Students can incorporate a restoration emphasis into their undergraduate and graduate programs.
For undergraduates of any academic major, a unique undergraduate research or fieldwork opportunity complements coursework to allow students to gain solid work experience in conjunction with an independent project to investigate and apply restoration principles on the ground. We are surrounded by ecosystems of outstanding beauty and tremendous natural and cultural value, like the Grand Canyon and the forests and grasslands of the Colorado Plateau. But many of these landscapes have been severely degraded over the past century as a consequence of livestock grazing, old-growth tree harvesting, and exclusion of the natural frequent fire regime. Our goal is to bring together managers, scientists, and all people concerned with the management of these ecosystems to build a consensus on appropriate methods for restoring and sustaining ecosystem health. Among the projects currently underway are collaborations with the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Forest Service, and the Arizona National Guard.