Forests cover one-third of Earth and nearly half of Wisconsin. They provide diverse habitat, wood and fiber, clean water, carbon storage, recreation, beauty, and connections to many cultures. Forest managers and scientists work largely outdoors to conserve and manage forest resources and respond to disturbances from insects, diseases, wildfire, fragmentation, deforestation, and other changes. They also use technology to map and inventory forests.
Students in forest science learn the skills needed for many career paths through a mix of classroom, laboratory, and field instruction. They make frequent visits to forests and engage in professional and student-led trainings and networking. Students have flexibility to customize their learning experience through a variety of different elective options.
The department offers excellent teaching, research, and computing facilities. Classes are sized to ensure that undergraduates receive individual attention. Each student has a faculty adviser, and many students gain experience assisting faculty with research projects.
Students go on to work as foresters, park rangers, conservation scientists, educators, researchers, environmental planners, arborists, and more. Graduates of the program also pursue graduate training in forestry, ecology, natural resource policy, or environmental law. Forest science has an excellent job placement track record.
Learn through hands-on, real-world experiences
Forest science students learn in many field and laboratory courses, putting their knowledge to work in outdoor, everyday circumstances. They also participate in a variety of opportunities beyond campus, including a three-week introduction to forest ecosystems in northern Wisconsin and summer research opportunities. All forest science undergraduates are required to complete an internship, often with a federal, state, or local government agency, an environmental nonprofit organization, timber industry firm, or environmental consultant.
Build community and networks
Students can join a competitive quiz bowl team and the Forestry Club, UW–Madison’s Student Chapter of the Society of American Foresters. Students can attend a national foresters conference and take part in trainings for prescribed burns, chainsaw use, and tree identification. Forest science undergraduates also have opportunities to work with local schools to help kids understand the forests around them.
Customize a path of study
Forest science students select from a large variety of classes to fit their career goals. Students can customize their learning experience and choose electives in focus areas such as forest conservation, forests and the environment, and forest management. In consultation with advisors, students will choose electives in alignment with their unique professional interests. The program meets accreditation standards of the Society of American Foresters, a key credential for many jobs.
Make a strong start
Students can take introductory courses that focus on forest science and the department’s curriculum. One course explores forests of the world, as well as threats to forests, their roles in climate change, and strategies to conserve and manage them.
Gain global perspective
Forest science students are encouraged to complete study abroad experiences. Students can explore studying abroad as a Forest Science major utilizing the Forest Science Major Advising Page. Students work with their advisor and the CALS study abroad office to identify appropriate programs. The department also offers an international course focused on the extinction of species.
How to Get in
To declare this major, students must be admitted to UW–Madison and the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS). For information about becoming a CALS first-year or transfer student, see Entering the College.
Students who attend Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration (SOAR) with the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences have the option to declare this major at SOAR. Students may otherwise declare after they have begun their undergraduate studies. For more information, contact the advisor listed in the Contact Box for the major.
University General Education Requirements
All undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison are required to fulfill a minimum set of common university general education requirements to ensure that every graduate acquires the essential core of an undergraduate education. This core establishes a foundation for living a productive life, being a citizen of the world, appreciating aesthetic values, and engaging in lifelong learning in a continually changing world. Various schools and colleges will have requirements in addition to the requirements listed below. Consult your advisor for assistance, as needed. For additional information, see the university Undergraduate General Education Requirements section of the Guide.
| General Education |
* The mortarboard symbol appears before the title of any course that fulfills one of the Communication Part A or Part B, Ethnic Studies, or Quantitative Reasoning Part A or Part B requirements. |
College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Requirements
In addition to the University General Education Requirements, all undergraduate students in CALS must satisfy a set of college and major requirements. Courses may not double count within university requirements (General Education and Breadth) or within college requirements (First-Year Seminar, International Studies, Science, and Capstone), but courses counted toward university requirements may also be used to satisfy a college and/or a major requirement; similarly, courses counted toward college requirements may also be used to satisfy a university and/or a major requirement.
