Natural Resources Conservation Minor

Conserving Earth’s biological diversity and safeguarding the benefits or “ecosystem services” that functioning ecosystems provide to humans are two major objectives of natural resources conservation. In this minor, students learn about the ecology of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and how these systems can be managed to conserve biodiversity and protect ecosystem functions while providing sustainable benefits to society. The minor is designed to introduce students from a variety of other disciplines related to global conservation issues, and to provide them with the knowledge and tools essential for wise stewardship of natural resources. This minor may aid students in developing their own personal commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability, making career choices, and broadening their options for graduate school and future employment. 

A minimum of 15 credits of “NRC” courses is required for the NRC minor.

I. Only one course from this list may be counted toward the minor (note that a 100-level course is optional):

NRC 100 Environment and Society (4 cr-fall, Gen Ed “SI”)

NRC 126 Insects and Society (4 cr-spring, Gen Ed “BS”)

NRC 185 Sustainable Living: Solutions for the 21st Century (4 cr-fall RAP, Gen Ed “I”)

II. Two courses from this list must be taken:

NRC 225 Forest Ecology and Conservation (3cr-spring)

NRC 232 Principles of Arboriculture (3cr-fall)

NRC 260 Fish Conservation & Mgt (3cr-fall)

NRC 261 Wildlife Conservation (3cr-spring)

III. Take at least two courses from any the following lists:

Forest Conservation & Urban Forestry

NRC 275 Trees and Sustainability (3cr-fall)

NRC 305 Commercial Arboriculture (3cr-fall) ¹

NRC 310 Community Forestry (3cr-spring) ¹*

NRC 526 Silviculture (4cr-spring odd yrs) *

NRC 534 Forest Measurements (4cr-fall odd yrs) ²*

NRC 540 Forest Resources Management (4cr-spring)*

NRC 541 Urban Forest Management (3cr-fall)

Wildlife & Fisheries Ecology & Conservation

NRC 360 Evolution and Conservation (3cr-spring)^2,4

NRC 563 Wetlands, Wildlife Ecology and Management (3cr-spring odd years)

NRC 564 Wildlife Habitat Management (4cr-fall) ³*

NRC 565 Wildlife Population Dynamics & Management (4cr-fall) ²*

NRC 567 Vertebrate Ecology (4cr-spring)*³

NRC 570 Fish Ecology (4cr-fall odd yrs)*

NRC 571 Fisheries Science & Management (4cr-spring even years) - pre-requisite: NRC 214 and NRC 260

NRC 573 Behavioral Ecology and Conservation (3cr-fall) *

NRC 584 Ecophysiology (3cr- fall odd years)⁴

Water Resources

NRC 560 Aquatic Ecology (3cr-fall even yrs)*

NRC 576 Water Resources Management (3cr-fall even yrs)

NRC 578 Watershed Science and Management (3cr-spring)

NRC 581 Wetlands Assessment and Field Techniques (3cr-spring even yrs)

Environmental Resources and Human Dimensions

NRC 309 Natural Resources Policy & Administration (3cr-spring) *

NRC 487 Field Logistics & Expeditionary Science (3cr-spring)

NRC 492A - Verbal Communications (3cr-fall)

NRC 494GI Global Change Ecology (3cr-fall odd yrs) *

NRC 525 Governing the Commons (3cr-spring)

NRC 537 Invasion Ecology (3cr-fall even yrs)

NRC 554 Sustainable Food Systems (3cr-spring)

NRC 562 Clean Energy and Climate Policy in Massachusetts (3cr-spring) *

NRC 566 Restoration Ecology (3cr-spring)*

NRC 568 Wetland Soils (2cr-spring odd yrs)*

NRC 574 Land Protection Tools & Techniques (3cr-spring)

NRC 575 Case Studies in Conservation (3cr-spring)

NRC 577 Ecosystem Modeling & Simulation (3cr-fall odd yrs) *

NRC 582 Landscape Ecology & Conservation (3cr-fall)

NRC 585 Introduction to GIS (4cr-fall & spring) *

NRC 587 Digital Remote Sensing (3cr-spring even yrs) *

NRC 588 WebGIS (3cr-spring odd yrs)⁵

NRC 590D Marine Conservation and Policy (4cr-fall) *

NRC 590M Marine Ecology (4cr-fall) *

For minor advising, questions, and/or to declare the minor during the semester in which you complete your minor requirements contact either the NRC Director, Lena Fletcher ([email protected]) to make it official in SPIRE.

Course prerequisites:

¹ NRC 232
² Statistics or math of some kind
³ NRC 261 Wildlife Conservation
⁴ Biology 151 and 152 or Biology 110 and STOCKSCH 108
⁵ NRC 585 or equivalent

^* Starred courses may have additional restrictions. Contact the instructor to inquire. Permission is not guaranteed. 

Note: Not all courses are offered consistently, check spire for course availability. 

Note: Up to two courses from outside of UMass that are NRC-like courses can be considered toward the minor. These can be transfer courses or from study abroad. Contact Lena Fletcher with questions.