The Department of Forestry at the University of Tennessee was established in 1964 and renamed the Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries in 1977. It became the School of Natural Resources in January 2023. The School has a fully accredited academic program as recognized by the Society of American Foresters and is the only professional forestry program in the state.
The mission of the School is: “To advance the science and sustainable management of natural resources to promote their health, utilization, and appreciation in Tennessee, the region and beyond through programs in teaching, research, and extension.”
Graduate study within the School began in 1966 when a Master of Science with a major in Forestry was approved by the University of Tennessee Graduate Council. The Master of Science in Wildlife and Fisheries Science was established in 1970. A non‑thesis option for the Master of Science in Forestry was initiated in 1979, and a Doctoral program in Natural Resources was approved in 2002.
Financial support for much of the research within the School comes from a myriad of federal and state agencies, private organizations and corporations. Relationships exist in the form of grants, memoranda of understanding, cooperative research agreements, employee training, use of facilities, equipment and field sites, and other resource sharing activities.
The professional staff consists of the School Director, research/teaching professors, Extension professors, adjunct professors, professors emeritus, and numerous post-doctoral fellows, research or extension associates, assistants, and technicians. Cooperation with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Tennessee Department of Conservation, Tennessee Division of Forestry, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, and various forest industries further strengthens the teaching and research programs of the School. The School has about 37-50 graduate students enrolled throughout the year, with many receiving financial support from various funding sources.
