Natural Resources Conservation and Management, AAS

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The Natural Resources Conservation and Management program prepares students to work as technicians collecting and interpreting environmental information. Students develop practical skills in measuring forest and water resources, field navigation and surveying, insect and disease identification, soil health, recreation management, and using geospatial technology to document and understand the world. Successful graduates have obtained jobs for both government agencies and private companies, including timber cruisers, silviculture technicians, recreation specialists, wildland firefighters, field conservationists, and fire lookout staff. The US Forest Service is the number one employer of program graduates.

Program Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, students will be able to

Analyze the complex biological, physical, and human interactions as they relate to natural resources and land management;
Demonstrate strong math and computer skills;
Use various measuring instruments and accurately record data;
Summarize, analyze, and present results from collected data to supervisors and interested parties;
Identify many trees, shrubs, forbs, and grasses occurring in Montana;
Use compasses, GPS receivers and maps to navigate within the public land survey system and locate ownerships and establish sample points;
Use GPS and GIS techniques to analyze and present data within the context of land use and management;
Understand how soil and water health impact ecosystems;
Identify many insect, disease, and fire hazard situations and their relationships to ecology and sustainability; and
Abide by various federal, state, and local laws that govern land use and management.

Required Courses

First Year

Fall Semester

FORS 120 - Forestry Navigation Credit(s): 2
FORS 153 - Forest Resource Calculations Credit(s): 3 * ^R
FORS 260 - Chainsaw and Crosscut Saw Operation and Maintenance Credit(s): 1
NRSM 101 - Natural Resource Conservation Credit(s): 3
NRSM 161 - Natural Resource Measurements I Credit(s): 5
WRIT 101W - College Writing I Credit(s): 3 * ^R

First Semester Total: 17

Spring Semester

CAPP 116 - Short Courses: MS Excel Credit(s): 1
ENSC 245NL - Soils Credit(s): 4
ENSC 272NL - Water Resources Credit(s): 4
FORS 152 - Sustainable Silviculture Credit(s): 4
SRVY 120 - Surveying in Natural Resources Credit(s): 2

Second Semester Total: 15

Second Year

Fall Semester

COMX 115C - Introduction to Interpersonal Communication Credit(s): 3 ^R
ENST 285 - Environmental Policy and Impact Analysis Credit(s): 3
FORS 262 - Stock Packing Skills Credit(s): 1
FORS 272 - Inventory of Natural Resources Credit(s): 4 *
GPHY 284 - Introduction to GIS Science and Cartography Credit(s): 4
PTRM 201 - Recreation Management Credit(s): 2

First Semester Total: 17

Spring Semester

ECP 102 - Wilderness First Aid Credit(s): 1
FORS 230 - Forest Fire Management & Environmental Change Credit(s): 3
FORS 232 - Forest Insects and Diseases Credit(s): 3
FORS 251 - Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing Credit(s): 3 *
SRVY 245 - GPS Mapping Credit(s): 2 *
WILD 270N - Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Credit(s): 3

Second Semester Total: 15

Total Credits: 64

^RIndicates Related Instruction requirement.

*Indicates prerequisite and/or corequisite needed. Check course description.

Opportunities After Graduation

Many employment opportunities are with federal, state and county governmental agencies. Employment opportunities also exist within private industry. Consulting firms, which contract with government and private entities, also hire technicians. Many employers prefer applicants who have a good overall knowledge of collecting and interpreting data about natural resources and have an associate’s degree in Natural Resources Conservation and Management.

Advising Information:

For more information about this program, contact an advisor.

Academic Advisor	Faculty Advisor
Russ Lamson	Tim Eichner, M.S.
LRC 129	RH 155
(406) 756-3885	(406) 756-3898
rlamson@fvcc.edu	teichner@fvcc.edu

The Associate of Science (AS) degree requires 60 credits at FVCC, and the Bachelor of Science (BS) degree at Montana University System (MUS) colleges and universities requires 120 credits. FVCC students may earn as many as 75-85 credits in preparation for some transfer majors, thus reducing the number of credits required for the BS degree at MUS schools. Also, by earning the AS degree from FVCC, students will have satisfied the lower division General Education Core (see General Education Requirements for requirements) for all MUS institutions and will not be required to meet additional lower division general education core requirements upon transfer. The suggested course load in AS programs is rigorous and is recommended for only the most prepared students. A more moderate semester credit load can be achieved by taking general education core courses during summer terms or completing one or two additional semesters at FVCC before transfer.

The information on all transfer programs is subject to change. Students should see their advisor to explore other possibilities not specifically listed in the program.