Mar 28, 2024  
2012-2013 General Catalog (Spring 2013) 
    
2012-2013 General Catalog (Spring 2013) ARCHIVED CATALOG: To search archives, MUST use search box to left. Current catalog: catalog.usu.edu.

Wildland Resources


Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Academic Departments and Programs

Department Head: Michael R. Kuhns (Interim)
Location: Natural Resources 206
Phone: (435) 797-3219
FAX: (435) 797-3796
E-mail: lana.barr@usu.edu
WWW: http://www.cnr.usu.edu/wild

Undergraduate Advisor:

Mykel Beorchia, Natural Resources 120, (435) 797-2473, Mykel.beorchia@usu.edu

Degrees offered: Bachelor of Science (BS) in Conservation and Restoration Ecology; BS, Master of Science (MS), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Forestry; BS in Rangeland Resources; BS in Wildlife Science; MS and PhD in Ecology; MS and PhD in Range Science; and MS and PhD in Wildlife Biology

Graduate specializations: MS, PhD in Ecology—Conservation Biology, Wildlife Ecology; MS, PhD in Wildlife Biology—Conservation Biology, Problem Wildlife Management, Wildlife Management

Undergraduate Programs

Objectives

The Department of Wildland Resources offers four undergraduate degrees: Conservation and Restoration Ecology, Forestry, Rangeland Resources, and Wildlife Science. These degree programs offer broad educational opportunities for students interested in the analysis and management of forest and rangeland ecosystems and their associated wildlife populations. The department’s philosophy of education is to promote a broad interdisciplinary approach to natural resources analysis, management, and science.

The first two years of study in the Department of Wildland Resources are designed to provide students with a sound background in the natural sciences, an introduction to the field of natural resources management, and an introduction to their respective major. The last two years are designed to provide an advanced understanding of natural resource management and science, depth concentration in the major, and experience with the integration of scientific and management concepts across a diversity of disciplines and management scenarios. To maintain correct course sequencing and to stay on track for graduation, students are encouraged to enroll for 15 or more credits of coursework per semester.

Career Opportunities

Graduates in Wildland Resources programs qualify for a broad range of career opportunities with state and federal land management agencies, environmental consulting firms, private industries with environmental divisions, private land owners, and nonprofit environmental organizations. The Bachelor of Science degrees in Forestry, Rangeland Resources, and Wildlife Science are designed to meet the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) requirements for professional, permanent, full-time jobs with the Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, or other federal natural resources agencies. The Bachelor of Science in Conservation and Restoration Ecology is designed to meet OPM requirements for Ecologist, but is flexible and intended to meet the needs of nongovernmental careers, as well as state and county restoration and management agencies. Graduates in all degree programs receive a solid background in biological and quantitative sciences, as well as the communication skills needed to succeed in many career paths.

Requirements

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements for the Department of Wildland Resources are the same as those described for the S.J. and Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources .

Recommended Four-year Plans

Recommended semester-by-semester four-year plans for students working toward bachelor’s degrees are available on the department website www.cnr.usu.edu/wild/htm/undergraduate-programs and in the Department of Wildland Resources.

Students should consult with their advisor to develop a plan of study tailored to their individual needs and interests.

Financial Assistance

The main opportunities for undergraduates to find financial support through grants, work-study, and loans are listed in the Financial Aid and Scholarship Information  section. In addition, more than 30 scholarships are available for eligible students in the S.J. and Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources. Some students may be able to find paid internships with private or governmental organizations, or work for a faculty member on a research project. Interested persons should contact the college’s Academic Service Center for more information on financial assistance for undergraduate students.

Departmental Honors

Students who would like to experience greater academic depth within their major are encouraged to enroll in departmental honors. Through original, independent work, Honors students enjoy the benefits of close supervision and mentoring, as they work one-on-one with faculty in select upper-division departmental courses. Honors students also complete a senior project, which provides another opportunity to collaborate with faculty on a problem that is significant, both personally and in the student’s discipline. Participating in departmental honors enhances students’ chances for obtaining fellowships and admission to graduate school. The minimum GPA requirement for admission into departmental honors in any department within the S.J. and Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources is 3.30. Students may enter the Honors Program at almost any stage in their academic career, including at the junior (and sometimes senior) level.

For information about the campus-wide Honors program, see Honors Program 

Additional Information

The undergraduate program may be tailored to individual student needs with the help of a faculty advisor. For additional information about the degree requirements, course sequencing, and departmental specialization options and their related coursework, as well as updated information describing current programs and courses offered by the Department of Wildland Resources, visit the Wildland Resources main office, Natural Resources 206, or visit: http://www.cnr.usu.edu/wild

Major requirement sheets, which outline career opportunities and required courses for departmental majors, can be obtained from the department.

Graduate Programs

Admission Requirements

The Department of Wildland Resources offers opportunities for graduate study through MS and PhD degree programs in Ecology, Forestry, Range Science, and Wildlife Biology. The programs of instruction and research leading to graduate degrees in the department are available only to students meeting high scholastic standards who are accepted for study by the departmental faculty. Students desiring entrance to these graduate programs should contact the department for information concerning eligibility.

USU School of Graduate Studies general admission requirements are listed in the Graduate Admission  section. Applicants for graduate study in the department should have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 (out of 4.0), and GRE scores (quantitative and verbal) above the 40th percentile. Foreign students should submit a TOEFL score of at least 550. Exceptions to these standards will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Written statements of interest help match applicants with faculty advisors. A faculty member must agree to serve as the major professor in order for an applicant to be accepted for study. Prospective students are encouraged to contact faculty members early in the application process to investigate mutual interests, projects, and prospects for financial support.

