Earn your degree in forestry!
Forestry
The Department of Forestry houses the Forestry and Conservation Management programs. Areas of study focus on the management of forest and rangeland ecosystems, the natural resources and biodiversity they contain, and the ecosystem services they provide.
Programs emphasize the sustainable adaptive management of forests and rangeland through the application of ecological principles and knowledge, in conjunction with an understanding of economics, human dimensions, and law and policy.
The Department of Forestry offers instructional programs leading to a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Forestry, a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Conservation Management, and minors in Wildland Fire and Wildlife Management.
The NMHU Forestry program is accredited by the Society of American Foresters and is the only accredited Forestry program in the State of New Mexico.
Applications:
Applications are accepted year-round and may be reviewed on a rolling basis at the discretion of program faculty. However, for priority admissions and assistantships, it is recommended applicants submit their applications by the first Friday in September for spring admission or the first Friday in February for fall admission. Applications may not be considered after these dates.
Society of American Foresters Accreditation:
The B.S. Forestry program at New Mexico Highlands University is accredited by the Society of American Foresters.
Conservation Management
Conservation Management provides students with skills to integrate the diverse array of social, political, legal, institutional, cultural, economic, ecological, and biophysical considerations inherent in attaining environmental and resource management goals. This degree prepares students for a variety of careers in research, industry, education, government, or public service.
Students must complete a total of 43 to 46 hours in anthropology, biology, chemistry, forestry, and geology. The University requires at least 45 credit hours in upper (300-400 level) courses. The B.A. in Conservation Management requires a minor.
Forestry is the application of scientific principles to the sustainable management of forest resources, including a wide range of ecosystem services (e.g., non-timber forest products, wildlife, medicinal herbs, and craft materials), fresh water, and biodiversity. The primary goal of the forestry program is to train technically competent forest and natural resources managers who understand the ecological notions that underpin human use of forest resources.
Graduates of the Forestry Program meet all federal requirements for employment as a professional forester. Students receive training in the various techniques used to determine resource quantities and qualities, economic values, and social constraints in the management of natural resources. Students who major in forestry are not required to take a minor. A summer field course is required of all students prior to their graduation. Students who wish to pursue graduate degrees should talk to an adviser about recommended coursework.
The B.S. in Forestry offers two concentrations of study – Forestry Management and Wildland Fire. The Forestry Management concentration focuses on the management of timber as well as a wide range of ecosystem services produced by private and public lands. The Wildland Fire program, one of the few in the country, offers state-of-the-art instruction in the use and management of fire on the broad landscapes of the west.
In this era of rapid environmental change, these forestry fields are in increasing demand. After graduation, New Mexico Highlands University forestry students are prepared to meet that demand and embark on exciting and rewarding careers. The NMHU Forestry Program is accredited by the Society of American Foresters.
Conservation Management provides students with skills to integrate the diverse array of social, political, legal, institutional, cultural, economic, ecological, and biophysical considerations inherent in attaining environmental and resource management goals. This degree prepares students for a variety of careers in research, industry, education, government, or public service.
Students must complete a total of 43 to 46 hours in anthropology, biology, chemistry, forestry, and geology. The University requires at least 45 credit hours in upper (300-400 level) courses. The B.A. in Conservation Management requires a minor.
Forestry course requirements for graduation
The Department of Forestry offers an MS Natural Science degree with a concentration in Environmental Science & Management. This program is designed around a core set of foundational courses after which students develop individualized programs of study (course work plus independent research) that incorporate each student’s distinctive background, educational goals, and career objectives. Students gain experience in the design, execution, and reporting of scientific research by completing a master’s thesis (thesis option) or an independent study/research project (non-thesis option).
The M.S. in Natural Science provides a unique opportunity for students to broaden their educational experience to include courses from fields they are less likely to encounter at traditional graduate programs as they prepare for employment in industry, government, or education or entry into doctoral programs.
