Environmental Impact Assessment
FER Home : Environmental Impact Assessment
Our environmental impact assessment area teaches people, communities, companies and governments how to follow sound natural resource management practices when developing new residential, commercial and recreational areas.
The Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources (FER) supports sound environmental impact assessment practices by educating students and industry professionals and conducting original research that uncovers new ways to measure environmental impact. We also act as a consultant to private and public land managers and aid government agencies in developing sound criteria for approval permits. In addition, our outreach activities help developers and public land managers implement better construction and landscaping practices.
NC State has been active in environmental impact assessment since the early 1980’s, when early environmental regulations made it clear that there was a need for a specialty science that could provide objective advice and practical tools for striking a balance between the needs of the private and public sectors. Today, our environmental impact assessment program is known for producing graduates who are well-versed in the environmental sciences yet also possess a strong foundation in civil engineering, statistics, economics and public administration. Our graduates play an important role in many national non-profit organizations, environmental agencies and private consulting firms, while many others have started their own companies or pursued careers in field biology or specialty laboratories.
Impact
Through these teaching, research and outreach activities, FER is playing an important role in North Carolina’s rapid development by protecting quality of life and preserving the balance between commercial, residential and green spaces in our communities. Our efforts have helped to:
- Head off many environmental problems before they occur.
- Support environmental protection and sustainable development.
- Ensure that the need for environmental protection is balanced with economic decisions during the planning stages of projects.
- Encourage better planning decisions within the private and public sectors.
- Protect the environmental, economic and social health of communities.
- Facilitate the role of government agencies in the review of proposed projects.
- Groom new generations of leaders for this important environmental field.
For more information on how NC State advances the science of environmental impact assessment, please click on the links to the left.