A natural resources baccalaureate degree is not required for admission to the department, although a sound background in the natural sciences is strongly recommended. Students lacking the requisite background will work with their supervisory committee to address deficiencies.

Research

Cooperation with other departments and research centers of the University, as well as with government collaborators, permits strong graduate programs in all aspects of forest, range, and wildlife-related sciences. Particular mention should be made of the USU Ecology Center, in which the Wildland Resources Department is very active; the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station, which has a full program in both applied and basic research; the Utah Cooperative Fisheries and Wildlife Research Unit; the Predator Ecology and Behavior Field Station; the Jack H. Berryman Institute; the Rocky Mountain Research Station; and the USDA Agricultural Research Service.

Financial Assistance

General aspects of financial support for graduate students at Utah State University are listed in the Graduate Financial Assistance  section in the School of Graduate Studies. This includes important information on the University-wide policies and terms of reference for research and teaching assistantships, graduate tuition obligations and benefits, Western Regional Graduate Programs, and competitive University-wide fellowships and scholarships. The S.J. and Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources also offers a limited number of Quinney Doctoral Fellowships for incoming doctoral students.

Graduate research assistantships may be available on a competitive basis to both MS and PhD students through major professors having contracts, grants, or other awards from the University, private sector, or government agencies. These assistantships vary in the amount of support offered, but they commonly offer a stipend to help cover living expenses and operating funds to carry out the research. Other benefits may include assistance with tuition and student health insurance, as well as opportunities to travel.

The department also has a few graduate teaching assistantships for students who help with teaching, grading, or recitation in large courses. These typically pay only a modest supplement on a semester basis, however, and are not sufficient to cover living expenses. Domestic PhD students on a research assistantship in some departmental degree programs are required to hold at least one teaching assistantship during their program, to obtain experience in classroom (mainly undergraduate) instruction. MS students may also hold teaching assistantships, contingent upon availability of funds. Acceptance to pursue graduate study does not guarantee the student financial assistance.

Master of Natural Resources

In addition to its Master of Science and doctoral programs, the department also participates in the Master of Natural Resources. This is a nonthesis master’s degree program designed for students and practicing professionals seeking advanced training in natural resource management, with an emphasis on collaboration and interdisciplinary teamwork.

Additional Information

For more information about graduate programs and departmental faculty and their research emphasis areas, as well as updated information describing current programs and courses offered by the Department of Wildland Resources, visit the Wildland Resources main office, Natural Resources 206, or visit: http://www.cnr.usu.edu/wild

Wildland Resources Faculty

Professors
F. E. “Fee” Busby, effects of livestock grazing
Christopher A. Call, vegetation manipulation/management
Michael R. Conover, Berryman Institute, animal behavior, wildlife damage management
Johan T. du Toit, ecology and conservation of large mammals in terrestrial ecosystems
Thomas C. Edwards, Jr., Utah Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, spatial ecology, habitat modeling, biostatistics
Michael R. Kuhns, forestry extension specialist, urban forestry, tree physiology
James N. Long, forest ecology, silviculture
Terry A. Messmer, fisheries and wildlife extension specialist, wild ungulate and waterfowl management, wetlands ecology, private land management, conservation communication
R. Douglas Ramsey, remote sensing, geographic information systems, landscape ecology, spatial analysis
Eugene W. Schupp, plant population ecology and restoration ecology
Helga Van Miegroet, forest soils and biogeochemistry

Professors Emeritus
John A. Bissonette, Utah Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, landscape ecology, terrestrial vertebrate ecology
Thadis W. Box, range management
Martyn M. Caldwell, plant physiological ecology
Raymond D. Dueser, conservation ecology
Frederick F. Knowlton, National Wildlife Research Center, predator ecology, behavior and management
John C. Malechek, rangeland management
Frederick D. Provenza, range animal production
Terry L. Sharik, academic administration and leadership, teaching and learning pedagogy, forest ecology
Frederic H. Wagner, wildlife ecology, natural resources policy
Neil E. West, rangeland desertification/condition/trend
Michael L. Wolfe, wildlife ecology and management
John P. Workman, range economics

Research Professor Emeritus
Leila McReynolds Shultz, plant taxonomy and geography

Associate Professors
Peter B. Adler, plant community ecology
Frederick A. Baker, forest pathology, computer applications
Roger E. Banner, range extension specialist
Karen H. Beard, community ecology, ecosystem ecology, conservation biology
Richard C. Etchberger, wildlife-habitat interactions, natural resource education
Eric M. Gese, National Wildlife Research Center, predator behavior and ecology
Michael J. Jenkins, disturbance ecology and management, insects, fire, snow avalanches
Michael M. King, wildlife management
Karen E. Mock, conservation genetics and applied molecular ecology
Ronald J. Ryel, plant physiological ecology
Juan J. Villalba, foraging behavior

Associate Professor Emeritus
Brien E. (Ben) Norton, grazing ecology, international range management

Assistant Professors
Frank P. Howe, avian ecology and management, riparian and shrubsteppe ecology, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources University Liaison
David N. Koons, animal population ecology
Daniel R. MacNulty, wildlife ecology
Kari E.Veblen, rangeland ecology
Julie K. Young, USDA National Wildlife Research Center, predator behavior and ecology

Research Assistant Professors
Lise M. Aubry, animal population ecology
Patricia C. Cramer, transportation ecology, wildlife connectivity, carnivore and ungulate movement

Extension Assistant Professors
Elizabeth A. Burritt, rangeland extension, livestock behavior
Shandra Nicole Frey, wildlife extension, resolution of human-wildlife conflict

Assistant Professor Emeritus
Barrie K. Gilbert, wildlife ethology, behavioral ecology

Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Academic Departments and Programs