Mission Statement

The Butte College Natural Resources Management Program prepares students for employment in the areas of forestry, wildlife, range, environment, and park/recreational-land management, including ecological restoration, or transfer to a higher institution. The Program also meets the needs of community residents and industry employees (government and/or private sector) requiring vocational enhancement, updating and/or training in the areas mentioned above. 

Program Description

This program currently serves approximately 92 full-time students in an AS degree program and a number of others moving through one of three, one-year certificate programs with full and part-time faculty. Students not transferring to universities move into paid employment immediately following the completion of our program. 

The Program currently has one primary full-time instructor and one part-time instructor to meet the instructional needs for students to obtain classes. However, there is a need for additional sections and part-time instructors to meet future needs. The Farm Technician plays an integral part in helping Natural Resources Management Program students in utilizing the Main Campus’ Wildlife Refuge as an outdoor classroom for laboratory activities as well as AGR/NR 99 work experience. The Nursery Technician also plays an important part in the Program by caring for plants to be used in the restoration class and by helping students with science projects involving plants for the environmental management class.

The Program’s Advisory Committee met this past fall and new recommendations have been suggested such as: Importance of communication skills (written and oral), proficiency in using digital technology, a good understanding of work-place safety, proficiency in the use of hand tools, and GIS/GIS skills. Résumé writing, interview, and other job attainment skills are important as well. Job experience was emphasized and methods to obtain experience were suggested. For example, seasonal employment, internships, ride-along, and job shadowing.
Make sure students have “interview skills”, the ability to “make conversation with strangers”, and be able to communicate ”what they can do for their employer." The proposal of adding a dendrology/native plant identification course and a forestry technician certificate of achievement to the Program was well received. There was also the discussion of possibly including an Integrated Pest Management course into the Program.
In conclusion, all of the committee members have had contact with our students, many have provided internship and employment. All spoke favorably of our students and looked forward to receiving more. These new recommendations will be implemented or enhanced in current courses. Past recommendations have been implemented in the past few years with the creation of NR 70, Geospatial Data Applications and NR 40, Watershed Ecology and Habitat Restoration, along with supplements to the curriculum of previously existing courses. 

Student Learning/Administrative Unit Outcomes

SLO assessment report for NR 26, spring 2015 was achieved by embedding 7 questions in exam two regarding SLO "E" with a mean of 83.7% correct.
Two questions, (#'s 14 and 26), 68% and 66% respectively, were a little lower on correct scores than is tolerable.
Question 14 it seems there may have been too much emphasis on other problem areas and therefore, the students immediately went to those areas for answers. For example, students might have answered the biome that is most at risk due to over-harvest of organisms might be the tropical rainforest biome due to it's ongoing issues with slash and burn agriculture. In reality, it is the marine biome with it's over fishing. More emphasis will be placed on this in future semesters.
Question 26 students replied that the first symptom of range overgrazing is usually desertification because of the emphasis placed on this as an ultimate outcome. However, this is not one of the first signs of overgrazing but rather the disappearance of palatable herbs. Again, more emphasis will be placed on this in future semesters.
SLO assessment report for NR 20, fall 2014 was achieved by embedding seventeen questions in exam three regarding SLO "F" with a mean of 84.38% correct.
Three questions, (#'s 34, 36, and 42), 69%, 56%, 44% respectively, were a little lower on correct scores than is tolerable.
#34 deals with what percentage of fires in the Southern region of the U.S. were willfully set. Possible answers here were 10, 25, 40, and 75 percent. The possible reason so many students missed this question, although results were much better than the other two questions, could be that it is pure memorization as opposed to a concept.
#36 States the , "On steep slopes and mountainous terrain, fire lines are constructed by using:" Possible answers here are A) hand tools, B) bulldozers, C) tractors, or D) both a and c.
#42 states, "Efforts to educate people in the methods of fire prevention:" Possible answers here are A) historically have been futile, B) are worth the cost, C) include many surefire slogans, D) all of the above.
#'s 36 and 42 present a little more of a problem in coming up with a reason for low scores. I will try rewording the questions somewhat because they are covered thoroughly in the text and lecture.
The three questions with lower than average scores will be emphasized with greater detail in lecture during the fall 2015 semester. Questions may also need to be reworded for a better understanding of the possible answers.
SLO assessment report for NR 28, fall 2013 was assessed by a full scientific research project assigned and evaluated using a rubric designed to quantify each step in the scientific method used by the student. Mean score for this assessment for fall 2013 semester was 113.13/150 or 75.42%. An increase in assignments utilizing the scientific method may be needed and will be implemented the following semester.

