Natural Resources Management | CFRES

3,650 Acres of Research Forest

Michigan Tech’s Ford Center is home to our 3,650-acre forest. Located just over 40 miles from campus, students
in their third year get to live, learn, and play in the woods for a whole semester.
Learn how to navigate among the trees, count board feet, identify forest pests and
diseases, and explore ways to mitigate them. Take a swim in the Sturgeon River while
taking water samples, quantify woody and herbaceous plants, design maps, and learn
to mark timber.  Spend a couple of hours in the classroom, and the rest of the day
outdoors. Work closely with your peers and professors to create management plans that
best suit the environment for the changing climate.

Integrated Field Practicum at the Ford Center

The Integrated Field Practicum (IFP) is the cornerstone of natural resource management at Michigan Tech, and stands
out among the rest as the only off-campus, semester-long field practicum in the United
States. Offered in the Fall and Summer.

Master of Science in Forest Ecology and Management

Earn a master’s degree and build upon research from your undergrad. The Master of Science in Forest Ecology and Management provides greater opportunity for career advancement and a higher starting salary.
Study ecological services in managed landscapes – from nutrient cycling to bird habitat,
and the impact management has on wildlife functions.

Tomorrow Needs Sustainable Management

Join a community that believes in renewable resources, protecting wildlife, and multiple
use forests in a sustainably-driven society at a flagship public research university
powered by science, technology, sustainability, and passion. Graduate with a foundation
of knowledge and real-world experience in natural resource management.