Skip to main content
NRM 230 Technique Course at Oak Lake Field Station

Department of Natural Resource Management

Welcome to the wide world of Natural Resources!

landscape

If you love the outdoors and want to learn how best to conserve and manage our natural resources, then please check us out! Our areas of scientific expertise enable us to train a diverse array of disciplines at the undergraduate and graduate level utilizing interdisciplinary approaches while preparing them for a multitude of career options. South Dakota's natural resources are a key factor in maintaining a high-quality workforce throughout our state. Moreover, the quality of life for many people is intimately tied to their enjoyment of natural areas.
Read More From Our Department Head

More about the NRM

NRM Vision Statement

Department of Natural Resource Management faculty members aspire to national distinction in undergraduate and graduate education, national distinction as leaders in natural resource research and provision of indispensable service to the people of South Dakota and the Northern Great Plains and beyond related to contemporary natural resource management issues and university strategic goals.

Mission Statements

Academic Programs —Train students as scholars and managers of distinction who will contribute to sustainable regional, national and international conservation and management of natural resources.

Research and Scholarly Activity — Determine research needs and address those needs through basic and applied investigations and student mentoring to promote biodiversity and sustainable use and management of natural resources.

Outreach and Service — Transfer critical information on the sustainable use of natural resources to the public as well as serve professional, governmental and citizen organizations.

Fast Facts (as of 2022-2023 Academic Year)

Number of Students

305
Undergraduate
60
Graduate & Postdoc

Number of Faculty

19

Number of Undergraduate Fields of Study

5

Number of 2021–2022 Department Scholarship Recipients

61

Announcements:

 

 

NRM Undergraduate Reception

Department of Natural Resource Management News

See All Our News
National Park Service logo

SDSU researchers working to restore native plants to national parks

Lora Perkins, associate professor in South Dakota State University's Department of Natural Resource Management, is working with the National Park Service on a three-year, $900,000 project to restore native plants to the national parks, memorials and monuments of the northern Great Plains.

Can wild foods positively contribute to a person's diet?

Many countries around the world struggle with food insecurity, forcing citizens to search for nourishment on their own. In some countries, wild food—or food that grows naturally in forests and on common land—is relied upon to supplement the daily caloric intake.

Robert Streeter: International advocate for wildlife conservation

Robert Streeter, a 1963 wildlife conservation alum from near Madison, South Dakota, has left an impactful and lasting mark on the conservation and management of wetlands and wildlife across North America through his 30-plus year career with the U.S.