Natural Resources Key Features

Natural resources students work with specialized computer software such as GIS (global information systems) and GPS (global positioning systems) in a 21st century computing environment.
Nearly every Natural Resources course has a lab period, during which outdoor labs and field trips are used to connect students to various ecosystems from river and lake systems to agricultural landscapes near campus
- Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge, the largest prairie and wetland restoration project in the nation, lies only 10 miles east of campus. Here students learn about ecosystem restoration throughout the year.
- The 85-acre Red River Valley Natural History Area (containing prairie, marshes, and forests) is located within walking distance of campus and is used extensively for practice in conservation techniques and nature observation.
- On campus is the Nature Nook , a student-driven environmental landscaping project featuring restored prairie, butterfly garden, waterfall and pond, Boreal forest bog garden, deciduous forest, and oak savanna.
- Near the University of Minnesota's Forestry and Biological Research Station located in Itasca State Park
- UMC's Huot School Forest, a twenty minute drive from the campus, serves as an outdoor classroom and laboratory.
- The Pankratz Memorial Prairie, totaling nearly 800 acres, is within 10 miles of the campus. The preserve is habitat for the greater prairie chicken and is an excellent area for observing this unique bird
Cooperative student training agreements are in place with the Natural Resources Conservation Service for Minnesota and North Dakota.
Students benefit from research experiences with UMC and with faculty from the Northwest Research and Outreach Center (NWROC), University of Minnesota Extension, other University of Minnesota Campuses, other universities, and state and federal agency researchers.
Several birding hotspots on the Minnesota Pine to Prairie Birding Trail are near Crookston.
Students assist with tree planting with the local soil and water conservation district.
Students participate in trapper education workshops and assist in hands-on exercises trapping nuisance beaver at the Red River Valley Natural History Area.
Opportunities abound that enable students to gain more experience in their program by getting involved in student organizations related directly to their major
- Crookston Students for Sustainable Development
- Natural Resources Club
- The Wildlife Society (Student Chapter)
Students in the Natural Resources program have won numerous awards in their field