Learn the ecology, stewardship, and management of forest, woodland, and grassland ecosystems.
The Bachelor of Science program in Ecosystem Management and Forestry in the Rausser College of Natural Resources focuses on the conservation and restoration of the earth's natural resources through hands-on study of the ecology, stewardship, and management of forest, woodland, and grassland ecosystems. Offered by the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, the EMF major offers two specializations to choose from: Forestry and Natural Resource Management.
Students in both concentrations have ample opportunity to develop interdisciplinary skills, and can choose to emphasize topics such as wildlife biology, water policy, fire science, ecosystem restoration, environmental justice, remote sensing and GIS, and rural sociology. A minor in Forestry and Natural Resources is also available for students who are interested in learning about forestry and renewable resource management as an adjunct to their chosen fields.
Highlights
- Learn how to be a Rausser scientist in NATRES 76.
- Participate in the Forestry Field Camp in the Sierra Nevada.
- Qualify to take the Registered Professional Forester's licensing exam in California.
Curriculum
Lower division requirements include courses in chemistry, environmental sciences, physical science, biology, calculus, statistics, GIS and economics. All students are required to complete three core upper division courses in ecology, resource management, and a capstone course. Students select between two specializations: Forestry or Natural Resource Management (upper division electives vary for each specialization). Participation in the summer Forestry Field Camp is required of all students specializing in Forestry. Students in the Natural Resource Management concentration have the option, but are not required, to complete a field program and can choose the Forestry Field Camp, the fall semester course Biology and Geomorphology of Tropical Islands, or a term with the UC Nature California Ecology and Conservation program.
Learn more at nature.berkeley.edu/advising/majors/ecosystem-management-and-forestry
About ESPM
The Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management is a multidisciplinary program that recognizes the urgency of the challenges facing our environment, and the enormous opportunities that may lead to transformative change. We have award-winning faculty in climate science, biodiversity, environmental policy, land use, and community outreach—all driven by a collective interest in our environmental future.
Declaring the Major
First-year and transfer students accepted to UC Berkeley and who selected Ecosystem Management and Forestry on their undergraduate admissions application will be admitted directly to the Rausser College of Natural Resources and the EMF major (no declaration required).
If you are currently a Rausser student and wish to declare a new major within the college, you must meet with the advisor for your intended major after completing the requirements to declare. If you are a UC Berkeley student in another college, you must meet the requirements to change into Rausser and declare a new major.
Ecosystem Management and Forestry provides analytical tools needed for graduate school or virtually any type of career in natural resources including environmental consulting, public agencies, non-profit conservation organizations, private companies, professional forestry, wildlife biology, and range management. The program itself has a longstanding history, so our graduates often find themselves sought after for employment by alumni established in both the public and private sectors.
UC Berkeley offers a number of career resources for students studying Ecosystem Management and Forestry. Rausser College partners with Berkeley Career Engagement to help students access resources, events, and professional opportunities related to their studies. Additionally, Berkeley Career Engagement provides career counseling, professional and graduate school advising, job and internship listings, and events such as career and graduate school fairs.
Employment
Alumni find employment in a variety of fields and industries after graduation. Examples include:
- Assistant Silviculturist
- Carbon Analyst
- Conservation Planner
- Environmental Planner
- Field Technician
- Fire Science Modeler
- Forest Advisor
- Forestry Aide
- Forestry Technician
- Geographic Information System Specialist
- Lab Manager
- Research Associate
- Research Technician
- Travel Guide
- Vegetation Ecologist
- Wildland Firefighter
Graduate Study
Alumni pursue graduate education to gain more depth of knowledge in their field as well as prepare for jobs that require advanced degrees. Examples include:
- Botany and Plant Physiology
- Ecology
- Forestry
- Natural Resource Management
- Plant Biology
- Wildlife Ecology
Vishal, class of 2024
Vishal Subramanyan completed an honors thesis on urbanization and temporal behavior of mountain lions in the Bay Area. After graduating UC Berkeley, Vishal was named a National Geographic Young Explorer and Osher Fellow at the California Academy of Sciences.
“[C]onnecting with all the amazing wildlife researchers at Berkeley….helped me realize that I would like to pursue a career in environmental and wildlife storytelling, where I can take all this research and conservation that’s being done by academics or nonprofits and turn it into a presentable visual format that the public can understand and engage with.”
First Year
Plan Your Studies
- Familiarize yourself with the EMF major; check out the Major Snapshot and Sample Degree Plans.
- Meet with your college advisor to discuss your academic plans.
- Begin lower division environmental science, social science, economics, and GIS; enroll in NATRES 76 How to Be a Rausser CNR Scientist.
- Join Berkeley Connect for 1:1 mentoring and to meet peers with shared interests.
