Students are able to choose from eight majors, eight minors and 18 concentrations offered by four academic departments within the college. Classes are small enough to allow for discussion and personal interaction with professor and classmates. The classroom is extended to the outdoors and includes field experience in forests, parks and other natural areas. Students develop important skills in communication, problem-solving, critical thinking and teamwork and are exceptionally well-prepared for a lifelong career in natural resources. 

State-of-the-art computer facilities are available to students. Classes in Geographic Information Systems and other management technologies provide students with the tools to be at the top of their natural resources field. Computer facilities are open for general student use as well as specific class instruction.

The story of the College of Natural Resources is a story of people and passion. People who were and are passionately committed to the health and well-being of natural resources and sustaining their many diverse benefits to society. It is a story of a community of faculty, scientists, students, staff, alumni and partners who, for over 100 years, have lead in the development and application of the natural resource and environmental paradigms of the day.

The beginning of the 20th Century brought Giffort Pinchot’s ideas of conservation and wise use to a young, industrializing nation. The origins of the College of Natural Resources coincide with those of the conservation movement and in 1904, the first forestry course was offered to students. Over the next 100 years the College has grown to be the most comprehensive natural resources college in the country with academic, research and outreach programs in forest sciences, fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology, geosciences, geospatial sciences, human dimensions, rangeland ecology, recreation and tourism, watershed management and environmental sciences.

From the early 1900’s through the 1950’s, American’s valued natural resources for economic and human-related benefits – wood to build houses, fish and game to hunt, rangeland to support livestock, minerals and oil for energy. Beginning in the 1960’s, many began to value resources for their non-economic values such as wilderness, clean air and water, and endangered species. The writings of John Muir, who spoke so eloquently of the beauty and wonder of nature, and Aldo Leopold, who wrote of a land ethic and nature as a community of interdependent parts, increasing influenced natural resources rograms. During this time, the College became a pioneer in integrated, whole system approaches to natural resources education, research and outreach. Our Pingree Park summer program and other field courses gave students unique opportunities to apply their classroom learning to the natural world.

In 2005, we retain the guiding notions of conservation which have expanded to include principles of sustainable development, community-based stewardship, environmental sustainability and restoration. The reach of our College programs are now felt in over 63 countries and are grounded in the latest technologies and science. In the 21st Century, as in 1904, we proudly honor our land grant heritage and service to the people and cherished natural resources of Colorado. We also are passionately dedicated to producing natural resources leaders, and solutions that will solve the complex environmental problems of a growing and global society.

Today, we introduce you to the College past and present, and with great pride, welcome you to our exciting future as the Warner College of Natural Resources. We also invite you to please join us as together we write the next chapters of our story.