We take a multidisciplinary approach to tackle the biggest challenges of our time.

Unique among peer institutions in the United States, the breadth of disciplinary expertise in the section of Natural Resources and the Environment within the Ashley School of Global Development and the Environment – from ethics and social sciences to conservation genetics and applied ecology – creates a stimulating multidisciplinary atmosphere for our students, staff, faculty and visiting scholars. We have strong collaborative ties across Cornell University, other universities, governmental agencies, and leading environmental and conservation organizations.

Consistently ranked among the top college environmental programs in the nation, we contribute creative and impactful science and education to address many of the urgent environmental issues of the 21st century. We provide essential information to communities, conservation and environmental professionals, policymakers, educators and researchers worldwide.

Contact us

Mailing address:
226 Mann Drive
111 Fernow Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853

Please visit our people website to see individual contact emails

Did you know?

Founded in 1911

The section was founded by Liberty Hyde Bailey in 1911 as the Department of Forestry.

Fernow Hall

Originally built in 1915, the section’s home, Fernow Hall, underwent a major renovation in 2014 and is now LEED Gold certified.

Pioneering firsts

Early faculty members wrote foundational textbooks that shaped the field of natural resources as we know it.

News

person standing front of aquatic tank

News

Kelsey Alvarez del Castillo published the second paper documenting her studies on round goby in the Transactions of the American Fisheries Society in January 2026. Round Goby are a highly invasive fish species that have recently invaded the...
  • Biological Field Station
  • Ashley School of Global Development and the Environment
  • Natural Resources and the Environment Section
Person standing in front of a saildrone

News

Kayden Nasworthy’s paper on the dark refuge for mysids was accepted last week in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. He used uncrewed surface vessels – Saildrones – to collect hydroacoustic data in Lake Michigan and Lake...
  • Biological Field Station
  • Ashley School of Global Development and the Environment
  • Natural Resources and the Environment Section