At ABAC, the Forestry Program is preparing the next generation of forest resource managers. Engaged learning activities are the foundation of a rigorous curriculum that meshes extensive field training with conceptual knowledge relating to decision making, finance, and management. At ABAC, the forest is our classroom!
The Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Management (Forestry track) is accredited by the Society of American Foresters (SAF). SAF is the national organization responsible for accreditation of postsecondary degree-awarding programs in forestry in the U.S.
SAF Mission
The mission of the Society of American Foresters is to advance sustainable management of forest resources through science, education, and technology; to enhance the competency of its members; to establish professional excellence; and to use our knowledge, skills, and conservation ethic to ensure the continued health, integrity, and use of forests to benefit society in perpetuity.
ABAC Forestry Program Mission
The mission of the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Forestry Program is to educate and prepare students to excel in a diversity of careers in forest resources while promoting the personal and professional development of our students through engaged learning activities. We offer the interdisciplinary knowledge, training, and critical thinking skills graduates need to analyze and understand forest management across multiple scales and perspectives and effectively conserve forest and other natural resources in a professional and ethical manner.
Program Goals
Goal 1:
Maintain a forestry degree program recognized by employers as being of the highest quality.
Objective 1a – Students graduating from the program will be targeted and recruited by employers within the profession.
Objective 1b – Students graduated from the program will be recognized by employers within the profession as knowledgeable, ethically principled, and prepared for work.
Goal 2:
Maximize student engagement activities in and out of the classroom through mentored research, internships, and study abroad programs.
Objective 2 – Students will participate in engagement activities related to the degree program that extend beyond the classroom.
Goal 3:
Sustain acceptable levels of annual enrollment and degree completions and contribute to the college’s growth in total enrollment and degrees conferred.
Objective 3a – Program faculty will actively work to recruit new students to the program.
Objective 3b – Program faculty will actively work to retain current students in the program by engaging and supporting them within their coursework and outside engagement activities.
Student Learning Outcomes:
- Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the ecologic and economic principles of forest resource management.
- Demonstrate the essential skills and knowledge of forest measurements, spatial orientation, data analysis, and computational expertise for characterizing the forest resource.
- Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of financial and business applications and management skills related to the forest industry.
- Demonstrate well-developed oral and written communication skills enabling them to effectively disseminate information within their profession and to the general public.
- Demonstrate an understanding of human dimensions as it relates to forest resource management, including the diverse needs and perspectives of various stakeholders.
- Demonstrate the ability to collect, synthesize, and analyze data to develop sound forest management plans that address a stakeholder’s objectives.
Since the inception of the NRM-Forestry degree, 100% of graduates that have sought employment in the forest industry have found jobs.
Employment Statistics for Forestry Graduates