Standards/Goals for Student Achievement (OSLED Departments)

			College			Program
Indicator	Source	2013-2014 Performance	Standard	Five Year Goal	Fall 2014 Performance	Standard	Five Year Goal
Course Success
-          Overall	PDR	71.1%	70%	73%
-          Transfer/GE	PDR	71.5%		73%
-          CTE	PDR	75%		77%	79.6%	70%	82%
-          Basic Skills	PDR	51.7%		55%
-          Distance Ed (all)	PDR	62.5%		64%
Persistence (Focused).  Note:  The Persistence (Focused) that is included in the PDR is a different indicator than the three-primary term persistence indicator, from the state Student Success Scorecard, that is used to measure institutional persistence.  The Focused Persistence indicator measures the percentage of students that took a second course in a discipline within one year. There is no relationship between the college and program standards in this area.	PDR	72.6%    (Three-Term) Scorecard	67% (Three-Term) Scorecard	75% (Three-Term) Scorecard	48.8%	45%	52%
Degrees	PDR	1,455		1,600	10	8	15
Certificates	PDR	366		475	CC: 5	CC: 2	CC: 12
Developmental Strand Completion
-          English	State	42%		45%
-          Math	State	30.7%		33%
-          ESL	State	25%		28%
Licensure Pass Rates
-          Registered Nursing	SC
-          Licensed Vocational Nursing	SC
-          Respiratory Therapy	SC
-          Paramedic	SC
-          Cosmetology	SC
-          Welding	SC
Job Placement Rates	PIV	54%	50%	60%

                                            The Natural Resources Department is in compliance with the standard. Success rates for this program are at the high end of where they have been over the past four years (68.2%-84.3%). The NR Department has developed new degree and certificate requirements that were published for the first time in the 2014-15 catalog. Older catalog degree requirements were not aligned with the current programs offerings. Further, our industry advisory committee indicated that we needed to provide courses that were better aligned with industry requirements. Since implementing the new program requirements, we have seen an improvement in success rates. The NR Department advisor has made a concerted effort to reach out to students in the program to keep them on track through to graduation.  Degree production is at the low end of where it has been over the past four years (10-13).  Certificate production is at the mid-range of where it has been during this period (2-10). The NR Department has consolidated two degree options into one degree (Natural Resources Management) and two certificate options into three stackable certificates. These changes have streamlined the pathway for students to succeed in our programs. Focused Persistence is now 48.8%.  Although this is at the high end of the four year range (34.4%-48.8%), the NR Department expects persistence levels to increase due to the improved program changes identified in #2 above.     Job Placement rates show that the program is meeting its standard. The NR Department has several students currently employed while attending classes and upon completion of a degree and/or certificate are quickly hired in jobs in the field. The NR Department requires students to complete two units of work experience in the industry. These allow for students to network and job shadow in positions that potentially lead to employment. In most cases, students are hired immediately after completing the program; many students are offered employment opportunities even before they graduate.     

Standards/Goals for Student Achievement (All Other Departments)

Strategic Direction

The Natural Resources Department supports the college in meeting its Strategic Direction and Priorities in the following ways:
Strategic Initiative 1 - The NR Department is focused on getting students to complete the program or transfer to four year colleges and universities (1.d). We prepare students with the necessary skills for employment with agencies (NGOs) in the natural resources industry. The department advisor has actively engaged students in planning their academic and career goals. 
Strategic Initiative 5 - The NR Department provides educational opportunities in the area of sustainability with its curriculum focusing heavily on sustainable development and wise use of our natural resources. The 928 acre "classroom" is used extensively in all of our courses and labs to emphasize sustainable resource use. We focus on natural resource conservation through practical application of concepts learned in the classroom. We apply these concepts to the wildlife refuge at Butte College.

Program Review

Natural Resources Management program review was completed during the 2013-14 academic year with the following outcomes. Past Advisory Committee recommendations and recommendations from the Curriculum Committee and Technical Review Committee have been implemented in the past few years with the creation of NR 70, Geospatial Data Applications and NR 40, Watershed Ecology and Habitat Restoration, along with supplements to the curriculum of previously existing courses.
Also, the program now has only one degree, an AS in Natural Resources Management, to avoid student confusion and to increase or decrease the amount of units required from the old degrees in Natural Resources or Natural Resources/Parks and Recreation, respectively. With this new degree there are three new certificates of achievement; Parks and Recreation, Wildlife Technician, and Ecological Restoration. New degree and certificate requirements were published for the first time in the 2014-15 catalog.
As a result of recommendations from its advisory committee, the NR Department is currently developing a new course in native plant identification. We are also developing a Forestry Technician certificate.
 

Department Goals

Increase student retention, completion, and/or transfer rates.
Increase the use of our 928 acre wildlife refuge and outdoor classroom for student learning activities and experiences.
Add a Forestry Technician certificate of achievement option.
Add a Dendrology/Native Plant Identification course to the Program and new certificate mentioned above.

