Forest Resilience and Adaptation, Undergraduate Certificate

In addition to University Requirements:

• Complete individual plan requirements.

Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.

Minimum Units for Completion	15
Major GPA	2.0
Research	Optional

Purpose Statement

The Northern Arizona University School of Forestry Undergraduate Certificate in Forest Resilience and Adaptation is designed to provide a strong background for students interested in studying or working in forest health, silviculture (e.g., reforestation/resilience/adaptation), or ecological restoration, including biotic (e.g., insects, pathogens, invasive species) and abiotic (e.g., fire, pollution, climate change) drivers of forest change and forest health applications of ecological restoration resilience and adaptation strategies and broadly, management of natural resources.

While earning this certificate, your program of study will include study of:

• Insect infestations
• Severe wildfires
• Restoration of forest health
• Forest resilience and adaptation
• Management to increase resilience and adaptive capacity of forests.

Upon completion, you will be on track for a career in federal and state land management agencies.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Understanding and knowledge of the status and interactions among forest health, forest resilience and adaptation, and ecological restoration.
• Describe the status of and interactions among forest health, forest resilience and adaptation, and ecological restoration.
• Knowledge of the primary insects, pathogens, invasive species, and abiotic factors that affect the health of North American forests.
• Recount the primary insects, pathogens, invasive species, and abiotic factors that affect the health of North American forests.
• An understanding of how natural and human-caused disturbances of forest ecosystems affect tree health, forest health, and prospects for ecological restoration and increasing resilience and adaptive capacity.
• Explain how natural and human-caused disturbances of forest ecosystems affect tree health, forest health, and prospects for ecological restoration and increasing resilience and adaptive capacity.
• An understanding of various methods and approaches to improving forest health, increasing resilience, and adaptive capacity, and restoring ecosystems, including quantitative methods to collect original ecological data and on-the-ground management methods.
• Apply various methods and approaches to improve forest health, increase resilience and adaptive capacity, and restoring ecosystems, including quantitative methods to collect original ecological data and on-the-ground management methods.
• An understanding of the philosophical, historical, legal, ecological, social, and cultural aspects of land management and how that relates to forest health, forest resilience, and ecological restoration.
• Examine the philosophical, historical, legal, ecological, social, and cultural aspects of land management, and synthesize these perspectives to describe their impact upon and relationship to forest health, forest resilience, and ecological restoration.
• An ability to participate constructively in thoughtful discussions with peers, scientists, forest managers, and restoration professionals about a broad spectrum of forest health, resilience, and restoration-related issues.
• Participate constructively in thoughtful discussions with peers, scientists, forest managers, and restoration professionals about a broad spectrum of forest health, resilience, and restoration-related issues.

Certificate Requirements

• Take the following 15 units with a Grade of "C" or better in each course:

  • Select from the following (6 units):
    • FOR 313, FOR 315, FOR 382, FOR 454
  • Select from the following* (9 units):
    • BIO 411
    • FOR 408 (Topic selected with your advisor.)
    • FOR 443, FOR 452, FOR 453, FOR 468, FOR 485, FOR 520
    • FOR 499 (Topic selected with your advisor.)
    • FOR 599 (Topic selected with your advisor.)

• • *Suggested course combinations for students with specific interests in the following areas:

• • • Ecological Restoration

      • FOR 382, FOR 443, FOR 520

• • • Forest Health

      • BIO 411 or FOR 453
      • FOR 443, FOR 452

• • • Forest Resilience and Adaptation

      • FOR 443, FOR 468, FOR 520

• This certificate may be pursued and completed concurrently with a degree program or as a stand-alone certificate. Federal financial aid cannot be used if the certificate is completed as a stand-alone certificate.

Additional Information

• Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.

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