College Requirements for all CALS BS Degree Programs
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Quality of Work: Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.000 to remain in good standing and be eligible for graduation. | ||
| Residency: Students must complete 30 degree credits in residence at UW–Madison after earning 86 credits toward their undergraduate degree. | ||
| First year seminar | 1 | |
| International studies | 3 | |
| Physical science fundamentals | 4-5 | |
| General Chemistry I | ||
or CHEM 108 | Chemistry in Our World | |
or CHEM 109 | Advanced General Chemistry | |
| Biological science | 5 | |
| Additional science (biological, physical, or natural) | 3 | |
| Science breadth (biological, physical, natural, or social) | 3 | |
| CALS Capstone Learning Experience: included in the requirements for each CALS major (see "major requirements") | ||
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Complete one of the following (or may be satisfied by placement exam): | 5-6 | |
| Algebra and Trigonometry | ||
| Algebra and Trigonometry | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Statistical Methods | ||
| Introductory Applied Statistics for the Life Sciences (recommended) | ||
| Chemistry | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 4-5 | |
| General Chemistry I | ||
| Chemistry in Our World | ||
| Advanced General Chemistry | ||
| Biology | ||
| Complete one of the following options: | 10 | |
| Option 1 (recommended introduction to biology sequence): | ||
| General Botany and Animal Biology and Animal Biology Laboratory | ||
| Option 2: | ||
| Introductory Biology and Introductory Biology | ||
| Option 3: | ||
| Evolution, Ecology, and Genetics and Evolution, Ecology, and Genetics Laboratory and Cellular Biology and Cellular Biology Laboratory | ||
| Wildlife Ecology | ||
| Complete one of the following: 1 | 3 | |
| Living with Wildlife - Animals, Habitats, and Human Interactions | ||
| Extinction of Species 2 | ||
| Principles of Wildlife Management | ||
| Ornithology | ||
| Core | ||
| Complete all of the following courses (grade of C or better required in each core course): | ||
| SOIL SCI 301 | General Soil Science | 3 |
| or SOIL SCI/ENVIR ST/GEOG 230 | Soil: Ecosystem and Resource | |
| F&W ECOL 300 | Forest Measurements | 4 |
| BOTANY/F&W ECOL 402 | Dendrology: Woody Plant Identification and Ecology | 3 |
| F&W ECOL 395 | Data and GIS Tools for Ecology | 3-4 |
| or GEOG/CIV ENGR/ENVIR ST 377 | An Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | |
| or F&W ECOL/ENVIR ST/G L E/GEOG/GEOSCI/LAND ARC 371 | Introduction to Environmental Remote Sensing | |
| F&W ECOL 305 | Forest Operations | 2 |
| F&W ECOL 390 | Learning to Action: Professional Development | 1 |
| F&W ECOL 410 & F&W ECOL 411 | Principles of Silviculture and Practices of Silviculture | 4 |
| ENVIR ST/F&W ECOL 515 | Natural Resources Policy (recommended, satisfies Communications B requirement) | 3 |
| or ENVIR ST/ECON/POLI SCI/URB R PL 449 | Government and Natural Resources | |
| or ENVIR ST/GEOG 439 | US Environmental Policy and Regulation | |
| F&W ECOL 448 & F&W ECOL 449 & F&W ECOL 450 | Disturbance Ecology and Disturbance Ecology Lab (I): Herbivores and Fire and Disturbance Ecology Lab (II): Forest Pathogens | 5 |
| F&W ECOL 550 & F&W ECOL 551 | Forest Ecology and Forest Ecology Lab | 4 |
| A A E/F&W ECOL 652 | Decision Methods for Natural Resource Managers | 3 |
| F&W ECOL 658 | Forest Resources Practicum | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Complete 12 credits from Major Electives (see list below) | 12 | |
| Capstone | ||
| Grade of C or better required in capstone. | ||
| F&W ECOL 590 | Integrated Resource Management | 3 |
| Total Credits | 78-81 | |
- 1
Students may take multiple courses in this category. Courses taken beyond the requirement may count as major electives.
- 2
May also fulfill CALS international studies requirement.
Minimum Grade Requirement
Students will be required to receive a grade of C or higher on all of the forest science core courses and the capstone. Students who receive a grade of D or below will be required to retake the course for graduation.