Future Development Strategies

Requested Non-Financial Resources

Current Financial Resources

Augmentation Requests

Original Priority	Program, Unit, Area	Resource Type	Account Number	Object Code	One Time Augment	Ongoing Augment
Description	Supporting Rationale		Potential Alternative Funding Sources		Prioritization Criteria
1	NR	Operating Expenses			$0.00	$2,000.00
New annual ESRI ArcGIS Education Site License Program - Annual agreement for software support and upgrades. Must be paid annually to keep software license we use to teach NR 70 and new Geography courses. Online and distance education as well Facilities is on board with this. This will be a Campus-wide software use license and students will have the ability to download a student edition license from their personal computers for study and repetitive use of the software to achieve mastery of these skills.	Campus wide software that is used by many agencies, municipalities, NGO's and corporations can be used by all departments and students, and is necessary for many programs such as Natural Resources Management, Geography, and Biology, just to name a few. Currently, Natural Resources Management has a limited 31 seat license that cost $250 per year to maintain, is limited to only part of the software suite, and cannot be used by the entire Campus.		Instructional Equipment		Maintaining core programs and services Improving support services to meet demands for online students and students attending at off-campus centers Providing effective electronically mediated communication (e.g. website, social media, marketing materials, wifi access)
2	NR	Equipment			$16,000.00	$0.00
1-2016 Kawasaki Mule Pro-FXT EPS LE	We have many classes that need accessibility to the over 900 acres for laboratory work on our campus that cannot be reached by standard pickup truck (plus accessibility for disabled students). Also, due to the lack of restroom facilities at the far reaches of Campus, we need a transportation vehicle to move students to and from facilities throughout the duration of laboratory activities.		Career and Technical Education - Perkins		Resolving health, life, and safety issues Maintaining core programs and services Improving access, success, and completion of targeted student populations through the implementation of the Student Equity Plan
3	NR	Facilities			$8,215.00	$0.00
LS 127 needs 30 new chairs for students: TSNAU--/BL--NFR-/PBL-/NFR-GRD2-2BUPHBRACKET-/2BGL-/NGL Torsion Sled Base Chair,Armless,Uph Seat/Back OPTION: /BL:Black OPTION: -NFR:No Fire Retardant OPTION: /PBL:Black OPTION: /NFR:Compliance to TB 117-2013 OPTION: GRD2:Fabric Grade 2 OPTION: 2BUPHBRACKET:2B BRACKET OPTION: /2BGL:GULL OPTION: /NGL:No glides	Student chairs in LS 127 are uncomfortable relics from what I believe is the Durham Campus. Most have some sort of structural issue and students tend to struggle with sitting for any length of time. This results in reduced attention to lecture or lab activities and therefore, reduced learning.		Scheduled Maintenance (Facilities)		Maintaining core programs and services
4	NR	Facilities			$5,000.00	$0.00
New museum case in Life Sciences hall to house new specimens for student learning.	Existing case is out of room and there are many more native species to represent. One of the recent recommendations by the NR Advisory Committee (CDFW Warden Academy) was enhance species identification skills. Biology is also on board with this.		Scheduled Maintenance (Facilities)		Maintaining core programs and services Supports Previous Program Review Recommendations Directly supporting meeting department standards/goals for student achievement and/or supporting the college in meeting its student achievement standards and/or goals Addressing a shortfall identified during Student Learning (or administrative unit) Outcomes Assessment
5	NR	Facilities			$15,000.00	$0.00
Use of storm water stored in Campus ponds for Ag/NR irrigation.	Storm water stored here would be a great benefit for irrigating fields and restoration projects, and provide the platform for classes on irrigation technology (pumps and delivery systems). This is a much needed area of instruction for CTE and there are projections of up to 5000 new jobs annually in California alone in this field. Also, facilities does not want us using ground water from the wells to irrigate crops, especially during drought years. Northstar Engineering will be conducting a study to determine if we can and need new permits to store and use captured storm water in Campus ponds for Ag/NR irrigation and continued use of currently permitted storage for wildlife enhancement, recreation, and fire supression.		Scheduled Maintenance (Facilities)		Meeting state water use reduction requirements Supports Previous Program Review Recommendations Maintaining core programs and services
6	NR	Equipment			$34,000.00	$0.00
New (Additional) Ag Van	Many programs and classes trying to use the current Ag Van at the same time creating a need to go to Facilities to request use of one of their vans at a cost to a limited Program budget or the need to use student's personal vehicles to drive to field trip destinations and back.		Career and Technical Education - Perkins		Resolving health, life, and safety issues Maintaining core programs and services
7	NR	Facilities			$0.00	$0.00
New Ag/Natural Resources teaching facility	Additional resources are a must for a new teaching facility. Both Department's programs in the Life Sciences building have run out of space for expansion and storage. Both are currently expanding and would provide needed FTE to the College.		Scheduled Maintenance (Facilities)		Maintaining core programs and services