FOR 466: Natural Resources Policy

Course Code: FOR 466

Course Description

This course is an introduction to public policy and regulatory processes in the United States with a focus on the history of federal and state involvement in environmental decision-making. In the first half of class, students will learn the nuts and bolts of environmental policy by examining why and how we regulate. We will explore different theories of regulation and how regulatory tools have been applied to natural resource issues. In the second half of class, students will examine the history of environmental policy by focusing on different natural resources and environmental topics. We will start with the National Environmental Policy Act and then explore other key environmental statutes, including the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and more.

Course Objectives Learning Outcomes

The primary course objectives for this course are:

Understand how U.S. policy is made and how these processes affect natural resource decision-making.
Understand the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of regulation including history of environmental and natural resource law.
Differentiate different scales and theory of policy and how they can be applied to different natural resource issues.

By successfully completing this course, you should be able to:

Evaluate how each branch of the federal government, state governments, and nongovernment entities (including the media), affect the development and implementation of natural resource policy.
Apply different theories of policy-making to multiple scenarios and assess the implications of different approaches to environmental regulation
Explain the role of the judiciary and the legislative branches of governments and how they affect environmental decisions.
Understand current events in the context of natural resource policy history.
Refine your communication, writing, and team skills.