Philip Burton, Professor Emeritus
Art Fredeen, Professor Emeritus
Pamela Wright, Professor Emerita
Ken Otter, Professor and Chair
Darwyn Coxson, Professor
Dezene Huber, Professor
Chris Johnson, Professor
Nicola Koper, Professor
Kathy Lewis, Professor
Brent Murray, Professor
Mark Shrimpton, Professor
Oscar Venter, Professor, and FRBC/West Fraser Endowed Chair in Conservation Solutions
Erin Baerwald, Associate Professor
Ch矇 Elkin, Associate Professor, and FRBC/Slocan Endowed Chair in Mixedwood Ecology and Management
Scott Green, Associate Professor
Eduardo Martins, Associate Professor
Phil Mullins, Associate Professor
Roy Rea, Associate Professor
Lauren Harding, Assistant Professor
Jennifer Wigglesworth, Assistant Professor
Website: www.unbc.ca/conservation-science-practice
Ecological systems underpin human well-being in many ways from art and culture to food security. Conservation professionals work to ensure that ecosystems continue to provide these values for future generations. However, we are facing an increasingly complex set of challenges as human populations and resource development increase and the global climate changes. Meeting these challenges requires an integration of human and ecological values across a broad range of ecosystems at increasingly larger spatial and temporal scales.
Students pursuing a BSc in Conservation Science and Practice focus on understanding and addressing the contemporary challenges facing the sustainable use and conservation of our environment. Navigating these challenges requires a strong scientific foundation, including the necessary appreciation for both the natural and human dimensions of conservation and management. This degree equips students with the knowledge to enter a solutions-based career that actively contributes to solving todays conservation and management problems. Our goal is to provide students with the philosophical foundation, scientific theory, and technical skills to address the challenge of maintaining the functioning of ecosystems across developed, developing and still-wild landscapes.
Major in Conservation Science and Practice - Wildland Conservation and Recreation (BSc)
Major in Conservation Science and Practice - Wildland Conservation and Recreation (BSc Honours)
Major in Conservation Science and Practice - Landscape Conservation and Management (BSc)
Major in Conservation Science and Practice - Landscape Conservation and Management (BSc Honours)
The BSc in Conservation Science and Practice allows students to pursue one of two majors:
- Wildland Conservation and Recreation
- Landscape Conservation and Management
The major in Wildland Conservation and Recreation focuses on portions of the landscape where conservation values, including recreation and aesthetic values, are the priority land-use activities, and where these activities intersect with other values, priorities, and uses. Topics of study include: the promotion of and advocacy for conservation; integrated management of legally designated parks and protected areas; conservation area design; and human activities across these areas, including recreation, ecotourism and the associated positive and negative impacts on ecological integrity. Students develop the skills necessary to identify, plan, monitor, and manage conservation values within the parks, recreation and tourism sectors.
The major in Landscape Conservation and Management focuses on natural and human-modified systems across broad spatial scales. The emphasis in this major is on integrated landscapes that support a wide variety of values and activities, including the maintenance of biodiversity, the rights and practices of Indigenous Peoples, ecosystem services, and resource extraction. Courses in this major consider human activities across a range of ecological scales but with an emphasis on landscape and ecosystem-level processes. Graduates from the major develop the skills to work with cutting-edge tools and data that are necessary for the planning and management of multiple values across space and time.
Both majors are premised on an interdisciplinary and multi-value perspective. The degree is focused on the natural sciences, and draws on ideas, theory and practice from the social sciences. This broad perspective recognizes that humans are part of socio-ecological systems; thus, the human dimensions of conservation, management and natural sciences are integral components of the curriculum.
Major in Wildland Conservation and Recreation
Program Requirements
Lower Division Requirement
100 Level
| Introductory Biology I | |
| Introductory Biology II | |
| Introductory Biology I Laboratory | |
| Introductory Biology II Laboratory | |
| General Chemistry I | |
| Introduction to Environmental Citizenship | |
| The Aboriginal Peoples of Canada | |
| Foundations of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism |
200 Level
| Ecology | |
| Forest Plant Systems | |
| or | Systematic Botany |
| Introduction to GIS | |
| Introduction to Wildlife and Fisheries | |
| The Practice of Conservation | |
| Sustainable Outdoor Recreation and Tourism | |
| Outdoor Skills and Leadership | |
| Basic Statistics |
Upper Division Requirement
300 Level
| Community Engagement and Inclusion Studio | |
| or | Public Engagement for Sustainability |
| Intermediate GIS | |
| Aboriginal Perspectives on Land and Resource Management | |
| or | First Nations Community and Environmental Planning |
| or | Land and Indigenous Reconciliation Studio |
| Recreation and Tourism Impacts | |
| Protected Area Planning and Management | |
| Outdoor, Environmental, and Experiential Education | |
| Field School |
Two of the following:
| Limnology | |
| Plants, Society and the Environment | |
| Ichthyology and Herpetology | |
| Ornithology and Mammalogy | |
| Fungi and Lichens | |
| Entomology | |
| Ecological Analysis | |
| Field School | |
| Ethnobotany | |
| Field Applications in Resource Management |
400 Level
| Conservation Biology | |
| Natural Resources Planning | |
| Conservation Planning | |
| Conservation Area Design and Management |
Two of the following:
| * | Land Relations and Communities in Recreation and Tourism |
| * | The Culture of Adventure |
| * | Leadership Praxis |
| * | Critical Approaches to Outdoor Recreation Activities |
| Field School II | |
| Internship | |
| Special Topics | |
| Independent Study |
Two of the following:
| Plant Ecology | |
| Fish Ecology | |
| Population and Community Ecology | |
| Wildlife Ecology | |
| Animal Behaviour | |
| Insects, Fungi and Society |
One of the following:
| Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems | |
| Wildlife Management | |
| Fisheries Management | |
| Agroforestry |
*Note: Some senior-level ORTM classes are offered in alternating years.