Major Electives
Forest Science Major Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Complete at least 12 credits from the following courses. Students can focus their interests using the categories. | 12 | |
| Soils and Landscapes: | ||
| Principles of Landscape Ecology | ||
| Landforms and Landscapes of North America | ||
| Restoration Ecology | ||
| Meet Your Soil: Soil Analysis and Interpretation Laboratory | ||
| Environmental Biogeochemistry | ||
| Economics and Business: | ||
| Introduction to Agricultural and Applied Economics | ||
| The Environment and the Global Economy | ||
| Environmental Economics | ||
| Energy, Resources and Economics | ||
| Agricultural Finance | ||
| Principles of Microeconomics | ||
| Fundamentals of Accounting and Finance for Non-Business Majors | ||
| Fundamentals of Management and Marketing for Non-Business Majors | ||
| International Business | ||
| Marketing Communication for the Sciences | ||
| Managing Organizations | ||
| Human Resource Management | ||
| Leading Teams | ||
| Operations and Supply Chain Management | ||
| Urban and Wildland Forest Management: | ||
| The Vegetation of Wisconsin | ||
| Landscape Plants I | ||
| Plant Nutrition Management | ||
| GIS/Remote Sensing: | ||
| Remote Sensing Digital Image Processing | ||
| Assessment of Environmental Impact | ||
| Applications of Geographic Information Systems in Natural Resources | ||
| Introduction to Cartography | ||
| An Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Introduction to Geocomputing | ||
| Wildlife and Fisheries Ecology: | ||
| Environmental Biogeography | ||
| Terrestrial Vertebrates: Life History and Ecology | ||
| Principles of Wildlife Ecology | ||
| Principles of Wildlife Management | ||
F&W ECOL 404 | ||
| Animal Population Dynamics | ||
| Limnology-Conservation of Aquatic Resources | ||
| Laboratory for Limnology-Conservation of Aquatic Resources | ||
| Ecology of Fishes | ||
| Ecology of Fishes Lab | ||
| Ornithology | ||
| Birds of Southern Wisconsin | ||
| Ecology and Biological Diversity | ||
| Grassland Ecology | ||
| Introduction to Entomology | ||
| Plant-Insect Interactions | ||
| Fungi | ||
| Biology of the Fungi | ||
| Vascular Flora of Wisconsin | ||
| Plant Geography | ||
| General Ecology | ||
| Environmental Data Science | ||
| Principles of Landscape Ecology | ||
| Conservation Biology | ||
| Forests of the World | ||
| Extinction of Species | ||
| Conservation Biology | ||
| Climate Change Ecology | ||
| Environmental Conservation | ||
| Wetlands Ecology | ||
| Evolutionary Biology | ||
| Natural Resource Management and Policy | ||
| Natural Resource Economics | ||
| Renewable Energy Systems | ||
| Energy Resources | ||
| Government and Natural Resources | ||
| Energy Economics | ||
| Wildlife Management Techniques | ||
| Prescribed Fire: Ecology and Implementation | ||
| Introduction to Plant Pathology | ||
| Earth and Atmospheric Science | ||
| Weather and Climate | ||
| Weather and Climate | ||
| Global Change: Atmospheric Issues and Problems | ||
| Global Warming: Science and Impacts | ||
| Atmospheric Dispersion and Air Pollution | ||
| Environmental Biogeochemistry | ||
| Geography of Wisconsin | ||
| Biology of Microorganisms | ||
| Biology of Microorganisms Laboratory | ||
| Soils and Environmental Chemistry | ||
| Soil Biology | ||
| Human and Social Dimensions of Ecology | ||
| Indigenous Peoples and the Environment | ||
| Indigenous Environmental Communicators | ||
| Caring for Nature in Native North America | ||
| Critical Indigenous Ecological Knowledges | ||
| Ethnobotany | ||
| Environment, Natural Resources, and Society | ||
| Education for Sustainable Communities | ||
| Environmental Stewardship and Social Justice | ||
| Literature of the Environment: Speaking for Nature | ||
| History of Ecology | ||
| Environmental Ethics | ||
| American Environmental History | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Honors in the Major
Students admitted to the university and to the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences are invited to apply to be considered for admission to the CALS Honors Program.
Admission Criteria for New First-Year Students:
- Complete program application including essay questions
Admission Criteria for Transfer and Continuing UW-Madison Students:
- UW-Madison cumulative GPA of at least 3.25
- Complete program application including essay questions
How to Apply
The application is available on the CALS Honors Program website. Applications are accepted at any time.
New first-year students with accepted applications will automatically be enrolled in Honors in Research. It is possible to switch to Honors in the Major in the student’s first semester on campus after receiving approval from the advisor for that major. Transfer and continuing students may apply directly to Honors in Research or Honors in the Major (after approval from the major advisor).
Requirements
All CALS Honors programs have the following requirements:
- Earn at least a cumulative 3.25 GPA at UW-Madison (some programs have higher requirements)
- Complete the program-specific requirements listed below
- Submit completed thesis documentation to CALS Academic Affairs
Requirements
To earn honors in the major, students are required to take at least 20 honors credits. In addition, students must take F&W ECOL 681 and F&W ECOL 682 when completing their thesis project; please see the honors program page for more information.
