tree canopy

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

Logan Lee aboard a Cornell Biological Field Station boat

News

Mussels helping mayflies flex in return to Oneida Lake

Quagga mussels – the deleterious invasive species from Eastern Europe seen throughout Oneida Lake – may provide an unexpected benefit for the life cycle of mayflies: They’re flourishing.

  • Water
  • Biological Field Station
  • Natural Resources
Local beekeepers and researchers examine an open log with a Melipona favosa nest during a workshop

News

Beekeeping, hydropower: Cornell Atkinson awards nearly $1M in grants

Cornell Atkinson’s annual Academic Venture Fund will provide nearly $1 million in seed funding to support research teams across five colleges and 11 departments, many with key external partnerships.

  • Cornell Atkinson
  • Animal Science
  • Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Group tours watershed site

News

New report on conservation, land-use in the Hudson River Estuary Watershed
The new report, Natural Resource Protection in the Hudson Valley: Municipal Conservation Stories, presents case studies from seven Hudson Valley towns and highlights the experiences, challenges, and successes of elected officials and municipal...
  • Department of Global Development
  • Natural Resources and the Environment
  • Environment
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