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College of Natural Resources

History


Founded in 1929, the College of Natural Resources builds on the nation’s first forestry programs and has grown to meet evolving environmental and industry needs. Today, it offers cutting-edge education, research and outreach in areas ranging from forest management to bioenergy to outdoor recreation.

Historical Forestry Students - History - College of Natural Resources at NC State

Reviewing our remarkable history reveals breakthroughs in the areas of forestry and environmental resources, forest biomaterials and parks, recreation and tourism management, all driven by pioneering scholars and strengthened by partnerships across academia, industry and government.

Our History

The College of Natural Resources has grown for more than a century. It began in 1918 with the farm forestry extension program and has evolved into a national leader in sustainable natural resource management, research and innovation.

The Department of Forestry, founded in 1929, laid the foundation for decades of forest education and outreach. The Department of Wood and Paper Science, established midcentury and renamed the Department of Forest Biomaterials in 2010, expanded the college’s focus on renewable materials and sustainability. The Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, emerging later in the 20th century, shaped research and education in recreation, sport and tourism. Together, these departments support the college’s interdisciplinary mission.

Over time, the college has redefined its identity, from the School of Forestry in 1950 to the School of Forest Resources in 1968 to the College of Natural Resources in 2000. Key moments include the dedication of Kilgore Hall in 1953, the move to Biltmore Hall in 1970, and the addition of Jordan Hall in 2007. Leaders such as Julius V. Hofmann, Richard J. Preston, Eric L. Ellwood and Myron F. Floyd helped guide that growth.

Today, the college prepares the next generation of scientists, engineers and leaders to tackle the world’s most pressing environmental challenges through education, innovation and collaboration.

Milestones

  • 1929

    North Carolina State University establishes the Department of Forestry in the School of Agriculture.

  • 1931

    The Department of Forestry is renamed the Division of Forestry.

  • 1949

    The Department of Wood Science and Technology is established in the Division of Forestry.

  • 1950

    The Division of Forestry is elevated to a School of Forestry, and master’s and Ph.D. degrees in wood science and technology are created.

  • 1959

    The Department of Forest Management is established, marking the first time the School of Forestry’s curriculum was organized into separate departments.

  • 1967

    The Department of Recreation and Park Administration is transferred from the School of Education to the School of Forestry.

  • 1968

    The School of Forestry is renamed the School of Forest Resources. The Department of Wood Science and Technology is renamed the Department of Wood and Paper Science. The Department of Forest Management is renamed the Department of Forestry.

  • 1970

    The School moves into Biltmore Hall, named after the nation’s first school of forestry, the Biltmore Forest School. The School of Forest Resources Library opens. It later becomes the Natural Resources Library.

  • 1977

    The Department of Recreation and Park Administration is accredited.

  • 1987

    The School of Forestry becomes the College of Forest Resources.

  • 1989

    The Department of Recreation and Park Administration is renamed the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management.

  • 2000

    The College of Forest Resources is renamed the College of Natural Resources.

  • 2004

    The Department of Forestry is renamed the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources.

  • 2010

    The Department of Wood and Paper Science is renamed the Department of Forest Biomaterials.

  • 2014

    The University Center for Earth Observation is renamed the Center for Geospatial Analytics. The Center began as a computing cooperative in the 1970s.

  • 2015

    The Center for Geospatial Analytics joins the College of Natural Resources.

  • 2017

    The College of Natural Resources partners with the College of Education to launch the Environmental First Year Program.

  • 2020

    Myron F. Floyd is appointed as dean of the College of Natural Resources. He first joined the college in 2005 as a professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management.

  • 2022

    A newly renovated Natural Resources Library opens inside Jordan Hall.

  • 2025

    The Floating Grove, the first mass timber structure on campus, is completed between Biltmore Hall and Jordan Hall.

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