Forest Ecosystems, Minor

Program Description

The Forest Ecosystems minor introduces students to the functions and values of forested ecosystems. After a prescribed foundation in tree and shrub identification and forest ecology, students may choose from a variety of related subjects including climate change, invasive species, tree physiology, agroforestry, fire ecology, forest soils, forest ecosystem management, forest measurements, community forestry, and global forest conservation.

What are Forest Ecosystems?

Forest ecosystems are central to the health of our planet. They exist on every continent except Antarctica, support essential processes on Earth to make life possible, contribute strongly to the stability of our climate, provide habitat for innumerable plant and animal species, offer recreational and spiritual values for humanity, and supply goods and services that benefit humans. Studying forest ecosystems facilitates your understanding of how forest ecosystems work, how ecological processes affect forest functions, how these functions are linked to the provision of ecosystem goods and services, and how forests—a renewable resource with one of the lowest carbon footprints—can be managed to ensure these functions are sustained.

You Might Like This Program If...

• You are passionate about the health of the planet, its forests, other natural resources, and humanity’s future.
• You enjoy nature and want to develop skills to identify trees and shrubs in the field.
• You are curious to know how forests work.
• You are concerned about sustaining forests and the values they provide.

Program Requirements

Requirements for the Minor

A grade of C or better is required for all courses in the minor, as specified by Senate Policy 59-10.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Prescribed Courses
Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better
FOR 203	Field Dendrology	3
FOR 308	Forest Ecology	3
Additional Courses
Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better
Select a minimum of 12 credits of the following FOR courses: 1		12-14
FOR 200	The Profession of Forestry
FOR 201	Global Change and Ecosystems
FOR 204	Dendrology
FOR 255	GPS and GIS Applications for Natural Resources Professionals
FOR 266	Forest Resources Measurements
FOR 303	Herbaceous Forest Plant Identification and Ecology
FOR 320	Forest Fire Management
FOR 350	Forest Ecosystem Monitoring and Data Analysis
FOR 401	Urban Forest Management
FOR 403	Invasive Forest Plants: Identification, Ecology, and Management
FOR 409	Tree Physiology
FOR 410	Elements of Forest Ecosystem Management
FOR 418	Agroforestry: Science, Design, and Practice
FOR 421	Silviculture: Applied Forest Ecology
FOR/WFS 430	Conservation Biology
FOR 439	Timber Sale Administration
FOR 440	Forest and Conservation Economics
FOR 450W	Human Dimensions of Natural Resources
FOR 455	Remote Sensing and Spatial Data Handling
FOR 466W	Forest Management and Planning
FOR 470	Watershed Management
FOR 471	Watershed Management Laboratory
FOR 475	Principles of Forest Soils Management
FOR 480	Policy and Administration
FOR 488Y	Global Forest Conservation

Academic Advising

The objectives of the university’s academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.

Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee’s unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.

READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY

University Park

Ellen A. Rom
Coordinator of Undergraduate Programs and Alumni Relations
114 Forest Resources Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-863-0362
exr2@psu.edu

Career Paths

Our department’s career development and employment opportunities websites offer a variety of resources to assist you in exploring professional pursuits related to natural resources and environmental science.

Careers

The Forest Ecosystems minor may complement other academic programs that can help prepare you for a career related to natural resources and environmental sciences. The Forest Ecosystems minor does not qualify you for forester positions.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CAREER DEVELOPMENT

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Opportunities for Graduate Studies

The Forest Ecosystems minor can help prepare students for graduate-level study in forest and environmental sciences.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRADUATE STUDIES

Contact

University Park

DEPARTMENT OF ECOSYSTEM SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT
117 Forest Resources Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-7521

http://ecosystems.psu.edu/