Sustainable Resource Management

Manage What Matters

Launch your career in the sustainable management of natural resources.

The Sustainable Resource Management (SRM) degree at Davis & Elkins 91快播 offers an interdisciplinary program of study that stresses the sustainable management of renewable and non-renewable natural resources. Three specializations allow students to tailor the degree toward their career goals:

Natural Resources Management
Forest Resources Management
Parks and Recreation Management

The program is offered through the Biology, Environmental Science, and Sustainability Department. It is designed for students who want to pursue professional careers managing the natural world 鈥� forests, waters, wildlife, and recreation resources 鈥� in a sustainable, science-based way. The program builds on D&E鈥檚 existing strengths in environmental science and biology while providing clear career paths tailored to each of the three specializations.

Baccalaureate Programs (B.S.)

Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Resource Management

The B.S. in Sustainable Resource Management is offered in three specializations:

Natural Resources Management

(36 credit hours of Sustainable Resource Management courses)
The Natural Resources Management specialization prepares students for a variety of fields in natural resources, including graduate school or employment in industry or governmental agencies. It includes core SRM courses plus electives from environmental science or biology.

Forest Resources Management

(49 credit hours of Sustainable Resource Management courses)
The Forest Resources Management specialization meets the requirements for civil service forester positions. It prepares students for graduate school or employment in the forestry industry and governmental agencies. It includes the full Forest Technology curriculum plus advanced coursework.

Parks and Recreation Management

(39 credit hours of Sustainable Resource Management courses)
The Parks and Recreation Management specialization prepares students for a variety of fields that manage recreation resources, including graduate school or employment in national parks, state parks, recreation agencies, and related industries.

View the Course Catalog

Minors

Natural Resources Management Minor

The Natural Resources Management minor consists of 19 credit hours of Sustainable Resource Management courses.

Forest Resource Management Minor

The Forest Resource Management minor consists of 20 credit hours of Sustainable Resource Management courses.

Parks and Recreation Management

The Parks and Recreation Management minor consists of 19 credit hours of Sustainable Resource Management courses.

Courses

What We Offer

Sustainable Resource Management Core Courses
(all specializations)

Natural History of Appalachia
Sustainable Resource Management
Natural Resource Economics
Sustainable Resource Management Forum
Research Methods
Advanced Topics in Sustainable Resource Management
Senior Seminar
Practicum
Independent Study

Natural Resources Management Specialization Courses

Watershed and Ecosystem Science
Wildlife Ecology and Management
Natural Resource Management
Conservation Biology

Forest Resources Management Specialization Courses

Dendrology I & II
Forest Measurements I & II
Timber Harvesting
Communication and Safety
Wood and Forest Products
Silviculture
Forest Ecosystem Protection
Forest Management Practices
Forest Ecology

Parks and Recreation Management Specialization Courses

Introduction to Outdoor Recreation
Outdoor Recreation Administration
Outdoor Education
Natural Resources Recreation
Outdoor Recreation Programming
Recreation in America
Outdoor Recreation Practicum

Additional Required Courses
(all specializations)

Introduction to Environmental Science
Environmental Chemistry
Environmental Issues Seminar
Introduction to Sustainability Studies
Principles of Biology I & II
Cell and Molecular Biology 鈥擮R鈥� Practicum (4 credits)
General Chemistry I, II, III & IV
Calculus
Statistics

View the Course Catalog

Campus Facilities

The Biology, Environmental Science, and Sustainability Department is housed in Eshleman Science Center, which features five teaching laboratories, a computer laboratory equipped with GIS and remote sensing software and a large-scale plotter, the S. Benton Talbott Seminar Room, a weather station, a controlled environment chamber, the Tolstead Greenhouse, and the D&E Herbarium with over 3,000 vascular plant specimens.

The department also maintains the Pigeon Creek Watershed as a cooperative Appalachian watershed study site, and the Robert E. Urban Nature Area is located just minutes from the Science Center.

Natural Laboratory

As a student in the Sustainable Resource Management program, you鈥檒l complete much of your field study on the 300-acre George A. Myles Experimental Forest. Located just 30 minutes from campus, the forest serves as a hands-on outdoor classroom for measuring and quantifying forest resources, practicing silvicultural techniques, conducting habitat assessments, and carrying out student research projects.

Additionally, the Monongahela National Forest and surrounding protected areas constitute one of the most ecologically diverse outdoor classrooms in the eastern United States.

The following areas are within an hour鈥檚 drive of campus:

Spruce Knob (the highest point in West Virginia at 4,862 feet)
Dolly Sods Wilderness
Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Fernow Experimental Forest
Multiple wilderness areas within an hour’s drive from campus

Careers in Sustainable Resource Management

Sustainable Resource Management prepares graduates for careers in a wide array of natural resource fields, including federal and state land management, forestry, wildlife biology, watershed science, parks and recreation, conservation, and environmental consulting.

Potential career paths include:

Natural Resources Management

Fish and Wildlife Biologist (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, state agencies)
Hydrologist/Watershed Manager
Conservation Scientist
Environmental Consultant
Natural Resource Specialist (The Nature Conservancy, nonprofit organizations)
Graduate Study in Ecology
Wildlife Biology
Conservation Science

Forest Resources Management

Civil Service Forester (U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, state forestry agencies)
Timber Sale Administrator
Silviculturist
Forest Inventory Specialist
Private Consulting Forester
Wood Products Industry Representative
Graduate Study in Forestry
Forest Ecology
Wood Science

Get Your Career Path Started

Parks and Recreation Management

Park Ranger/Park Manager (National Park Service, state parks)
Recreation Program Director
Outdoor Recreation Planner
Ecotourism Manager
Camp Director/Outdoor Education Instructor
Graduate Study in Recreation Management
Tourism
Parks Administration

Internship Opportunities

Internship opportunities are available through organizations with offices in Elkins and the surrounding area, including the U.S. Forest Service (Monongahela National Forest, Elkins office), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, Fernow Experimental Forest, Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Blackwater Falls State Park, The Nature Conservancy, Bowden Fish Hatchery, and multiple private timber and land management companies.

Learn more about internship programs

Why Sustainable Resource Management at D&E

Small class sizes enable faculty members to enhance your learning experience by challenging and inspiring you, providing individualized attention, and helping you build scientific knowledge, field skills, and a professional identity. Coursework covers current and relevant principles in ecology, forestry, wildlife management, watershed science, GIS, recreation management, and natural resource economics.

D&E鈥檚 location at the gateway to the Monongahela National Forest is an unparalleled classroom advantage and provides exposure to future employers.
The George A. Myles Experimental Forest provides hands-on field experiences that cannot be replicated in any lecture hall. From timber cruising to wildlife habitat assessment to silvicultural marking, you鈥檒l develop the technical skills that field agencies hire for.

Internship and independent study opportunities provide real-world experience that amplifies classroom learning and builds your professional network. The Forest Resources Management specialization meets the requirements for civil service forester positions. You may be able to immediately compete for professional positions with the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and state forestry agencies without additional coursework.

Connect with Admission Today!

91快播