Specialize in the Planning and Management of Outdoor Recreation
The Forest Recreation program at University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point prepares students to support the many social, environmental, and economic benefits of recreation in forests and parks. Offered as both a major and a minor, the program provides students with the knowledge and hands-on experience needed to plan, manage, and enhance outdoor recreation opportunities on public and private lands.
The Forest Recreation Major prepares students for careers in outdoor recreation management, park planning, visitor services, and public land stewardship, while the Forest Recreation Minor complements studies in natural resources, environmental science, tourism, sustainability, and related fields. Through in-person, experiential learning opportunities, students gain practical skills in trail design, recreation planning, visitor experience management, and collaboration with agencies that protect and manage forests and parks.
Whether you are interested in improving outdoor experiences, promoting conservation through recreation, or managing parks and public lands, the Forest Recreation program provides a strong foundation for creating meaningful and sustainable recreation opportunities.
Forest Recreation Major
Why Study Forest Recreation at UW-Stevens Point?
Plan and manage nature-based recreation opportunities in forests and parks with a degree in forest recreation.
Alumni Map
Where are they now?
UW-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources alumni live and work worldwide! Check out our map if you are interested in exploring job or networking opportunities close to home.
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WHAT TO EXPECT
An integrated curriculum designed to ensure you are ready for a career in forest recreation after graduation. The forest recreation program is flexible to help meet your professional objectives through career pathway courses. Our program is accredited by the Society of American Foresters, assuring your degree meets the quality standards established by the profession.
From federal and state to private entities, our graduates have jobs in all sectors of the employment spectrum. Job titles include:
- Forestry Technician
- Parks and Recreation Specialist
- Visitor Use Specialist
- Recreation Supervisor
- Recreation Management Specialist
- Parks Supervisor
- Recreation and Trails Steward
- Lands and Recreation Assistant
GET INVOLVED ON CAMPUS
Discover your passions, build your resume, and make friends along the way! Whether joining a student organization, working at one of our centers, or participating in research at one of our three field stations, there are plenty of opportunities for you to get involved.
- Join the student chapter of the Park and Recreation Association, the Society of American Foresters, or any of our other 200+ student organizations housed within Campus Activities and Student Engagement.
- Read the CNR Reporter, a weekly newsletter, for information on upcoming presentations, student organization meeting times, and other important happenings on and around campus.
Navigate Your Major
Forestry
Major Maps help you map your first day to the first job in your chosen field. While a four-year plan outlines the classes needed to earn a degree, Major Maps help you learn how to build career-ready skills and gain hands-on experience outside the classroom. Each Major Map shows how you can get the most out of your UW-Stevens Point journey from enrollment to graduation and beyond. It’s a roadmap to discovering your purpose!
GAIN EXPERIENCE OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM
You will gain additional hands-on experiences in all areas of natural resource management during a required summer field experience generally taken between your sophomore and junior years. You can choose between our six-week, hands-on summer field experience held at our Treehaven field station or on-campus, or take part in our European Environmental Seminar and learn how European natural resource management compares to the United States.
You must also participate in one summer of an advisor-approved forestry internship or employment. A few examples include:
- Parks and Recreation Specialist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
- Forestry Technician (Recreation), United States Forest Service
- Recreation Intern, Schmeeckle Reserve
- Park Manager, Portage County Parks
- Visitor Services Associate, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Forest Recreation Minor
The Forest Recreation Minor at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point (UWSP) prepares students to plan, manage, and enhance outdoor recreation opportunities in forests and parks. This in-person, hands-on minor equips you with the skills needed to design trails, create recreation plans, manage visitor experiences, and partner with agencies that protect and manage public lands.
Why Choose the Forest Recreation Minor
- Work directly with public lands and community recreation projects
- Learn trail-building, site design, and recreation planning
- Contribute to outdoor recreation that balances human use and environmental health
- Partner with public agencies, nonprofits, and private recreation groups
Whether you’re passionate about sustainable tourism, outdoor leadership, or recreation planning, this minor helps you turn your interests into real-world impact.
Who Should Consider This Minor?
This minor is perfect for students majoring in:
- Environmental Education and Interpretation
- Conservation Law Enforcement
- Forestry – Urban and Community Forestry
- Forestry – Forest Management
- Conservation and Community Planning
- Wildlife Ecology
- Environmental Science and Management
No matter your background, if you are interested in the non-timber benefits of forests, like recreation, wellness, and community engagement, this minor is for you.
What You Will Learn
Through core courses and flexible electives, students build expertise in:
- Forest recreation planning and site design
- Visitor use management and tourism
- Trail design and maintenance
- Public lands stewardship
- Community-based recreation and environmental education
Students also gain hands-on experience through applied projects and partnerships with local outdoor recreation providers and land management agencies.
