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Extension and Outreach

Our commitment to solving natural resources challenges extends far beyond our campus. We help communities, businesses and citizens to manage and sustain our shared natural environment.

Seeding Knowledge

The research and discovery we do at the College of Natural Resources concerns the world we share. That’s why it’s essential we share it with the world.

Through outreach, extension and continuing education programs and services, we strive to spread our knowledge throughout the state and the nation. We team with community and business leaders, policymakers, educators, students and members of the general public to ensure the sustainability and proper use of natural resources.

Within the borders of North Carolina, our work includes extensive support for three of the state’s top five industries: forestry, wood products and tourism. We’re committed to fostering healthy communities and healthy economies — and to helping every North Carolinian have the resources they need to better our state.

If you need more information about the outreach and extension work we do in the College of Natural Resources, contact us.

10,000+ Questions Answered

Each year, our outreach specialists in forestry, wood products, recreation and tourism respond to thousands of queries from citizens, industry and government.

Supporting Communities

In addition to driving key state industries, we help private landowners and inheritors to better manage their properties. We provide distance education, certificate programs, workshops and short courses to thousands of professionals each year, and we put materials on natural resources in the hands of more than 700 K-12 teachers through a network of 80 facilitators based in 45 North Carolina counties.

More than 100 county extension agents funnel our nature- and heritage-based tourism programming and resources to the communities that need them. More than 2,000 of the state’s Christmas tree growers look to us for research and guidance. And we deliver crucial leadership in biomaterials and biofuels in partnership with NC State’s College of Engineering and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.