Forestry, Fire, & Rangeland Management

Forests cover one-third of the land area in the United States and rangelands cover more than half of the earth’s land surface. Forestry, Rangeland Resource Science, and Applied Fire Science & Management degrees teach you to connect with and manage these lands, ensuring a sustainable future for the nation. At Humboldt, students get hands-on learning in some of the world’s most spectacular and important forests and rangelands, personal attention from faculty, and a clear path to a career outdoors.

Choose from Three Majors

In the Department of Forestry, Fire & Rangeland Management, you can choose to major in Forestry, Rangeland Resource Science, or Applied Fire Science & Management.

Forestry

Cal Poly Humboldt is surrounded by redwood forests. You’ll gain hands-on experience and the skills that employers are looking for. Our staff and faculty work closely with students to help them understand the biological complexities of the forest and the interactions between the forest and social and economic forces, all through a lens of sustainability. The Bachelor of Science in Forestry is accredited by the Society of American Foresters (SAF).

The Bachelor of Science in Forestry has a core set of courses, and you must choose one of six concentrations to emphasize in your studies:

Concentration in Forest Hydrology
Concentration in Forest Operations
Concentration in Forest Restoration
Concentration in Forest Soils
Concentration in Tribal Forestry
Concentration in Wildland Fire Management

Why Forestry?

Rangeland Resource Science

Open expanses of grasslands—private ranches, as well as federal and state land—are just minutes from Cal Poly Humboldt. You’ll learn from these lands through fieldwork, hands-on experiences, and faculty connections, gaining an understanding of how important they are as wildlife habitat and to human society. Those experiences turn into careers—government and private employers are always looking for rangeland and soil scientists, and opportunities are growing.

There are two paths to getting a Bachelor of Science in Rangeland Resource Science, and the program has one concentration in addition to the core set of range courses:

Major in Rangeland Resource Science
Major in Rangeland Resource Science with a concentration in Wildland Soils

Why Rangeland Resource Science?

Applied Fire Science & Management

Wildfires are becoming larger and burning hotter and more frequently. The Applied Fire Science & Management B.S. program is meeting that challenge head on. Students explore fire science and management from multiple disciplines and perspectives that include Traditional Ecological Knowledge (or Native wisdom). Learning best modern practices for our changing climate and growing world provides students with a strong background in the science, management, and policy of fire.

Why Applied Fire Science
& Management?

Featured Alumni Profile

Kristy DeYoung, 2018

Forester, USDA Forest Service

I am a Forester with the USDA Forest Service working on the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests—a 4-million-acre forest in north central Idaho. Part of why I love my job is the diversity in my job duties.

Kristy's Profile »

Other Alumni Profiles »

Career Options

Forestry and rangeland scientists are in high demand. Our graduates have gone onto careers in private and public sectors, and tribal and nonprofit conservation agencies. They hold leadership positions at land management agencies and teach at major universities.