Career Paths
This minor supports a variety of outdoor and natural resource careers, including:
- Park Ranger
- Outdoor Recreation Planner
- Community Recreation Coordinator
- Trail Development Specialist
- Ecotourism Guide or Consultant
- Forest or Park Manager
- Public Lands Outreach Specialist
Graduates are equipped to make a real difference by designing and managing recreational experiences that benefit both people and the planet.
Program Overview
- Credits Required: Varies (13 credits of core courses + flexible electives)
- Format: In-person, applied learning
- Eligibility: Open to all UWSP students
Learn More
Explore the Forest Recreation Minor through the UWSP Catalog page or connect with your academic adviser to learn more.
Meet Your Faculty and Staff
Our faculty members within the Forestry discipline bring a wide array of knowledge and experience to our indoor and outdoor classrooms at UW-Stevens Point.
View all our faculty and staff.
Accreditation
Accreditation is a process that shows a program meets high standards for quality and education. When a program is accredited, it means an external organization has reviewed it to ensure you are learning the skills and knowledge needed for success in college, careers, and the workforce. Accreditation also demonstrates our commitment to continuous improvement and to providing you with a strong educational experience.
Society of American Foresters Accreditation
Our Ecosystem Restoration and Management, Forest Management, Forest Recreation, and Urban and Community Forestry programs are all accredited by the Society of American Foresters (SAF). The mission of the UW-Stevens Point Forestry Program is to provide interdisciplinary, application-based educational programs that develop ethical, employable forestry professionals with the expertise to manage resources sustainably to best develop and train students today for the future.
Find more information on program outcomes, retention and graduation rates, and job placement and graduate school rates.
Preamble
Service to society is the cornerstone of any profession. The profession of forestry serves society by fostering stewardship of the world’s forests. Because forests provide valuable resources and perform critical ecological functions, they are vital to the wellbeing of both society and the biosphere.
Members of SAF have a deep and enduring love for the land, and are inspired by the profession’s historic traditions, such as Gifford Pinchot’s utilitarianism and Aldo Leopold’s ecological conscience. In their various roles as practitioners, teachers, researchers, advisers, and administrators, foresters seek to sustain and protect a variety of forest uses and attributes, such as aesthetic values, air and water quality, biodiversity, recreation, timber production, and wildlife habitat.
The purpose of this Code of Ethics is to protect and serve society by inspiring, guiding, and governing members in the conduct of their professional lives. Compliance with the code demonstrates members’ respect for the land and their commitment to the long-term management of ecosystems, and ensures just and honorable professional and human relationships, mutual confidence and respect, and competent service to society.
On joining the SAF, members assume a special responsibility to the profession and to society by promising to uphold and abide by the following:
Principles and Pledges
Foresters have a responsibility to manage land for both current and future generations. We pledge to practice and advocate management that will maintain the long-term capacity of the land to provide the variety of materials, uses, and values desired by landowners and society.
Society must respect forest landowners’ rights and correspondingly, landowners have a land stewardship responsibility to society. We pledge to practice and advocate forest management in accordance with landowner objectives and professional standards, and to advise landowners of the consequences of deviating from such standards.
Sound science is the foundation of the forestry profession. We pledge to strive for continuous improvement of our methods and our personal knowledge and skills; to perform only those services for which we are qualified; and in the biological, physical, and social sciences to use the most appropriate data, methods, and technology.
Public policy related to forests must be based on both scientific principles and societal values. We pledge to use our knowledge and skills to help formulate sound forest policies and laws; to challenge and correct untrue statements about forestry; and to foster dialogue among foresters, other professionals, landowners, and the public regarding forest policies.
Honest and open communication, coupled with respect for information given in confidence, is essential to good service. We pledge to always present, to the best of our ability, accurate and complete information; to indicate on whose behalf any public statements are made; to fully disclose and resolve any existing or potential conflicts of interest; and to keep proprietary information confidential unless the appropriate person authorizes its disclosure.
Professional and civic behavior must be based on honesty, fairness, good will, and respect for the law. We pledge to conduct ourselves in a civil and dignified manner; to respect the needs, contributions, and viewpoints of others; and to give due credit to others for their methods, ideas, or assistance.
Forestry
Forestry
If you love the woods and are interested in sustainable management, you will feel at home in the forestry discipline at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Our program prepares you for diverse careers, from managing urban forests and parks in bustling cities to restoring ecosystems and overseeing vast rural woodlands. Whether you’re passionate about urban green spaces or the expansive wilderness, our specialized majors and hands-on experience ensure you are ready to make a positive impact in both urban and rural environments.
College of Natural Resources
800 Reserve Street
Stevens Point, WI 54481-3897
715-346-4617
cnr@uwsp.edu
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