Program History
The Department of Natural Resource Sciences has its first roots in the fields of forestry and range management, and from those early days over a century ago has now evolved into a large interdisciplinary program in the natural resource and ecological sciences.
Forestry courses have been offered at WSU since its beginning in 1892. The Department of Forestry and Range Management was established in 1923.
The Wildland Recreation program was established in 1974. Wildlife biology began as a recognized discipline at WSU during the 1930's in the Department of Zoology until 1985 when it officially became the Program in Wildlife Biology.
In 1985 the Department of Forestry and Range Management and the Program in Wildlife Biology were authorized to jointly offer a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife and Wildland Recreation Management. The Department of Natural Resource Sciences was formed in 1988 with the merger of the Department of Forestry and Range Management and the Program in Wildlife Biology.
Our Future
Our Department is filled with a rich history and tradition in natural resources and represents a constantly evolving effort to address contemporary needs in the ecological and natural resource sciences.
Today, and in the future, we are concerned about the conservation of biological diversity, preservation and management of threatened and endangered species, and the long-term and sustainable management of ecosystems and natural resources.
From the Chair
Please read a welcome message from our Department Chair, Dr. Keith A. Blatner.
Heading using the h3tag
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.