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 Department of Natural Resources 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

Phone for general inquiries:
(607) 255-2821 or (607) 255-2822

Fax: (607) 255-0349

Department facts

Founded in 1911

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

Fernow Hall

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

Department firsts

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

News

A bobcats face with the forest behind it.

News

With thousands of strategically placed cameras covering more than 27,000 square miles in central and western New York, Cornell biologists show that bobcat populations remain critically low.

  • Natural Resources and the Environment
  • Animals
  • Environment
white tailed deer bounding through a field

News

Deer hunters were more likely to be swayed by social media messages about the potential risks of chronic wasting disease if they came from a source they believed aligned with their own views and values.

  • Communication
  • Animals
  • Natural Resources and the Environment