Tomorrow needs stewards of the environment. If you want to make a difference but aren't sure where to start, general forestry is a pathway to any of the natural resources degree programs we offer at Michigan Tech.
Take Time to Find the Right Trail
The world needs professionals with a passion to create a more sustainable future. Do you have a love for nature? An interest in sustainability? If you want to make a difference in the the world through environmental conservation, data science, or policy, general forestry is the right place to find your best-fit degree program.
At Michigan Tech, we know establishing your roots takes time. Our general forestry option allows you to test the waters and find the major you want to commit to. Spend a semester or two exploring natural resources options in the College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science (CFRES) without losing time or money pursuing a degree that isn't ideal for you.
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In your first semester, you will take FW 1020 Exploring CFRES Opportunities—a course designed to help you navigate the College and determine which major works best for your interests and the job market. Meet professionals in the natural resources field and engage in activities that will help you determine your degree and career goals. Learn about resources available to help you succeed.
At Tech, you'll also benefit from one-on-one guidance, working with your advisor to choose classes that open a world of opportunities and hone in on your interests while assuring you stay on track to meet degree requirements. The best part? Like all Huskies in our College, you get to spend your first semester outdoors. Once you decide, you will be able to transition seamlessly into the natural resource degree program that you choose.
What Will I Study?
Start your first semester with two field labs in Vegetation of North America and Field Techniques to gain a feel for our management degrees and future careers. If a career spent outdoors is not the right fit for you, you can sample classes in sustainability science, bioproducts, mapping technology, climate change, data science, or policy exploring topics with a common goal: making a positive impact on the environment.
From looking more closely at the soil under your boots, to investigating how erosion and compaction affect plant and animal life, to stream management for clean water, to flying drones to gather canopy data that detects invasive species, you'll explore programs that help you find your direction. Study landscape ecology and planning, forest management, policies surrounding endangered wildlife, how humans interact with forests, and more, all while developing professional skills in the natural resources field—like leadership, teamwork, and communication.
What is Forestry?
Forestry is silviculture, combined with sustainability, backed by science.
Forestry is determining the characteristics of forested ecosystems and their connections, and discovering the value trees hold to landowners, recreational users, and timber companies. Manage the land based on the needs of those directly impacted, as well as those who will be affected in hundreds of years. Assess the soils, water, and herbaceous understory beneath the trees. Study sugar maple dieback on the northern range, warming experiments in tropical forests, the future of Michigan biofuels (and bioenergy development across the Americas), intensive industrial plantation systems, and family forest conservation. Why choose a forestry major? It's about managing forested ecosystems for tomorrow.