For More Information
Landscape ecologists are in increasing demand in the areas of conservation management, urban planning, and Earth system science. Landscape-level management also increasingly depends on an understanding of coupled natural-human systems, and landscape ecologists need to be trained to understand interdisciplinary linkages between social and ecological sciences, which is a strength in geographic thought.
WHAT IS Landscape Ecology?
Landscape ecology is a key focus within the physical and environment-society subdisciplines of geography. Geographers focusing on landscape ecology use field studies, models, and laboratory activities to measure, quantify, and forecast how ecosystems change across space and time. They work at scales ranging from microbial to sub-continental. Through such geographic analyses, landscape ecologists seek to understand how natural and human disturbances (such as fire or suburban development) influence landscape sustainability, and they make recommendations for managing the landscape. Landscape-level management increasingly depends on an understanding of coupled natural-human systems, and landscape ecologists need to be trained to understand interdisciplinary linkages between social and ecological sciences.
Careers
Students earning the certificate in Landscape Ecology are well positioned to find employment across the business, government, and nonprofit sectors. Landscape ecologists are in increasing demand in the areas of conservation management, urban planning, and Earth system science.
Where Our Graduates Find Jobs
- Conservation International
- Federal Emergency Management Agency
- NASA
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- National Park Service
- Natural Resources Defense Council
- Resources for the Future
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- U.S. Forest Service
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Local, regional, and state planning agencies
- Environmental and engineering consulting firms
- Policy research institutes
- Private corporations
Student Clubs and Organizations
- EcoAction
- Student Clubs and Groups
- Supporting Women in Geography (SWIG)
- UnderDoGS (Undergraduate Students in the Department of Geography)
- Gamma Theta Upsilon Honor Society(Geography honor society)