The park and natural resource recreation concentration is designed for students who are interested in protecting and managing natural areas or working in other outdoor settings where people and ecology intersect. This concentration provides an understanding of the principles and techniques that go into planning, developing, and managing recreational and park areas or facilities. Students also become proficient in all of the social, biological and physical sciences underpinning sound land use planning and management. Core courses include:

• Recreation and Park Interpretive Services
• Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
• Introduction to Ecology
• Ecology Lab

Elective courses cover array of topics ranging from forest science, wildlife management, landscape horticulture and grounds maintenance to resource and environmental economics, the organization and administration of outdoor adventure programs and much more. These courses allow students to add a minor to their degree program from the following areas:

• Forest Management Political Science
• Biological Sciences Horticultural Science
• Zoology Economics
• Environmental Sciences Business Management
• Soil Science Crop Science
• Outdoor Leadership

Teaching Focus
Faculty experts in recreation behavior, resource and park planning, environmental impact assessment, economics, adventure recreation, outdoor leadership and spatial information sciences all work together to provide students with a thorough understanding of the principles and practices of good stewardship, the use of natural resources and how to pass this knowledge along to the general public. Students in this concentration are also strongly encouraged to participate in NC State’s Cooperative Education Program with a park or natural resource managing agency — providing them with invaluable hands-on field experience.

Careers
The park and natural resource recreation concentration prepares students for positions in planning, managing, and maintaining parks and other natural resource-oriented areas at the federal, state, regional or local levels as well as in other settings ranging from primitive to urban. Recent graduates have gone on to careers in the private, public and non-profit sectors, including jobs with the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation, various city and county park systems, conservation organizations, outdoor outfitters and nature centers.