Support the School of Natural Resources

The School of Natural Resources (SNR) in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is an interdisciplinary unit devoted to the effective and sustainable use of natural and managed resources. The vision for the School of Natural Resources is to be a leader in natural resources education, research, and outreach, and a primary provider of natural resources information to the citizens and stakeholders of Nebraska.

Finding solutions to the issues that we face now and into the future – related to climate change, water, habitat, and changing land use, to name a few – requires a holistic, interdisciplinary approach. Reflecting that need, various groups and disciplines have joined forces over the years within SNR. Among the groups that have become part of the school are the Conservation and Survey Division, the Water Center, the former Department of Agricultural Meteorology, the former Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Wildlife, and, most recently, the Department of Geography. Faculty at the School of Natural Resources are now organized into six different groups: Applied Climate Science, Applied Ecology, Geography/GIScience, Geology and Soils, Human Dimensions, and Water.

SNR offers undergraduate degrees in Environmental Restoration Science, Environmental Studies, Fisheries and Wildlife, Geography, Grassland Ecology and Management, Natural Resources and Environmental Economics, and Water Science. Graduate studies in Natural Resources and Geography programs span 17 different specializations.

Among the possibilities that SNR envisions for the future are:

• An outdoor classroom north of Hardin Hall that will encapsulate the interactions between hydrology, geology and ecosystems. When not in use as an outdoor classroom, the area would provide shade and natural beauty similar to the arboretum – an opportunity for both formal and informal experiential learning.
• More opportunities for natural resources students to gain experience interpreting the natural world to others, including K-12 students and adults who would like to learn more about the life-sustaining processes that make agriculture and civilization possible.
• More resources for researchers and students to explore vital questions such as exactly how much water is available for agriculture, wildlife habitat, and cities; the anticipated impacts of climate change on the people and economy of Nebraska; and how to manage complex ecosystems for multiple purposes.