Professionals working in these fields spend a mixture of time working outside in the field and inside in the office or lab. Minors in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) or Chemistry are recommended.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has identified a critical national shortage in professionals with the ability to identify plants in the field. Our program requires a strong foundation in plant sciences with courses in botany, plant taxonomy, and plant ecology. It is unique in requiring substantial geographic information systems (GIS) coursework, an emphasis on invasive plant species and natural areas management, a required internship, and a strong senior capstone experience.