About the Department
The Department of Ecosystem Science and Management is Penn State’s home for the conservation and sustainable management of our natural resources.
We are united by our mission to solve conservation problems by conducting innovative research and training tomorrow’s natural resource leaders.
We believe an environment of diversity and respect is critical to achieve and sustain excellence in learning, teaching, and research.
We closely follow our industry and take the lead with new ideas. We boast state-of-the-art facilities and world-class faculty with years of working experience in their fields.
Student success drives the department. Our undergraduate majors offer hands-on science with real-world applications, excellent internship experiences, and robust scholarship opportunities. Our graduate programs offer master of science and doctor of philosophy degrees rooted in research through our core science and management disciplines.
Research is conducted in the science, technology, and management needed to sustain our natural resources. This critical work is facilitated through the core disciplines of forest health, ecosystem function and service, ecosystem management, and watershed resilience. Research includes the ecology of natural and agricultural ecosystems, wildlife and fisheries sciences, forest sciences, hydrological sciences and soil sciences. Our wide range of disciplines provides opportunities to tackle complex environmental problems in a wide array of ecosystems. It also allows for diverse training for students, citizens, and youth in advanced ecosystem management.
Meet our faculty, staff, and students, and learn more about our academic home. Welcome!
Latest News
August 2, 2021
Nitrous oxide emissions, coming from legume cover crops, manure, can be reduced
The application of manure after the growth and demise of legume cover crops in rotations is a recipe to increase nitrous oxide releases during ensuing corn growth, according to a team of Penn State researchers who conducted a new study. They suggest that innovative management strategies are needed to reduce these emissions.
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July 14, 2021
When fawns perceive constant danger from many sources, they almost seem to relax
Burnout. It is a syndrome that is said to afflict humans who feel chronic stress. But after conducting a novel study using trail cameras showing the interactions between white-tailed deer fawns and predators, a Penn State researcher suggests that prey animals feel it, too.
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July 8, 2021
Water resources professor receives 2021 Black Award for excellence in research
Elizabeth Boyer, professor of water resources in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, is the 2021 recipient of the Alex and Jessie C. Black Award for excellence in research.
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July 1, 2021
Loss of biodiversity in streams threatens vital biological process
The fast-moving decline and extinction of many species of detritivores — organisms that break down and remove dead plant and animal matter — may have dire consequences, an international team of scientists suggests in a new study.
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Department of Ecosystem Science and Management
- Office 814-865-7541
- Fax 814-865-3725
