Welcome to SU Urban Forestry and Natural Resources Program
Southern University and A&M College at Baton Rouge (SUBR) belongs to the Southern University System. The campus is part of the only historical black land-grant university system in the nation. Southern University-Baton Rouge is a comprehensive institution providing four-year baccalaureate, graduate, professional, and doctoral degree programs. The university offers 42 bachelor’s, 20 master’s, five doctoral, and three associate degree programs. Year to year an average of 9,000 students are enrolled at SUBR.
The Urban Forestry and Natural Resources Program is one of the degree granting programs in the College of Agricultural Family and Consumer Science. The program was established in 1992 with the aid of a 5-year grant from the USDA Forest Service, is one of the first degree-granting programs in urban forestry in the United States.The urban forestry and natural resources curricula prepare students to address important urban and community forestry such as urban forestry management, forest health management, ecosystem analysis, arboriculture, urban hydrology, ecology, and GIS.
Undergraduate and graduate studies in urban forestry and natural resources prepare students for careers with various federal government agencies (such as the Forest Service, Army Corp of Engineers, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Agricultural Research Service, etc.), local state departments of agriculture and forestry, city and county governments, private industry, consulting firms, land grant universities, and advanced degree work.
The Urban Forestry and Natural Resources Program is one of the degree granting programs in the College of Agricultural Family and Consumer Science. The program was established in 1992 with the aid of a 5-year grant from the USDA Forest Service, is one of the first degree-granting programs in urban forestry in the United States.The urban forestry and natural resources curricula prepare students to address important urban and community forestry such as urban forestry management, forest health management, ecosystem analysis, arboriculture, urban hydrology, ecology, and GIS.
Undergraduate and graduate studies in urban forestry and natural resources prepare students for careers with various federal government agencies (such as the Forest Service, Army Corp of Engineers, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Agricultural Research Service, etc.), local state departments of agriculture and forestry, city and county governments, private industry, consulting firms, land grant universities, and advanced degree work.
Department of Excellence
The Urban Forestry and Natural Resources Program has been designated by the State of Louisiana Board of Regents as a Department of Excellence through Faculty Excellence. This honor was bestowed upon the program based on a competitive process that evaluated the program’s education, research, and outreach activities.
EDUCATION
Undergraduate Program
The program offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Urban Forestry and Natural Resources. Candidates for the degree take 127 credit hours of course work and three credit hours of summer internship. The curriculum is designed to prepare graduates who can plan for, evaluate, and resolve problems of urban communities, toward ameliorating the socio-economic conditions they confront.
Many career opportunities are available to urban forestry and natural resources graduates for entry level jobs with municipalities, utility companies, private and governmental agencies, research and teaching institutions, tree care and landscape companies, and consulting services.
Many career opportunities are available to urban forestry and natural resources graduates for entry level jobs with municipalities, utility companies, private and governmental agencies, research and teaching institutions, tree care and landscape companies, and consulting services.
Graduate Program
The Master of Science in Urban Forestry and Natural Resources was established in the fall of 1998. The program uses an interdisciplinary and total quality management approach to provide graduate students sound academic training and experiential learning. This comprehensive training is essential to turn out practitioners who can address critical issues in the management of urban forests and natural resources within urban areas. The program offers the thesis or non-thesis option. Non-thesis candidates must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate course work and a capstone project approved by a graduate committee. Thesis candidates must complete 24 credit hours of graduate course work, at least 6 hours of thesis research and a completed thesis approved by the graduate committee.
RESEARCH
Facilities for Instruction and Research
The Greenhouse/Headhouse Complex houses seven laboratories for instruction and research. Additional laboratories are in the A . O. Williams Agricultural Research and Extension Center.
Research Focus
Arboriculture, Ecosystem Management, Global Change, Hydrology and GIS, Physiology and Biotechnology, Plant Pathology, Urban Forest Ecology, Urban Parks and Recreation, Urban Soils
EXTENSION AND OUTREACH
Activities
Arboricultural training, Community gardening and greening projects, GIS training and outreach workshops, International exchange projects, Tree farm demonstration project.
Clientele
- Arborists
- Baton Rouge Green
- BREC
- Businesses
- Citizen action groups
- Community and Faith-based organizations
- Farmers
- Federal, state, and local governments
- K-12 schools
- LA Urban Forestry Council