Land Trust or Preserve Managers

High School

Recommended high school course work for those interested in scientific work includes biology, chemistry, and physics as well as botany and ecology. All potential land trust or preserve managers can benefit from courses in business, computer science, English, and speech.

Postsecondary Training

At the undergraduate level, you might get a natural science degree, such as zoology, biology, or botany. There has also been growing interest in degrees in conservation biology, which focuses on the conservation of specific plant and animal communities, from schools such as the University of Wisconsin-Madison (https://www.wisc.edu/academics/majors). Another key program is the School of the Environment (https://environment.yale.edu) at Yale University. Land and water conservation is a popular field, so if you are interested in the natural science areas, you are advised to earn at least a master's degree.

Certification

Many colleges and universities offer certificate programs in environmental studies, sustainability, land management, range management, and related fields. For example, the University of Wisconsin-Madison offers certificate programs in both environmental studies and sustainability. Yale University offers a certificate in tropical forest landscapes. Certificate programs typically last six months to a year and are available in online, in-person, and hybrid formats. Contact schools in your area for information about available programs.

Other Education or Training

The Land Trust Alliance offers continuing education opportunities at Rally: The National Land Conservation Conference (https://alliancerally.org), as well as via webinars and symposia. The Nature Conservancy, Student Conservation Association, National Wildlife Federation, Society for Range Management, and other environmental and professional organizations also provides classes, seminars, workshops, and webinars that educate people about wildlife and land conservation, land acquisition and management, and other key environmental issues.