**Note: Prerequisites for these courses may be met by appropriate selection of courses in options listed in Two of the following and One of the following lists above.
Elective Requirements
Elective credit hours as necessary to ensure completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours.
BSc Honours - Conservation Science and Practice (Wildland Conservation and Recreation)
The Honours in Conservation Science and Practice (Wildland Conservation and Recreation) offers students a higher level of education and substantial research experience for proceeding to post graduate studies.
To enter the Honours Program, students must have completed 60 credit hours and obtained a minimum Cumulative GPA of 3.33. Attaining the minimum requirement does not guarantee entry into the Honours Program, which is at the discretion of the Conservation Science and Practice Curriculum Committee. Maintenance of a Cumulative GPA of 3.33 is required to remain in the Honours Program.
Honours students are required to complete the degree requirements for the BSc Conservation Science and Practice (Wildland Conservation and Recreation). In addition, each student must also complete an additional 6 credit hours in the form of an undergraduate thesis (normally ) under the supervision of a faculty member. Students are responsible to find their own undergraduate thesis research supervisor. Faculty members are under no obligation to supervise Honours students.
Major in Landscape Conservation and Management
Program Requirements
Lower Division Requirement
100 Level
| Introductory Biology I | |
| Introductory Biology II | |
| Introductory Biology I Laboratory | |
| Introductory Biology II Laboratory | |
| General Chemistry I | |
| Microeconomics | |
| The Aboriginal Peoples of Canada | |
| Calculus for Non-majors | |
| Field Skills | |
| Introduction to Natural Resource Management and Conservation | |
| Communications in Natural Resources and Environmental Studies |
200 Level
| Ecology | |
| Weather and Climate | |
| Global Environmental Change | |
| or | Global Environmental Change: Sustainability |
| Land and Indigenous Reconciliation Studio | |
| Introduction to GIS | |
| Introduction to Wildlife and Fisheries | |
| The Practice of Conservation | |
| Basic Statistics |
300 Level
| Ecological Analyses | |
| Environmental Economics and Environmental Policy | |
| or | Forest Economics |
| or | Society, Policy and Administration |
| Community Engagement and Inclusion Studio | |
| or | Public Engagement for Sustainability |
| Intermediate GIS | |
| Aboriginal Perspectives on Land and Resource Management | |
| or | Indigenous Planning Studio |
Two of the following:
| Systematic Botany | |
| Ichthyology and Herpetology | |
| Ornithology and Mammalogy | |
| Fungi and Lichens | |
| Entomology | |
| Ethnobotany | |
| Forest Plant Systems |
400 Level
| Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems | |
| or | Climate Change and Global Warming |
| Conservation Biology | |
| Environmental Law | |
| Environmental and Professional Ethics | |
| Forest Ecosystem Modelling | |
| or | Environmental Modelling |
| Natural Resources Planning | |
| Conservation Planning | |
| Conservation Area Design and Management |
Elective Requirements
Elective credit hours as necessary to ensure completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours.
BSc Honours - Conservation Science and Practice (Landscape Conservation and Management)
The Honours in Conservation Science and Practice (Landscape Conservation and Management) offers students a higher level of education and substantial research experience for proceeding to post graduate studies.
To enter the Honours Program, students must have completed 60 credit hours and obtained a minimum Cumulative GPA of 3.33. Attaining the minimum requirement does not guarantee entry into the Honours Program, which is at the discretion of the Conservation Science and Practice Curriculum Committee. Maintenance of a Cumulative GPA of 3.33 is required to remain in the Honours Program.
Honours students are required to complete the degree requirements for the BSc Conservation Science and Practice (Landscape Conservation and Management). In addition, each student must also complete an additional 6 credit hours in the form of an undergraduate thesis (normally ) under the supervision of a faculty member. Students are responsible to find their own undergraduate thesis research supervisor. Faculty members are under no obligation to supervise Honours students.
Updated: December 5, 2024