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Natural Resources Engineering is a subset of environmental engineering that applies various branches of science in order to create new technology that aims to protect, maintain, and establish sustainable natural resources. Specifically, natural resources engineers are concerned with applying engineering concepts and solutions to prevalent environmental issues. Common natural resources this disciple of engineering works closely with includes both living resources such as plants and animals as well as non-living resources such as renewable energy, land, soils, and water. Natural resource engineering also involves researching and evaluating natural and societal forces. The hydro-logical cycle is the main component of natural forces and the desires of other people attribute to societal forces.

Natural resource engineering degrees require a basic understanding of core engineering classes including calculus, physics, chemistry, and engineering mechanics, as well as additional courses with a stronger focus on applications of natural resources in environmental systems. These specific courses include soil and water engineering, modeling of biological and physical systems, properties of biological materials, and systems optimization.

The overall purpose of natural resource engineering is mainly categorized as either resource development, environmental management or both. Natural resource engineers often work in a vast variety of environments ranging from urban to rural. Most natural resource engineers can be found working for groups who strive to solve current and future environmental issues such as environmental consulting firms and government agencies.

Concepts and areas of research and development

The discipline of Natural Resource engineering specifically concentrates on natural resources. Natural resources are, "industrial materials and capacities (such as mineral deposits and water power) supplied by nature" and sometimes legally are classified by their ability to be used by humans to meet their demands. Natural resources can be both living and non living natural elements and include fossil fuels, plants, animals, minerals, sediment, and bodies of water.

Members of Jackson Guard’s wildland fire center are responsible for controlling and maintaining Eglin’s natural resources and operations areas through controlled burning of the it’s forest

This discipline of engineering also involves investigating different natural and societal forces on the environment. The main natural force researched by natural resources engineers is the hydro-logical cycle. This cycle is concerned with how water transitions through the environment through the processes of evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and transpiration. This cycle is a concern when looking at prevalent environmental issues on the earth, and therefore is a major concern for natural resource engineers. The main societal force that concerns natural resource engineers is the exploitation of natural resources by humans. This force concerns natural resource engineers because it threatens to deplete or harm many sources of natural resources.

With this concentration on natural resources and natural and societal impact, natural resource engineers are constantly searching for ways to apply engineering concepts to create developments that aim to protect, maintain, and establish sustainable sources of natural resources. Some current areas of research and developments include: finding ways to maximize the utilization of natural resources in fuel with minimum waste, developing infrastructure and equipment with the intent to provide protection for the overall environment and sources of natural resources, finding solutions to current environmental issues that directly impacted sources of natural resources such as soil erosion, sediment loss, flooding, and pollution, seeking efficient ways to manage natural resources so they will not be depleted , and finding ways to conserve and allocate resources efficiently as the population increases dramatically.

Courses

To obtain a degree in natural resource engineering, a solid engineering background is required, as well as specific technical knowledge specific to natural resources and their role in our environment. Most degree programs within this specific discipline are partnered within larger disciplines of engineering such as environmental engineering, biological engineering, or agricultural engineering.

Standard engineering courses

• Mathematics (Calculus, differential equations, statistics)
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Engineering Mechanics (Statics, Dynamics, Solids Mechanics)
• Fluid Mechanics
• Thermodynamics

Natural resources engineering specific course topics

• Materials, instrumentation, and measurement classes specific to biological systems
• Systems optimization
• Modeling and management of biological and physical systems
• Soil, water, conservation, and nutrient management engineering

Careers

With a degree in natural resources engineering, there are various different industries that one could pursue a career in. Some of these industries include government agencies (at all levels: federal, state, and local), environmental consulting firms, agricultural and food processing industries, and various other industries and companies that focus on solving environmental issues . In the government sector, natural resource engineers usually find themselves working on projects that work to manage government owned and operated natural resources and help solve environmental issues that impact these resources. Within an environmental consulting firm, a natural resource engineer typically runs calculations and makes predictions about different ways to utilize natural resources to maximize their efficiency. Within different processing industries, natural resource engineers often work on waste management efficiency and natural resource processing design. As these engineers work to sustain natural resources, a sizable portion of their work focuses on the development of sustainable energy, such as wind and solar power. In this case, natural resources engineers submerse themselves in the field of power engineering, where they design and develop means of using renewable resources for energy.

Currently, the demand for natural resources engineers is greater than the supply of graduates and ranges locally to globally.

John Krupovage, Natural Resources manager with the 72nd Civil Engineering Directorate, and Dr. Karen Hickman, professor of Natural Resource Ecology and Management at Oklahoma State University and president of the Oklahoma Invasive Plant Council, find invasive blue stem prairie grasses around the Scissortail Trail area of Tinker Air Force Base. Dr. Hickman and her team are helping the Tinker Environmental Management Directorate on a DOD-funded five-year project to kill invasive (non-native) grasses and to restore native prairie grasses to the urban greenway. (Air Force photo by Kelly White)

Specific careers in natural resources engineering

• Biomass Engineer
• Environmental Scientist
• Hydrology Engineer
• Marine Scientist
• Soil Scientist
• Ag-Aqua Engineer
• Agricultural Engineer
• Chemist
• Biochemist
• Genetic Engineer
• Power Engineer