About the Department

Our vision is to forge a sustainable future where ecosystems and people thrive.

Our mission is to create a bright future for humanity by keeping forests healthy, waterways clean, soils fertile, and native wildlife and fish abundant.

Our diverse and inclusive community fosters new discoveries, pioneers cutting-edge science, prepares students for meaningful careers, inspires the next generation of leaders, and builds partnerships to devise innovative management solutions to the greatest environmental challenges of our time.

We proudly serve with our communities locally to globally to better steward Earth's ecosystems.

We accomplish our mission through Teaching, Research, and Extension.

Our teaching provides undergraduate students hands-on experience with real-world applications, excellent internship experiences, and robust scholarship opportunities. Our graduate education offers master of science and doctor of philosophy degrees rooted in research through our core science and management disciplines.

Research programs focus on generating the new knowledge needed to restore, conserve, and better manage ecosystems to be more sustainable. Research includes all areas of natural and agricultural ecosystems, wildlife and fisheries sciences, forest sciences, hydrological sciences, and soil sciences.

Extension programs led by the Department help people make informed decisions that improve their own well-being and ensure clean water, viable populations of native wildlife, recreational opportunities, attractive communities, and the sustainable production of wood and paper products.

Meet our faculty, staff, and students, and learn more about our academic home. Welcome!

Latest News

August 26, 2024

Salamanders are surprisingly abundant in Northeastern forests, study finds

Two recent studies involving Penn State researchers shed light on the ecological importance of red-backed salamanders and confirmed that proactive measures could prevent costly impacts from a wildlife disease spreading across Europe that has not yet reached North America.

August 22, 2024

$1.95M NSF grant to fund novel study of environmental DNA fate in streams

A bottle of water sampled from a lake or river can reveal what fish, amphibians insects and bacteria are present, thanks to environmental DNA, the genetic material shed by organisms. This way of measuring transforms scientists’ ability to determine the extent of aquatic life in various water bodies, according to a team led by Daniel Allen, assistant professor of aquatic ecology in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.

August 19, 2024

Penn State students awarded USDA pre-doctoral fellowships for research

Ten Penn State students, including nine associated with the College of Agricultural Sciences, have been awarded predoctoral fellowships by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, securing over $1.4 million in total funding.

August 16, 2024

Scott named associate director of Institute of Energy and the Environment

Christopher Scott, a researcher with more than three decades’ experience in international and domestic water, food and energy policy, has been named an associate director of the Institute of Energy and the Environment at Penn State.

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