International forestry is a unique focus area within the NAU School of Forestry because of its emphasis on forestry outside of the United States. The nations of the world are becoming more economically and politically interdependent. The International Forestry Focus Area prepares students for work in geographically and culturally diverse regions of the world with an emphasis on developing nations. Students with this background often work with organizations like The Peace Corps, United States Agency for International Development, or International Non-Government Organizations.

Students learn about the ecological characteristics of tropical and arid land forests. They develop comprehensive understanding of how these forests are changing through the activities of humans. Students examine the full range of management approaches from plantations to conservation reserve and major issues that affect forests including biodiversity, deforestation, indigenous use, tourism, and environmental protection. Students are provided the opportunity to take a summer international field course to obtain first hand knowledge about how forestry is practiced in selected countries in Africa and Central America.

Elective courses allow students to gain additional knowledge about a particular geographic area of the world. This helps prepare students for potential work overseas. Through course selection students can also learn about international wildlife issues, multicultural perspectives on managing world forests and international politics. Students in this focus area are invited to participate in special international events during the academic year.

For help in coordinating your courses in the International Forestry Focus Area, please contact:

Mike Wagner
Telephone: 928-523-6646
Email: Mike.Wagner@nau.edu

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 21 October 2009 )