University Degree Requirements
| Total Degree | To receive a bachelor's degree from UW–Madison, students must earn a minimum of 120 degree credits. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 degree credits. Students should consult with their college or department advisor for information on specific credit requirements. |
| Residency | Degree candidates are required to earn a minimum of 30 credits in residence at UW–Madison. "In residence" means on the UW–Madison campus with an undergraduate degree classification. “In residence” credit also includes UW–Madison courses offered in distance or online formats and credits earned in UW–Madison Study Abroad/Study Away programs. |
| Quality of Work | Undergraduate students must maintain the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, or academic program to remain in good academic standing. Students whose academic performance drops below these minimum thresholds will be placed on academic probation. |
Learning Outcomes
- (Ecology) Understanding of taxonomy and ability to identify forest and other tree species, their distribution, and associated vegetation and wildlife.
- (Ecology) Understanding of soil properties and processes, hydrology, water quality, and watershed functions.
- (Ecology) Understanding of ecological concepts and principles including the structure and function of ecosystems, plant and animal communities, competition, diversity, population dynamics, succession, disturbance, and nutrient cycling.
- (Ecology) Ability to make ecosystem, forest, and stand assessments.
- (Ecology) Understanding of tree physiology and the effects of climate, fire, pollutants, moisture, nutrients, genetics, insects and diseases on tree and forest health and productivity.
- (Forest Resources Measurement and Management) Ability to identify and measure land areas and conduct spatial analysis.
- (Forest Resources Measurement and Management) Ability to design and implement comprehensive inventories that meet specific objectives using appropriate sampling methods and units of measurement.
- (Forest Resources Measurement and Management) Ability to analyze inventory data and project future forest, stand, and tree conditions.
- (Forest Resources Measurement and Management) Ability to develop and apply silvicultural prescriptions appropriate to management objectives, including methods of establishing and influencing the composition, growth, and quality of forests, and understand the impacts of those prescriptions.
- (Forest Resources Measurement and Management) Ability to analyze the economic, environmental, and social consequences of forest resource management strategies and decisions.
- (Forest Resources Measurement and Management) Ability to develop management plans with specific multiple objectives and constraints.
- (Forest Resources Measurement and Management) Understanding of the valuation procedures, market forces, processing systems, transportation and harvesting activities that translate human demands for timber-based and other consumable forest products into the availability of those products.
- (Forest Resources Measurement and Management) Understanding of the valuation procedures, market, and non-market forces that avail humans the opportunities to enjoy non-consumptive products and services of forests.
- (Forest Resources Measurement and Management) Understanding of the administration, ownership, and organization of forest management enterprises.
- (Forest Resource Policy, Economics, and Administration) Understanding of forest policy and the processes by which it is developed.
- (Forest Resource Policy, Economics, and Administration) Understanding of how federal, state, and local laws and regulations govern the practice of forestry.
- (Forest Resource Policy, Economics, and Administration) Ability to understand the integration of technical, financial, human resources, and legal aspects of public and private enterprises.
Four-Year Plan
The four-year plan is a tool to assist you and your advisor in planning your academic career. Use it along with your DARS report and Course Search & Enroll to determine your program of study. Your program of study will likely look different from this sample four-year plan. Consult with your advisor to determine the best path for you. Courses may not be offered every year, so plan ahead with your advisor. Students must complete at least 120 total credits to be eligible for graduation.
Sample Forest Science Four-Year Plan
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| MATH 1121 | 3 | MATH 1131 | 3 | ||
| F&W ECOL/ENVIR ST 100 (recommended for CALS International Studies requirement) | 3 | CHEM 103, 108, or 109 | 4-5 | ||
| INTER-AG 155 (CALS First Year Seminar) | 1 | BIOLOGY/BOTANY 1302 | 5 | ||
| COMM A Course | 3 | Ethnic Studies | 3 | ||
| Elective | 3 | ||||
| 13 | 15-16 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| BIOLOGY/ZOOLOGY 101 & BIOLOGY/ZOOLOGY 102 | 5 | F&W ECOL 300 | 4 | F&W ECOL 6583 | 3 |
| SOIL SCI 301 | 3 | GEOG/CIV ENGR/ENVIR ST 377 or F&W ECOL 371 | 3-4 | ||
| F&W ECOL/BOTANY 402 | 3 | Electives | 6-7 | ||
| STAT 371 or 301 | 3 | ||||
| 14 | 13-15 | 3 | |||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| F&W ECOL/ENVIR ST 515 | 3 | F&W ECOL 410 & F&W ECOL 411 | 4 | ||
| F&W ECOL 550 & F&W ECOL 551 | 4 | F&W ECOL 448 | 3 | ||
| Major Electives | 6 | F&W ECOL 449 | 1 | ||
| Humanities | 3 | Major Elective | 3 | ||
| Social Sciences | 3 | ||||
| 16 | 14 | ||||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| F&W ECOL 3903 | 1 | F&W ECOL/A A E 652 | 3 | ||
| F&W ECOL 590 | 3 | F&W ECOL 305 | 2 | ||
| F&W ECOL 450 | 1 | Electives | 9 | ||
| Major Electives | 3 | ||||
| Humanities | 3 | ||||
| Electives | 5 | ||||
| 16 | 14 | ||||
| Total Credits 118-121 | |||||
- 1
MATH course dependent on placement score and transfer credit evaluation.
