Park Management & Conservation

Wise management of the nation's natural and recreational resources results in significant ecological, medical, economic and cultural benefits to the citizenry and their guests. Use of these primarily public spaces for recreation often results in life changing and virtually always life enriching experiences for those involved - a desired outcome of notable value.

Optimally balancing use and protection of these scare resources is particularly challenging and requires the best efforts of dedicated professionals. Award winning Park Management and Conservation (PMC) faculty are committed to providing the highest level of professional training in meeting these challenges.

The PMC curriculum prepares students for careers as professionals in a variety of natural resource management agencies and organizations. Most employment opportunities are in the public sector, including such agencies as the National Park Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the USDA Forest Service, state park departments, and city and county park and recreation departments. There are also positions with associations, resorts, concessionaires, retailers and various other enterprises.

Graduates are employed as park managers, rangers, conservation officers, planners, naturalists, agency and unit directors, program specialists and in other areas recreation and natural resource management.