Are you interested in outdoor recreation, wildland conservation, parks and protected areas, community development, and eco and adventure tourism? Do you want to learn, play, explore, and help in one of the world's greatest regions of rivers, forests, mountains, and cultures? Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management (ORTM) is grateful to be uniquely situated at the confluence of the Nechako and Fraser rivers, close to the Rocky and Cariboo mountains, and welcome in the unceded traditional territory of the Lheidli T'enneh. We visit and collaborate with First Nations and communities across BC, Canada, and internationally. Parks, forests, trails, and facilities abound on campus, close by, and across Northern BC through spring, summer, fall, and winter. We have easy access to unparalleled settings for doing, learning, teaching, and researching outdoor recreation, conservation, and nature-based tourism.
ORTM has been at UNBC since the university’s inception and is now part of the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, in the Faculty of Environment. Our purpose is to foster sustainable communities of life through joy, care, and hard work in conservation, recreation, and tourism. We use the highest quality scholarship in arts, natural and human sciences combined with experiential education to teach and share expertise, thought, and practice that is critical and creative, interdisciplinary and field-leading.
Undergraduate Studies
Major in Wildland Conservation and Recreation (WCR)
A Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Conservation Science and Practice. Focus is on wilderness and biodiversity conservation, ecological integrity and connectivity, parks and protected areas (Indigenous, National, Provincial, and regional), decolonizing and achieving conservation and sustainable development goals in recreation and tourism sectors. Option for BSc Honours WCR
Major in Nature-Based Tourism Management (NBTM)
A Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree, with option for Diploma Completion (60-credit hour transfer). Focus is on provision, management, and leadership of sustainable alternative recreation and tourism (eco, adventure and cultural) that involve close interaction with environments and cultures in natural, rural, remote, and urban communities, along with entrepreneurial, institutional, and business development strategies and challenges, land relations, and advocacy. Option for BA Honours NBTM
Areas of Specialization:
- Marketing and Entrepreneurship
- Outdoor Education and Leadership
- Communities and Tourism
- Environment and Society
Minor in Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management
Providing students foundational knowledge and skills in outdoor recreation and tourism.
Designed for students focusing on natural resource management, but open to all.
Graduate Studies
Natural Resources and Environmental Studies Graduate Program
Faculty teach into and supervise graduate students pursuing PhD, MA, MSc, and MNRES degrees.
Our Approach
ORTM takes an interdisciplinary and experiential approach to studying conservation, recreation, and tourism activities that occur in natural environments. This means that you will be learning from a variety of perspectives and disciplines needed for complex real-world settings, issues, and cases. For example, we will talk about ecological, social, cultural and economic impacts; the psychology and sociology of outdoor experiences; and how to plan and manage landscapes, activities, and businesses. You will also be doing outdoor activities and have experiences through field trips, skills classes, field courses, as well as your own personal and outdoors club connections.
We prepare students for professions and lifestyles dedicated to environmental conservation, parks and protected areas, sustainable recreation, responsible travel and tourism, outdoor education and leadership, and local community development.
The faculty and students in ORTM tend to share some key attributes:
- We are very passionate about the outdoors! The faculty have been profoundly affected by our interactions with nature, so much so that we decided to study, research and teach aspects of ORTM as our career and calling.
- We want the natural environment to be used in a sustainable manner. It’s imperative that outdoor recreation and tourism not destroy the beautiful, ecologically healthy landscapes that attract people, and which hold diverse value for humanity, the non-human world, and our mutual survival and prosperity.
- We are passionate about understanding and sharing both positive and negative aspects of ORTM with others, so that the field can improve.
ORTM courses and faculty members support both undergraduate and graduate studies. Follow the path that best suits you, knowing you’ll be learning together in small ORTM classes, with peers and mentors that have common interests and diverse experiences, but a collective sense of social and environmental purpose.
Careers
Our graduates work as park rangers, conservation and land managers, professional biologists, outdoor adventure and ecotourism guides and outfitters, business owners, as well as professionals in parks, recreation, sport, tourism, and community development. They work for and with Indigenous, federal, provincial, and municipal governments, environmental and conservation organizations, and private enterprise. Our alumni work in Parks Canada, BC Parks, municipal governments and agencies, they own private businesses and serve community development and recreation organizations.
Transferring to ORTM
We regularly welcome students into the NBTM or WCR majors from other institutions, many with diplomas in natural resource and environmental technologies, renewable resource management, and adventure recreation and parks. Students come from College of New Caledonia, Selkirk College, Sault College, and Yukon University among others. Or they transfer from another degree or university.
Into Nature-Based Tourism Management (BA): Use NBTM Diploma Completion, or course-by-course articulation.
Into Wildland Conservation and Recreation (BSc CSP): Use a specific Pathway, or course-by-course articulation.
UNBC’s Registrar lists all Transfer Credit Pathways (inc. Dip Comp) by sending institution. Pathways are always being developed, so reach out if you can’t find your program. If we haven’t listed your diploma for NBTM Diploma Completion, please contact us so we can evaluate its suitability – doing so helps us build our list. *Note that our program used to be called Resource Recreation and Tourism (RRT) - you may still see transfers to UNBC RRT courses - but look for transfers to ORTM courses. Additionally, the BC Government maintains a website to help find transfer agreements and course articulations.
Outdoor Activities, Field Skills, and Field Schools
We celebrate the fun, well-being, and professional development that comes with outdoor activities. ORTM maintains a lab of field equipment (e.g. canoes, packs, tents, sleeping bags, cook sets, etc.) for student use in our courses. Field-based learning and outdoor activities enable:
- Development of skills, knowledge, and judgement of the whole person
- Understating theory and practice through mentorship and real-world experience
- Professional outdoor teaching and leadership abilities for activities and programs
- Techniques for conservation, interpretation, and community field work
- Application of research, assessment, and management methods
- Connecting with, learning from, and contributing to place and community
Opportunities include ORTM field trips and ORTM Field School, an ORTM Internship, work in our Teaching Forest Reserve, taking a NOLS course for credit, outings with clubs and friends, certification opportunities, and working, playing, or volunteering with local organizations. Learn more about Outdoor Activities, Field Skills and Field Schools.
Outdoor Recreation & Tourism Management