- Discover new interests in a Freshman Seminar, Berkeley Changemaker, or DeCal course.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Explore the Rausser Student Resource Center and Virtual Bulletin Board.
- Join a Rausser student group like the Cal Forestry Club.
- Visit Berkeley Discovery to get started with research, entrepreneurship, public service, and creative projects.
- Find support from the Student Learning Center and Biology Scholars Program.
- Learn how to prepare for office hours and build relationships with faculty.
- Live and learn in the Global Environment Theme House.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Visit UHS Career Counseling and Berkeley Career Engagement.
- Start exploring career paths for the major; check out the EMF Career Snapshot.
- Begin making a plan to get career ready.
- Create or update your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- Start using Handshake to connect with career events and opportunities.
- Look into UC LEADS and the Goldwater Scholarship.
Second Year
Plan Your Studies
- Continue with lower division biology, calculus, physical science, statistics, and chemistry.
- Continue exploring with a Sophomore Seminar or Big Ideas course.
- Look into study abroad and learning a foreign language; see options in Environmental Sciences abroad.
- Enrich your studies with a certificate or minor such as CalTeach or Public Policy.
- Decide on your major specialization.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Attend events hosted by Rausser, ESPM, and Berkeley Forests.
- Develop your skills in the Berkeley Student Leadership Academy.
- Explore research opportunities from Rausser and OURS; apply to SPUR or URAP to work on a faculty project.
- Browse programs from the Student Environmental Resource Center.
- Connect with student resources from the Berkeley Climate Change Network.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Meet with a BCE career educator to discuss career options and goals.
- Build your network and explore career fields via job shadowing and informational interviews.
- Pursue an internship to build skills and explore fields; apply for the Rausser Summer Internship Grant.
- Browse graduate school resources from the Graduate Division and BCE.
Third Year
Plan Your Studies
- Complete any outstanding lower division requirements; begin taking upper division coursework for your specialization (including ESPM 137/C153 and ESPM 102C).
- Review your degree progress with your college advisor.
- Spend a term off-campus with UCDC or a field program at Gump Station or UC Nature reserve.
- Consider applying to the Rausser College Honors Program; look into Haas Scholars.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Welcome new students to Berkeley as a Golden Bear Orientation Leader.
- Help other students as a Rausser Peer Advisor.
- Check out the Public Service Internship, College Corps, and Haas Public Service Leaders Program.
- Address real-world problems in the Fung Fellowship or Big Ideas Contest.
- Get involved with the Lawrence Hall of Science or Berkeley Natural History Museums.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Speak with faculty, advisors, and career educators about post-graduate options.
- Join a professional association such as the Society of American Foresters.
- Interested in public service careers? Look into the John Gardner Fellowship, Huntington Award, and Truman Scholarship.
- Connect with alumni groups like Cal Alumni Foresters and Rausser Alumni.
Fourth Year
Plan Your Studies
- Finish upper division coursework for your major specialization; enroll in ESPM 183 in spring.
- Apply for the Rausser College Honors Program and enroll in H196 units if doing the honors program; join a thesis writing workshop at the Student Learning Center.
- Complete any remaining degree requirements and prepare for graduation.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Interested in teaching? Give it a try by facilitating your own DeCal course.
- Submit a course research project for the Library Prize, American Cultures Student Prize, or other awards.
- Present at a Rausser Research Showcase or outside conference with the Conference Travel Grant.
- Get published! Submit your work to Perennial: The Undergraduate Environmental Journal of Berkeley.
- Pursue a special project after graduation with the Stronach Prize.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Check in with a BCE career educator.
- Apply to graduate school or post-graduate programs; consider the Hertz Fellowship or NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program.
- Meet employers at info sessions, on-campus recruiting, and career fairs like the Nonprofit, Environment and Public Service Career Fair.
- Utilize job search tools from BCE and apply for job opportunities.
- Learn about alumni career services.
Summer
- Make progress on degree requirements with a Summer Sessions course like lower division calculus, chemistry, and social science.
- Gain field skills through the Forestry Field Camp or California Ecology and Conservation.
- Go abroad through UCEAP or Berkeley Study Abroad.
- Conduct research with support from SPUR or UC Nature.
- Pursue a summer minor or certificate such as Data Science, Journalism, or Sustainable Business and Policy.
- Consider a summer internship with Cal in the Capital, Cal in Sacramento, or Berkeley Global Internships.
- Apply to the GiGS program to learn about graduate school.
First Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Get your bearings with L&S 198 Transitioning to Cal.
- Familiarize yourself with the EMF major; check out the Major Snapshot and Sample Degree Plans.
- Meet with your college advisor to discuss your academic plans and intended major specialization.
- Begin requirements for your major specialization (including ESPM 137/C153 and STAT 20).
