The Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Science offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs to educate, inspire and prepare the next generation of scientists. Department faculty are engaged in cutting-edge research in the following areas:
A department of diverse faculty & students dedicated to solving critical environmental challenges with cutting-edge research.
In the news
Convergence Zone: exploring the intersection of science, art and wildfire
Experience this hard-hitting exhibition at the Sierra Arts Foundation, from July 1–26, 2025 — with special reception on July 19, from 1–3:30 p.m.
Faces of the Pack: Paige Adkins
'I feel so fortunate to live and learn in the middle of the woods next to the most gorgeous mountain lake, where learning opportunities are all around us'
Human intervention or natural dynamics? Rethinking theories on woodland expansion
New research challenges long-standing beliefs about rising tree densities in the West’s dry woodlands
Air
Topics of study include the characterization of pollutant emissions from combustion sources, the understanding of atmospheric photochemical processes and the quantification of human exposure to air pollution.
Water
Topics of study include the use of remote sensing, field observations and modeling to address the most pressing questions in the fields of water quality, lake clarity, stream and creek ecosystems and mountain ecohydrology.
Soils
Topics of study include soil hydrologic conditions, the evaluation of current and past environmental conditions and the characterization of physiochemical processes in the region’s soils.
Plants
Regions of study include mountain meadows and sierra forest, riparian communities along creeks and streams and the vast open space of the Great Basin rangelands.
Wildlife
Topics of study include interactions between wildlife and land uses, avian ecology, forestry-wildlife relationships, endangered species management, reproductive ecology, nutrition and foraging ecology, predator-prey interactions and population dynamics.
CABNR Student Emergency Fund
Help provide students with critical support needed to continue their University education, despite facing unexpected challenges associated with COVID-19 or other emergencies.
To learn more about the fund