Program Overview
The Natural Resources-Water Quality AAS program equips graduates with skills in water quality monitoring, stream and wetland restoration, and natural resource management. Through coursework in ecology, GIS, and field techniques, graduates gain knowledge and practical experience to work in various outdoor careers, including water quality analysis, habitat management, and environmental consulting. The program emphasizes ecosystem management, data collection and analysis, and effective communication.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
The Natural Resources-Water Quality AAS program prepares graduates to work in various outdoor careers. Graduates monitor stream, lake, and wetland systems for water quality and functions of physical, biological, and chemical parameters. They identify plants and animals using taxonomic keys. They assist wetlands delineation and GPS/map their location. Graduates also apply and follow environmental regulations regarding stream and wetland protection.
Program Objectives:
- Demonstrate knowledge of ecosystem management techniques to develop forest management objectives related to fire ecology and restoration, riparian and wildlife management including harvest and silvicultural prescriptions.
- Demonstrate knowledge of biological, abiotic, and cultural ecosystems as they apply to natural resource management in today’s society.
- Utilize the latest technology in forest navigation, mapping, planning, and implementation of forest management practices.
- Demonstrate skills to accurately collect, analyze, and present a variety of natural resources data collected using the latest field techniques for useful outputs.
- Demonstrate good verbal and written communications to disseminate information effectively to a variety of audiences.
- Use water sampling techniques, including water chemistry, profile and cross-sectional analysis, as well as habitat components of streams.
- Understand keystone salmonid ecology and interactions with PNW ecology and culture.
- Identify healthy streams and reaches with restoration potential and be able to list the key steps required to restore habitat back to reference reach conditions.
Careers:
Graduates of the Natural Resources-Water Quality AAS program may find employment in various fields, including:
- Water quality monitoring and analysis
- Stream and wetland restoration
- Wildlife habitat management
- Forest management
- Environmental consulting Graduates may also work for government agencies, non-profit organizations, or private companies.
