academic majors
environmenTal sTuDies
The Environmental Studies (ENVR) program examines the interactions of physical and biological processes in
the biosphere with special emphasis on how those processes are affected by human use of the landscape. The
Environmental Studies major at Feather River College is a broad-based, science-oriented curriculum designed to
prepare students for a variety of careers related to solving environmental and resource issues. Surrounded by
thousands of acres of public forests in a watershed that provides much of California’s water supply, FRC is uniquely
situated to offer the Environmental Studies curriculum. From California’s water wars to the impact of spotted owls
on forest management, we are located at the focal point of many of today’s hottest environmental issues.
Potential careers are many and varied. Primary employers include government agencies such as the National
Park Service, US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service, state wildlife or water
resource agencies, county planning departments, irrigation districts, utility companies, timber companies, licensed
surveyors, professional foresters, non-profit organizations, and many others. Careers in the field typically involve
working with the public to communicate opportunities and issues surrounding projects of various types. An
understanding of policy and current issues, along with an introduction to the many facets of natural resources,
including forestry, wildlife, soils, and recreation, is at the heart of the Environmental Studies program.
The Environmental Studies program is designed to prepare students for transfer to four-year institutions.
The hallmarks of the Environmental Studies program include:
• Hands-on, skills-based education • Campus with trails systems and variety of ecosystems
• Extensive public lands available as “laboratory” • Massive mounted wildlife specimen collection
• Wild Trout Fish Hatchery • Instructors who know you and care
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) laboratory about your education
Classes participate in community service efforts such as streamside restoration, wetland protection and enhancement,
fuels reduction projects, and interpretive trail design and construction. The practical experience that students gain
prepares them for success as they further their education or pursue employment. Faculty in the program work diligently
to expose students to the real people and venues that typify the career paths open to them. Getting students their
first job or internship is a major emphasis and we vigorously maintain contacts with potential employers.
A societal change in attitude towards management of natural resources has manifested itself in major shifts in
the ways we view our forests, rivers, and wildlife. Integrated approaches to management of whole ecosystems
have replaced single resource management models. Managing for ecosystem health and biological integrity has
replaced resource extraction as a primary emphasis. The Environmental Studies Program at FRC has evolved in
response to this change, and prepares you to be a future leader. The program Student Learning Outcomes are:
• Communication: Written and oral communication skills in disciplines and professions related to
Environmental Studies; this includes the ability to convey information and work effectively with groups
of varying sizes, as well as different audience levels.
• Multidisciplinary perspective: The ability to speak the language of the various disciplines in
Environmental Studies keeps graduates competitive in an increasingly interrelated and competitive
market.
• Knowledge: A quantitative and qualitative understanding of how our planet functions, how
technological societies operate, and how policy interacts with the two.
• Application skills: Proficiency in disciplines related to Environmental Studies comes at the price of
practice; technical field skills will be taught and practiced regularly at FRC, where our spatial proximity
to a variety of environmental issues encourages fieldwork.
• Environmental ethic: A developed ecological identity, established professional and educational
goals, and an identified career track will cement the student’s sense of place in Environmental Studies,
and provide direction toward a constructive career in their chosen field.
• Understanding of stainability: An appreciation for responsibly managing critical natural resources:
striving toward a balance between meeting today’s needs while ensuring ecosystem health and
resource plenitude for future generations.
Faculty Advisors: Dr. Derek Lerch,
dlerch@frc.edu, (530) 283-0202 x321
Dr. Darla DeRuiter,
dderuiter@frc.edu, (530) 283-0202 x262
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