By the end of the semester the student will:

I.  Know the history of natural resource conservation and 
describe how societies and humans have valued natural resources 
historically, and how changes in values have altered the use 
and conservation of natural resources 

A.  Describe legacies of natural resources use (e.g., tragedy 
of commons, previous disasters, and previous successes)
B.  Describe changes in human values, management philosophies, 
etc. (exploitation, conservation vs. preservation, 
sustainability, adaptive management)
C.  Know how early legislation was created and the implications 
these pieces of legislation have, past and present, upon 
natural resource policy
  
II.  Know the importance of people, human dimensions, public 
relations, public policy, and private landowners in the 
conservation and management of natural resources, and 
understand how human dimensions information is applied to the
management of natural resources

A.  Identify the societal drivers of change in past, present, 
and future uses and users (stakeholders, cultural groups, etc.) 
of natural resources
B.  Demonstrate the impact of human dimensions information in 
natural resources management 
C.  Identify paradigms for natural resource decision-making and 
planning
D.  Understand the role of public education and communication 
efforts in natural resource management
E.  Know how to use qualitative criteria when assigning non-
economic values to natural resources 

III.  Describe the role of professionals in ethically planning 
and implementing management programs designed to conserve 
natural resources with a minimum of conflicts among public and 
private stakeholders.  
	
A.  Know the current employment opportunities, 
responsibilities, and professional societies in natural resources.
B.  Know how to apply the concept of human dimensions to public 
policy in reference to resource management 
C.  Know how to assimilate social, demographic, political, 
environmental, biological, and geographical information into 
policy decisions
D.  Understand the basics of ethical and moral decision-making
E.  Know how to prepare for and conduct a public meeting 
designed to inform the public and receive their input on 
natural resource management programs

I.  History of human use of natural resources in North America –
changes in societal norms and human attitudes and values 
associated with the environment, wilderness, environmentalism, 
environmental quality, conservation, and preservation.

A.  Native Americans 
  1.  Beliefs and values; effects of beliefs on land-use 
practices; use of fire
  2.  Differences among tribes in their relation to the 
environment

B.  European Colonization 
  1.  Beliefs and values; effects of beliefs on land-use 
practices
  2.  Development of land policy in the United States
  3.  "Myth of Superabundance" and exploitation of natural 
resources

C.  The Land Ethic, preservation, and conservation of natural 
resources
  1.  Early conservationists – Pinchot, Muir, Roosevelt, 
Leopold 
  2.  Development of national forests, national parks, etc.
  3.  Key legislation and implications for policy

II. Current and future changes and issues – perceptions and 
assessment of modern environmental issues, decision-makers, and 
natural resource conservation

A.  Agencies, organizations, agendas, and philosophies
  1.  Major legislation and governmental policies that affect 
natural resources
  2.  Current issues and philosophies that affect managerial 
decisions

B.  Decision-making in natural resources
  1.  Preparing for and conducting public meetings dealing with 
natural resources
  2.  Use of information facilitation and technology in 
conservation education 
  3.  Role of science vs. politics in resource management 
decisions; role of lobbyists in decision-making 
  4.  Incorporating traditional and nontraditional data in 
natural resource management decisions 

C.  Human dimensions and natural resource conservation
  1.  Basic concepts of human dimensions
  2.  Paradigms for natural resource decision-making and 
planning 
  3.  Past, current & future socio-demographic changes, issues, 
and trends
  4.  Urban-wildland interface and development pressure

D.  Resource-dependent communities
  1.  Subsistence hunting
  2.  Logging on public vs. private forests – local community 
effects (social, economic, and ecological)
  3.  Eco-tourism and restoration of species

III.  The role of natural resources professionals

A.  How to resolve conflicting demands and pressures on natural 
resource management
  1.  Diverse stakeholders and conflict resolution

B.  Professional ethics
  1.  Codes of ethics and standards of professional conduct
  2.  Understanding and evaluating moral dilemmas

All academic work must meet the standards contained in the 
University’s academic honesty policy (see “A Culture of 
Honesty”; www.uga.edu/ovpi).  All students are responsible for 
informing themselves about those standards before performing 
any academic work.  The penalties for academic dishonesty are 
severe (see “Sanctions for Dishonesty”; www.uga.edu/ovpi), and 
ignorance is not an acceptable defense.