the Peace Corps or other international organizations. Still others find rewarding careers with municipal forestry organizations or with private tree and shrub-care companies. Finally, many foresters pursue additional education and careers in science: ecology, forest genetics, wood science, soils science, biometry, economics, and many others.
Students in this major must meet the requirements for one of the following five concentrations: Forest Resource Management, Urban and Community Forestry, Wood Products Manufacturing and Marketing, Forest Conservation and Environmental Studies,
or Forest Sciences.
Programs of Study