Conservation with Forestry

Studying Conservation with Forestry prepares you to tackle the greatest environmental challenges of our time – climate change, loss of biodiversity, and deforestation.

Forests are the most biodiverse of all terrestrial ecosystems and contain the vast majority of the world’s species. Providing food, shelter, drainage, medicine, raw materials, and supporting the livelihoods of millions of people worldwide, they cover an estimated 30% of the Earth’s land surface, account for 50% of plant productivity, and store up to 45% of the world’s carbon.

Accredited by the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF), this degree will give you a deeper, science led, understanding of the biodiversity of forests and woodlands and their role in reducing the impacts of human activities, including climate change. You will focus on the principles of biological conservation, forest ecology, forest ecosystem function, and the management of forests across the globe to meet conservation objectives.

Studying in a fantastic location for field trips and projects near Eryri National Park Authority, you also have access to the 82 hectares of woodlands, many semi natural, and farmland we own at the University’s Henfaes Research Centre. The Centre, also a Defra study farm and part of the Global Farm Platform, hosts a range of forestry and land-use research experiments that provide excellent learning resources.

Our extensive local, national, and international networks and active research programmes allow us to deliver high quality teaching which addresses cutting-edge issues, from investigating the role of trees on African livelihoods to biodiversity assessments in the Caribbean montane forests and climate change assessments the Amazon rainforest.

A wide choice of optional modules in topics allows you to tailor your studies to your interests, specialising in areas such as land use change and conservation, renewable energy, or environmental issues. Your final-year research project provides further flexibility and has led to students focusing on forest soils, mycorrhizal fungi, forest hydrology, forest ecology, monitoring of conservation outcomes.

We run local and optional international field courses which enable you to see the conflict between land use for economic production and conservation and biodiversity outcomes. We visit a wide range of forest and woodland ecosystems along with other terrestrial habitats with management spanning production, restoration and conservation objectives. You can also attend a tropical conservation field course in Madagascar to learn about the causes of biodiversity loss.

As the longest standing Forestry department in the UK, Bangor University is one of only three universities across the UK training foresters to degree level. We place particular emphasis on developing your practical, interpersonal, professional, technical, analytical, and problem-solving skills to prepare you for whatever and wherever your career takes you. Our world-renowned research and strong industry links provide opportunities to hear about and see for yourself how theoretical aspects of forestry, environmental science and conservation are applied in practice.

‘Placement Year’ and 'International Experience Year’ options are available for this course. You will have the opportunity to fully consider these options when you have started your course at Bangor and can make an application for a transfer onto such a pathway at the appropriate time. You can find more information about these options on our website and if you have any questions, please get in touch.

If you don’t have the required qualifications for this degree-level course or are looking to re-enter education after time away from study, then a Foundation Year Programme might be the right choice for you. Please see Environmental Science (with Foundation Year) F90F.

Make lifelong friends and build a future you can be proud of at Bangor University.

You’ll benefit from high quality teaching, expert support and a friendly learning environment at a top 20 UK university (Uni Compare Rankings 2027), while gaining real world experience through work placements and opportunities to study abroad. With accommodation guaranteed for all Clearing applicants, you can settle in quickly and start making the most of university life from day one.

Bangor’s stunning campus and close knit community make it easy to feel at home. Meet friends at Bar Uno, Pontio or Barlows, stay active at Brailsford Sports Centre, or learn in specialist facilities including a Natural History Museum, Botanic Garden, research ship, replica courtroom and fully equipped media centre.

Set between the mountains and the sea, with excellent transport links and a low cost of living, Bangor offers an outstanding student experience where you can belong, grow in confidence and shape your future. It’s time to make Bangor your new home!