Program Details | Forest Ecology and Management Certificate

*The department is currently not accepting applications to this certificate.*

Forest management requires a consideration of the ecological, social, and policy context of Oregon’s forests, including urban forests. This certificate is designed to provide the academic background required for understanding and managing forests beyond traditional industrial forestry needs. Students who complete the certificate will be prepared to take active roles in and contribute to management of Oregon’s forests.
 
This is a rigorous certificate that will require eight 400-level courses.  The courses are split between forest ecology, watershed functioning, management, and policy areas. Although any student could earn the certificate, they will have to have had many pre-requisites (or equivalent preparation) in ESM or Geography.

Certificate Requirements

Core Courses (13 credits)

  • ESM 407 Forest Ecology and Management Seminar (1 credit)
  • ESM 418/Geog 418 Landscape Ecology (4 credits)
  • ESM 425 Watershed Hydrology (4 credits)
  • ESM 444 Forest Ecology (4 credits)

Electives (16 credits)

Choose four from the following:

  • Bi 471 Plant Ecology (4 credits)
  • Bi 476 Population Ecology (5 credits)
  • ESM 427 Watershed Biogeochemistry (4 credits)
  • ESM 435 Natural Resource Policy and Management (4 credits)
  • ESM 445 Old-growth Forest Ecology (4 credits)
  • ESM 465 Investigating Ecological and Social Issues in Urban Parks and Natural Areas (4 credits)
  • Geog 413 Disturbance Biogeography of Pacific Northwest (4 credits)
  • Geog 415 Soils and Land Use (4 credits)
  • Geog 448 The Urban Forest (4 credits)

Total Credit Hours: 29. Students must take required courses for a differentiated grade and earn a C-or better for it to count toward the certificate (except that a P is acceptable for the ESM 407 only).

All students who complete certificate requirements and apply to graduate will receive a paper certificate.

Contact

For more information, please contact Dr. Jeffrey Gerwing at jgerwing@pdx.edu.