- 2
BIOLOGY/BOTANY 130, BIOLOGY/ZOOLOGY 101 & BIOLOGY/ZOOLOGY 102 are strongly recommended to satisfy the introductory biology requirement for forest science, but students may use BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 151 & BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 152.
- 3
Students should plan ahead for this course with their advisor, as it may not be offered every year.
Advising and Careers
Advising
Students are assigned an academic advisor as well as a faculty advisor. Faculty members lead undergraduate research, advise students on career planning, and help students with critical thinking. Professional academic advisors help students plan their coursework and identify internship opportunities, as well as ways to get involved in department and campus activities.
Career Opportunities
Undergraduates in forest science prepare for a variety of career opportunities. They can work as foresters, arborists, park rangers, conservation scientists, environmental educators, geospatial analysts, researchers, and more. They also pursue graduate training in forestry, ecology, natural resource policy, or environmental law. Graduates of the program work for many organizations including the U.S. Forest Service, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Society of American Foresters, the Aldo Leopold Foundation, environmental consultants, and private corporations.
People
Professors
Bowe, Scott
Burivalova, Zuzana
Chen, Min
Drake, David
Karasov, William
Hua, Jessica
Kruger, Eric (chair)
Ozdogan, Mutlu
Pauli, Jonathan
Peery, M. Zach
Pidgeon, Anna
Radeloff, Volker
Raynor, Jennifer
Rickenbach, Mark
Rissman, Adena
Townsend, Philip
Van Deelen, Timothy
Zuckerberg, Benjamin
Affiliated Faculty
Balster, Nick (Soil Science)
Marin-Spiotta, Erika (Geography)
Instructors and Teaching Faculty
Berkelman, James
Nack, Jamie
Meindl, George
Student Services
Hochmuth, Allee
Laabs, Emily
For faculty and staff profiles, visit https://forestandwildlifeecology.wisc.edu/people/faculty-and-staff/
Wisconsin Experience
Internships
All forest science undergraduates are required to complete an internship. Students find positions outdoors, as well as laboratory and analytical positions. See the Internship & Job Resources page for more information.
Research Experience
Forest science undergraduates can undertake independent research by joining a professor’s field- or lab-based research activities. In their research experiences, students gain skills in a variety of forest science areas including forest structure and function, forest policy, human dimensions of forest management, forest economics, and plant species identification.
Student Organizations
Students can join the Forestry Club, UW–Madison’s Student Chapter of the Society of American Foresters. The club organizes the annual holiday tree sale, and students can attend a national foresters conference and take part in trainings for prescribed burns, chainsaw use, and tree identification.
Competitive Teams
Students can join a quiz bowl team that competes at the national Society of American Foresters annual conference.
Global Engagement
Forest science students are encouraged to complete a study abroad experience. The department also offers an international course focused on the extinction of species that meets the CALS International Studies requirement. Students can find more information on the CALS study abroad advising page.
Community Engagement and Volunteering
Students involved in the Forestry Club volunteer at a number of activities including the annual holiday tree sale. Forest science undergraduates also have opportunities to work with local schools to help kids understand the forests around them.
On campus, the Morgridge Center for Public Service provides resources to help students connect with volunteer opportunities based on their interests and goals.
Resources and Scholarships
There are five scholarships available to forest science students and fellowships are available for students to conduct research with professors. Students across the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences receive more than $1.25 million in scholarships annually. Learn more about college scholarships here.
UW–Madison offers a special practicum course for majors known as “Forestry Camp.” The Forest Resources Practicum is an intensive, three-week field course at the Kemp Natural Resources Station in Woodruff, Wisconsin. Students learn firsthand about forest ecosystem structure, function, processes, and services. Subject areas include basic field skills, plant identification, GPS, forest soils, wildlife survey methods, and forest ecology. Students at Forestry Camp work closely with faculty and natural resource professionals.