NR 515 - Natural Resources Policy and Biodiversity

Policy affects virtually all aspects of fish and wildlife conservation, management, and research, and because policy can change in relatively short periods of time, biologists, managers, and other professionals should have a good working knowledge of administrative policy and legislation that influence the natural resources profession. 
Federal and state governments have a substantial impact on how land is managed and where conservation dollars are spent. In NR 515, students review the history and evolution of natural resource policy, administration (including funding), and laws with an emphasis on managing biodiversity. How the legislation and agency rule-making processes work, how issues in natural resource management are analyzed, and how new statutes and policies are formed are covered. The course also addresses how science, advocacy, and public engagement influences policy and decision-making.