Wildlife Tourism Certificate

Career Description: People in the natural resource field often become involved with issues like biodiversity, environmental pollution, endangered species, and the future quality of human life. To prepare for this field, students will gain the skills needed for assessing, implementing and evaluating land and water practices as part of an integrated wildlife program. Graduates in natural resources use their knowledge and develop skills in forestry, fisheries, wildlife, and parks and recreation. They have learned the identification of organisms, methods for collecting data, and resource management principles.

Program Information: The Central Lakes College Natural Resources Program provides students a well-rounded background in natural resources, preparing them for work in a variety of fields including wildlife and fisheries management, forestry, water resources, or parks and interpretation. The natural resources core courses include a strong outdoor laboratory component which allows students to reinforce classroom learning by applying it in environmental settings. The outdoor focus, a cornerstone of the program, also prepares students to work safely and effectively in the field, skills critically important to potential employers. The relatively small size of the Natural Resources Program allows students full access to their instructors and to get to know other students and forge life-long friendships.

Program Outcomes:
Graduates will be able to:

• Demonstrate field identification of regionally important plants, mammals, birds and fish and their communities;
• Use a broad range of technological tools to research, document, map, measure, record and analyze data relevant to natural resources;
• Interpret how ecological relationships influence plants, mammals, birds and fish distribution, succession and biodiversity in ecosystems;
• Analyze land characteristics and create land management plans;
• Communicate in oral and written forms with supervisors, peers, area visitors and natural resource agencies;
• Navigate and safely function in an outdoor workplace.

Special Program Requirements: This is generally an outdoor program with some physical activity, such as walking, hiking, and working in forests and streams. Most of our equipment is light, but fire training certification to fight fires requires a 3 mile walk with a 45 pound pack in 45 minutes.

Transfer Opportunities: Students have the opportunity to transfer to colleges like University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point, WI and the University of Minnesota at Crookston, MN with this degree.

Career Opportunities: Employment opportunities include seasonal and part-time work and internships while in school. The best opportunities for full-time work will require a bachelor’s degree from a four-year university in one of the natural resource areas or from a more holistic natural resource management degree.

Career Titles: This program will help students prepare for a wide range of careers, including the following: forester, forestry technician, wildlife manager, wildlife technician, fisheries manager, fisheries technician, parks manager, parks technician, naturalist, hydrologist, soils scientist, non-game wildlife personnel, natural resource conservation personnel, biologist, and plant taxonomist.

Employment Statistics

For more information regarding employment statistics, career salary information and estimated job growth, follow the resource links below:

https://apps.deed.state.mn.us/lmi/ces/
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/home.htm
http://www.iseek.org/jobs/jobmarket.html