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A.A.S. Environmental & Natural Resources Conservation
The Program
The Ranger School's one-plus-one plan requires students to complete 30 credit hours of coursework in liberal arts and science at an accredited college during their freshman year and an additional 45 credit hours at the Wanakena campus during the second year of the program.
The environmental and natural resources conservation program provides students with the scientific theory and applied skills necessary for a technical career in the environmental and natural resources sector. This program will provide students with a solid grounding in applied ecological and sociopolitical concepts, accompanied by technical training in plant and tree identification, land surveying, natural resources measurements, geospatial applications, soil and water monitoring, wildlife techniques, and forest recreation.
Admission
High school students are encouraged to apply for admission by following the application proceedures listed on page 9. Accepted applicants will be guaranteed a place for their sophomore year at Wanakena upon successful completion of the first year 
requirements. Students not applying while in high school should apply in the fall semester of their freshman year of college. All applicants are encouraged to contact The Ranger School to arrange for a tour of the campus and its facilities.
Facilities and Equipment
All classes are taught at The Ranger School, which houses the classrooms, library and computer lab, in addition to student residence facilities. The Ranger School's 2,800-acre forest provides an excellent outdoor laboratory for fieldwork and hands-on learning.
Employment Opportunities
The knowledge and skill set provided by this program will aptly meet the career objectives of applicants seeking employment as field or laboratory technicians in the environmental and natural resources sector, such as environmental conservation, recreation, wildlife, forestry, and soil and water conservation. This program will also be of value to those wishing to pursue a baccalaureate degree or other additional education and training.
Combining Associate and Bachelor Degrees
There are several advantages of combining a Ranger School associate's degree with a B.S. degree at the Syracuse campus of ESF. Ranger School graduates who go on to pursue the bachelor's degree have a solid field education as well as a managerial orientation and the deeper ecological and social understanding provided by the professional curriculum.
Students wishing to transfer from the associate degree programs at the Ranger School to a Department of Forest and Natural Resources Management bachelor degree at the Syracuse campus will be given credit for the summer session in field forestry. They will still have to complete some physical sciences, social sciences, and humanities requirements while in residence at Syracuse, depending on prior preparation. Transfer credit hours from the sophomore year of the associate degree program will be counted toward the B.S. degree, and will vary depending on the associate and bachelor degrees selected. All other requirements as set forth in the bachelor degreeprogram option must be met.
Students contemplating subsequent transfer to a bachelor degree should complete the first semester in chemistry, one semester in physics, and a course in calculus prior to transferring. It is possible to be admitted without these courses, but subsequent progress in the program will extend time to degree completion.
Course of Study
First Year – Completed at ESF or a transfer college**
Course |
Credit Hours |
| General Biology with lab | 4 |
| Science Course with lab (Biology, Chemistry, or Physics) | 4 |
| English with a focus on writing (Two 3-credit courses) | 6 |
| Trigonometry (1 course) | 3 |
| Policy/Government (1 course) | 3 |
| Electives* (3 or 4 courses) | 10 |
| Total Maximum Transfer Credits | 30 |
**See list of cooperative transfer colleges.
Second Year – Completed at The Ranger School
First Semester
Course |
Credit Hours |
| FTC 200 Dendrology | 3 |
| FTC 202 Introduction to Surveying | 3 |
| FTC 204 Intro to Natural Resources Measurements | 4 |
| FTC 206 Forest Ecology | 4 |
| FTC 207 Forest Safety | 1 |
| FTC 208 Geographic Information Technology | 3 |
FTC 209 Adirondack Cultural Ecology | 3 |
| Total | 21 |
Second Semester
Course |
Credit Hours |
| FTC 211 Silviculture | 4 |
| FTC 219 Introduction to Forest Recreation | 1 |
| FTC 221 Natural Resources Management | 3 |
| FTC 223 Water Measurements | 1 |
| FTC 232 Wildlife Techniques | 2 |
| FTC 234 Wildlife Conservation | 3 |
| FTC 236 Interpretive Techniques in Forest Rec | 2 |
| FTC 237 Intro to Water and Soil Resources | 3 |
| FTC 238 Forest Insects and Disease | 3 |
| FTC 239 GIS Applications | 2 |
| Total | 24 |
