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Natural Resources
Our Mission
The Natural Resource program provides
students with the knowledge and skills to be proficient in the technical aspects of
management and protection of forest resources, the ability to successfully
perform as forest technicians with a scientific
knowledge base and an understanding of social and environmental issues
within the natural resources field.
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Program Overview
The Natural Resource program is unique:
 Five hundred acres of experimental forest land adjoins the Itasca campus and is available for class study, hiking, and skiing.- Students can receive individual attention and assistance because classes are small (approximately 20 - 25 students). The
college works closely with many area forestry agencies and industries
which often provide Itasca internship opportunities and access to
experts in the field.
- We share our campus with both the North Central Research Station-USDA
Forest Service and the University of Minnesota North Central Research
and Outreach Center - so we can "borrow" the expertise of some of the
leading forestry professionals in the state.
The Natural Resource Forestry program at ICC is recognized by the Society of American Foresters (SAF), which is the largest national scientific and educational organization representing the
forestry profession in the United States and Canada. Itasca Community College is also one of more than twenty five member colleges that make up the Council of Eastern Forest Technician Schools (CEFTS).
Program Options
Students may choose from several different degree options:
Program Features
 Classes
incorporate field labs that allow students to apply what they've
learned in the classroom out "in the field." You'll work together with
your classmates on a variety of crews. - Students are required to complete a Natural Resource internship that provides valuable career experience and job references.
- A high quality education
- Small class sizes
- Friendly campus with lots of personal attention
- Instructors who will challenge you and help you succeed
- A scenic north woods location
Career Options Our program prepares graduates
for and successfully places them in a wide range of natural resource
careers with federal, state, and county agencies or with private companies. Timber
inventory, wildlife habitat management, firefighting and surveying are
among the duties of many natural resource technicians. Natural
resource managers (with four-year degrees) may work as wildlife
biologists, soil scientists or hydrologists. Law enforcement graduates
may work as conservation officers, police officers or in park security,
while GIS graduates find careers in a variety of fields. Wildland
firefighting graduates who successfully complete the course and pass a
physical test will be eligible for a red card issued by firefighting
agencies in the U.S.
Transfer Opportunities
 In addition to directly entering the workforce, Itasca's Natural Resource graduates have many different options available for transferring their completed coursework in order to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree. For example, graduates may pursue a B.S. degree in Forest Resources or Recreation Resource Management at the University of Minnesota - St. Paul They may choose the University of Minnesota - Crookston where a B.S. is available in Natural Resource Management, or graduates may decide on the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point where a B.S. may be obtained in many different fields such as Forestry, Resource Management, or Wildlife Management and several others. GIS graduates may transfer to Bemidji State University for a B.S. in Environmental Studies/GIS, while Law Enforcement graduates may transfer to either Bemidji State University for a B.S. in Criminal Justice or Hibbing Community College to complete the law enforcement portion of their degree.
Transfer Options:
The BEST START...Itasca Community College
For more information you can contact:
Marty Christensen
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| phone: 218-322-2356 or 1-800-996-6422 |
| e-mail: mchristensen@itascacc.edu
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