Forestry Studies

Human stewardship of forest resources is increasingly important. Forestry science today focuses on forest management for human use, ecosystem and wildlife protection, aesthetics and recreation.

 

The college offers a minor in forestry and a forestry  emphasis within the biology major. Both programs are undertaken in cooperation with the State University of New York – College of Environmental Science and Forestry, using the Forest Technology program at the Ranger School based at Wanakena in the Adirondack Park.

 

Houghton’s program integrates forestry within the context of the liberal arts, giving both biology and non-science majors the opportunity to earn a forestry minor or a forestry emphasis within the biology major. After meeting the prerequisites, students have four options:

 

 

Prerequisites:

General Biology I and II—8 hours

Writing courses—6 hours

Trigonometry or Pre-Calculus—3 hours

Economics—3 hours

Electives—10 hours

 

Option A, for a Biology major to earn a forestry minor:

A fall semester would be taken at the Ranger School based at Wanakena in the Adirondack Park, which would include the following courses:

Forest Ecology—4 hours (counts for major)

Dendrology—3 hours*

Introduction to Forest Measurement and Statistics—4 hours*

Spatial Analysis of Forest Resources—5 hours*

* = Counts for minor: total of 12 hours

Additional courses taken but not transferred back:

Introduction to Surveying—4 hours

Leadership and Forest Technology—4 hours

 

Option B, for a Biology major to earn a forestry emphasis:

A fall and spring semester would be taken at the Ranger School based at Wanakena in the Adirondack Park, which would include the following courses:

Forest Ecology (fall) —4 hours**

Dendrology (fall) —3 hours**

Silvaculture (spring) —5 hours**

** = counts for major

 

These students will will earn an A.A.S. degree in Forest Technology from the SUNY-ESF Ranger School, but will need a minor other than forestry for their bachelor's degree. They will take both the courses listed in Option A above and these courses:

Silvaculture—5 hours

Forest Inventory Practicum—2 hours

Timber Harvesting, Transportation, and Utilization—5 hours

Forest Protection—5 hours

Intro to Wildlife and Recreation Management—4 hours

Forest Management—3 hours

 

Option C, for non-biology majors to earn a forestry minor:

Follow the program as outlined in Option A and earn a forestry minor. (Note: student must still meet the necessary prerequisites.)

 

Option D, for non-biology majors to earn both a biology minor and a forestry minor:

Follow the program as outlined in Option B. (Note: student must still meet the necessary prerequisites.) Here, students would earn:

1. Biology Minor

2. Forestry Minor

3. A.A.S. degree from SUNY-ESF Ranger School