Pitcher plants grow in a bog in upstate New York. Photo by Chris Kitchen

Natural Resources and the Environment

Our vision

The Department of Natural Resources and the Environment is a world leader in scholarship addressing social and ecological dimensions of natural resources and the environment to improve environmental sustainability, promote the well-being of communities, and ensure access to sustainable energy and environmental resources.

What we work on

We create knowledge and facilitate learning to improve society’s stewardship of the environment and promote a conservation ethos for a sustainable planet.

People standing in a river spearing fish
Aquatic and Fisheries Ecology and Management
Three researchers with mountains in the background
Climate and Energy
A multi-plot garden with crops and shed in the foreground, with a blue sky and the tops of buildings of New York City off in the distance.
Conservation Social Sciences and Policy
Three researchers look into the distance through binoculars.
International Conservation
Three white terns fly in a group against a bright blue sky.
Terrestrial and Wildlife Ecology and Management

Commitment to diversity and inclusion

We are a diverse department of researchers, educators, students and staff that seek science-based solutions to environmental problems and sustainable natural resource management. In our research, teaching and outreach, we recognize that the acknowledgement and respect of all stakeholders’ perspectives is essential for achieving just and sustainable solutions to today’s environmental problems.

Read more about our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

News

Play

Spotlight

We don’t have to choose between people and the planet
  • Cornell AgriTech
  • Cornell Atkinson
  • Cornell Cooperative Extension
A wolf outside

News

Bring back the wolves – but not as heroes or villains

Re-introducing wolves and other predators to landscapes does not miraculously reduce deer populations, restore degraded ecosystems or threaten livestock, according to a new study.

  • Natural Resources and the Environment
  • Animals
  • Environment
Patches of green fields taken from above

News

Cornell Atkinson awards $1.4 million to new sustainability projects

Cornell Atkinson has awarded seed funding to nine interdisciplinary projects that address a range of sustainability topics.

  • Animal Science
  • Biological and Environmental Engineering
  • Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management
Explore more news