Natural Resources Technician

The natural resources technician program is a one-year certificate program that will train students to work as seasonal or permanent technicians in agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service, Washington Department of Natural Resources, Washington Department of Ecology, Washington Fish and Wildlife Department, and the Chelan County PUD.

Job tasks might include preservation and restoration of native habitats, identifying plants or animals, testing water quality, counting and tagging animals of a certain species, checking an endangered species, building trails, measuring trees, navigating to a site using maps and GPS, working from a water craft, applying basic knowledge of ecology and basic data, working with visitors in recreation areas, and identifying and differentiating native and invasive species.

The program includes a basic understanding of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, of safe and accurate measurement techniques, and of the social context of natural resource management.

The certificate includes:

• NATR 102, Maps and Navigation
• MATH 90 or above, Basic Mathematics
• NATR 103 Field Safety and Preparedness
• NATR 110 Society and Natural Resources
• NATR 111 Natural Resource Assessment I
• NATR 112 Natural Resource Assessment II
• BIT 116 Professional Work Relations
• ENGL 97 Composition: Paragraph (or online/WAOL substitute)
• MATH 90 Basic Mathematics (or online/WAOL substitute)
• BIT 105 Computer Applications (or online/WAOL substitute)
• HLTH 51 First Aid

 The natural resources certificate program was developed collaboratively with local natural resources agencies and organizations. For more information, contact WVC at 509.682.6847.