Lakehead drop 'Forestry' from its faculty name

Perhaps due to a record low number of Forestry applications last year (see: Guess how many Ontario high school students applied to study Forestry this fall?), Lakehead University has decided to rename their Faculty of Forestry and the Forest Environment to the Faculty of Natural Resources Management.

The Forestry degree program, the Honours Bachelor of Science in Forestry (HBScF) will still exist, but it has been restructured.

A new honours degree in Environment Management, the Honours Bachelor of Environmental Management (HBEM), will also be offered by the faculty.

Both programs will share a common curriculum for the first two years to ensure students receive a sound foundation in sciences, humanities, social sciences, and natural resources management.

Then, the HBScF students will be able to choose one of three streams to specialize in: Forest Management, Forest Health and Protection, or Wood Science.

The HBEM students will choose from Wildlife Conservation and Management, Conservation Planning and Management, or Directed Learning to specialize in.

Both degrees will be able with a 5 year co-op option.

Dr. Ulf Runesson, the Faculty's Interim Dean, says the change reflects the right direction at this point in time. "Our new name better describes our mission to meet related challenges and opportunities, such as adapting to climate change, responding to new economic realities for Ontario, and engaging a more informed and motivated public in the stewardship of Ontario’s significant forest estate."

Source: Lakehead University