B.S. Forestry Graduate Placement Rates
Academic Year Placement* (%)
2019-2020 **
2018-2019 **
2017-2018: 100
USDA Forest Service, New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute
2016-2017: 100
USDA Forest Service
2015-2016: 67
USDI Bureau of Indian Affairs, New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute
2014-2015: 80
USDA Forest Service
2013-2014: 86
USDA Forest Service, USDI Bureau of Land Management, USDI Bureau of Indian Affairs, Graduate School
2012-2013: 100
USDA Forest Service, Graduate School
2011-2012: 86
USDA Forest Service, Graduate School
2010-2011: 67
USDA Forest Service, New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute
2009-2010: 100
USDA Forest Service, NM EMNRD Forestry Division, USDI Bureau of Land Management
2008-2009: 100
USDA Forest Service, Graduate School
2007-2008: 83
USDA Forest Service, NM EMNRD Forestry Division, NM State Parks, USDI National Park Service
2006-2007: 100
USDA Forest Service
* Placement in jobs in their field of study or graduate school based on recent graduate survey responses
** Data under collection
Department News
September 20, 2022
For information:
Staci Matlock, NMFWRI Communications Coordinator
505-470-9843
stacimatlock@nmhu.edu
More than 150 students from five Northern New Mexico high schools learned about archery, water quality and forest fires from natural resource professionals last week during a STEM Showdown at Storrie Lake.
Instructors used hands-on projects to engage students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) concepts. The workshops were coordinated by Shantini Ramakrishnan, NMFWRI’s conservation and restoration education program manager. Partners included the National Wildlife Refuge Complex, NMHU Forestry Department, FORT-CREST, State Forestry, Azure Consulting and other Institute staff.
Scoring archery helped students learn math and shooting arrows at targets was a fun way to learn focus. Tree rings on trunk samples taught students about historic forest fires and drought. Pouring water through soil samples covered with straw versus bare, showed how ground cover helps slow down and soak up precipitation instead of letting it run off. Measuring the cloudiness and temperature of water samples helped students understand the impacts post-fire runoff can have on water quality. Building mini-forests out of tiny umbrellas, and burning them, was an engaging way for students to learn how tree density impacts wildfire behavior.
Students also met with natural resource professionals from State Forestry, New Mexico Acequia Association, USDA, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish and other agencies to discuss careers.
Students from Mora, West Las Vegas, Robertson, Española Walley and Mesa Vista high schools participated in the STEM Showdown, Sept. 12-15. Students from area middle schools will participate in the STEM Showdown next week.
NMFWRI is housed at New Mexico Highlands University. Find out more about our programs at nmfwri.org.
The New Mexico Highlands undergraduate catalog outlines your options and the steps you need to take to complete degree requirements for your chosen major. To ensure the seamless completion of your degree, consult often with your academic adviser and utilize Highlands’ Degree Audit tool to keep track of your academic progress.
The New Mexico Highlands undergraduate catalog outlines your options and the steps you need to take to complete degree requirements for your chosen major. To ensure the seamless completion of your degree, consult often with your academic adviser and utilize Highlands’ Degree Audit tool to keep track of your academic progress.
Graduate students are assigned to a faculty adviser within their area of study. The faculty adviser will help the student complete a program of study to satisfy the specific course requirements within their area, outlined in the Graduate Catalog. The courses listed must satisfy the course requirements prescribed in the catalog of record. The academic adviser will provide guidance in completing your program of study.
Department of Forestry
Department of Forestry
-
Blanca Cespedes, Ph.D.
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AND CHAIR
DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY -
Joshua L. Sloan, Ph.D.
Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs: Forestry and the Reforestation Center;
SILVICULTURE AND FOREST MANAGEMENT -
Alan Barton, Ph.D., J.D.
Law and Policy, Human Dimensions; New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute
-
James R. Biggs, Ph.D.
DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY
WILDLIFE AND FIRE ECOLOGY -
Tomasz B. Falkowski, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Forestry
Socioecological Restoration -
Julie Tsatsaros, Ph.D.
DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT GRADUATE PROGRAM COORDINATOR
AQUATIC ECOLOGY AND WATER SCIENCE -
Aalap Dixit, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Forestry
Forest Science and Management -
Kathryn Baker, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor;
Ecohydrology -
Michael Remke, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor;
Plant Ecology and Soil-Plant Interactions -
Ram Adhikari
Assistant Professor;
Spatial Analysis, Geographic Information Systems, and Natural Resource Economics -
Christina Muniz
Administrative Assistant