The School is concerned with the management and conservation of natural ecosystems of arid and semi-arid environments. Programs of study prepare students for careers in management and research with environmental science and natural resource agencies and organizations that require fundamental knowledge about the science, planning and sustainable management of natural systems to provide the resources of water, wood, forage, wildlife, fisheries, native vegetation, recreation, and aesthetic values.

Areas of study include fisheries conservation and management; landscape assessment and analysis; rangeland ecology and management; watershed hydrology and management; and wildlife conservation and management.

The academic environment in the School allows students to integrate physical and biological sciences with socio-economic and political factors necessary for the conservation, protection and management of plant and animal species, biotic communities, ecosystems and landscapes. Academic programs provide undergraduate and graduate education that allows graduates to assume leadership positions in agencies and organizations that manage and administer natural resources in Arizona and the nation.

Research on the sustainability of natural resources includes state-of-the-art tools in computer analysis and modeling, geographic information systems (GIS), population demographics, genetic analysis, and artificial intelligence to assess and analyze the natural resource base of Arizona and other southwestern arid lands.