- Join Berkeley Connect for 1:1 mentoring and to meet peers with shared interests.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Explore the Rausser Student Resource Center and Virtual Bulletin Board.
- Join a Rausser student group like the Cal Forestry Club.
- Visit Berkeley Discovery to get started with research, entrepreneurship, public service, and creative projects.
- Find support from the Student Learning Center and Biology Scholars Program.
- Learn how to prepare for office hours and build relationships with faculty.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Visit UHS Career Counseling and Berkeley Career Engagement.
- Start exploring career paths for the major; check out the EMF Career Snapshot.
- Create or update your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- Use Handshake to start connecting with career events and opportunities.
- Meet with a BCE career educator to discuss career options and goals.
- Look into UC LEADS and the Goldwater Scholarship.
Second Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Focus on upper division coursework (including ESPM 102C and major electives).
- Look into study abroad and learning a foreign language; see options in Environmental Sciences abroad.
- Enrich your studies with a certificate or minor such as CalTeach or Public Policy.
- Consider applying to the Rausser College Honors Program; look into Haas Scholars.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Attend events hosted by Rausser, ESPM, and Berkeley Forests.
- Check out the Public Service Internship, College Corps, and Haas Public Service Leaders Program.
- Explore research opportunities from Rausser and OURS; apply to SPUR or URAP to work on a faculty project.
- Browse programs from the Student Environmental Resource Center.
- Connect with student resources from the Berkeley Climate Change Network.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Build your network and explore career fields via job shadowing and informational interviews.
- Pursue an internship to build skills and explore fields; apply for the Rausser Summer Internship Grant.
- Browse graduate school resources from the Graduate Division and BCE.
- Speak with faculty, advisors, and career educators about post-graduate options.
Third Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Continue with upper division coursework for your specialization including major electives.
- Review your degree progress with your college advisor.
- Spend a term off-campus with UCDC or a field program at Gump Station or UC Nature reserve.
- Apply for the Rausser College Honors Program; enroll in H196 units if doing the honors program.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Welcome new students to Berkeley as a Golden Bear Orientation Leader.
- Help other students as a Rausser Peer Advisor or Transfer Student Center Leader.
- Develop your skills in the Berkeley Student Leadership Academy.
- Address real-world problems in the Fung Fellowship or Big Ideas Contest.
- Get involved with the Lawrence Hall of Science or Berkeley Natural History Museums.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Check in with a BCE career educator.
- Join a professional association such as the Society of American Foresters.
- Interested in public service careers? Look into the John Gardner Fellowship, Huntington Award, and Truman Scholarship.
- Apply to graduate school or post-graduate programs; consider the Hertz Fellowship or NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program.
Fourth Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Finish upper division coursework for your major specialization; enroll in ESPM 183 in spring.
- Enroll in your second semester of H196 units if doing the honors program; join a thesis writing workshop at the Student Learning Center.
- Complete any remaining degree requirements and prepare for graduation.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Interested in teaching? Give it a try by facilitating your own DeCal course.
- Submit a course research project for the Library Prize, American Cultures Student Prize, or other awards.
- Present at a Rausser Research Showcase or outside conference with the Conference Travel Grant.
- Get published! Submit your work to Perennial: The Undergraduate Environmental Journal of Berkeley.
- Pursue a special project after graduation with the Stronach Prize.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Connect with alumni groups like Cal Alumni Foresters and Rausser Alumni.
- Meet employers at info sessions, on-campus recruiting, and career fairs like the Nonprofit, Environment and Public Service Career Fair.
- Utilize job search tools from BCE and apply for job opportunities.
- Learn about alumni career services.
Summer
- Make progress on degree requirements with a Summer Sessions course like statistics.
- Gain field skills through the Forestry Field Camp or California Ecology and Conservation.
- Go abroad through UCEAP or Berkeley Study Abroad.
- Conduct research with support from SPUR or UC Nature.
- Pursue a summer minor or certificate such as Data Science, Journalism, or Sustainable Business and Policy.
- Consider a summer internship with Cal in the Capital, Cal in Sacramento, or Berkeley Global Internships.
- Apply to the GiGS program to learn about graduate school.
Undergraduate Advising
Have questions about Ecosystem Management and Forestry or the Rausser College of Natural Resources?
Rausser College provides undergraduate advising to prospective and current undergraduate students. College Advisors are available on a drop-in and appointment basis to assist students with course enrollment and academic planning, explain college and university policies and procedures, and connect students to faculty and other campus student resources. Peer Advising Leaders are trained in understanding college and University requirements, policies, and procedures, and offer personal viewpoints and experiences to current and prospective students.
Advising services are available in 260 Mulford Hall in the Office of Instruction and Student Affairs. For advising hours and contacts, visit nature.berkeley.edu/advising/undergraduate-advising or email advising.rcnr@berkeley.edu.
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