1903-1920

• 1903 Department of Forestry, one of the first of its kind, established in the College of Literature, Sciences, and the Arts. Filibert Roth chairs department from 1903-23.
• 1904 First Master of Science in Forestry degrees conferred.
• 1904 Saginaw Forest, 80 acres on Liberty Road, donated to the University as an experimental area for instruction and research in forestry and student extra-curricular activities.
• 1908 First instruction in landscape design taught by O.C. Simonds of Chicago.
• 1909 Landscape design program organized in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts. Five-year curriculum leads to Master of Landscape Design degree. Aubrey Tealdi, Chair.
• 1915 University acquires Eber White Woods, 43 acres on Liberty Road, used by the Forestry, Botany and Zoology Departments until 1945, when the property was given to the Ann Arbor Board of Education.
• 1916 First Bachelor of Science in Forestry degree conferred upon 14 men.

1920's

• 1927 The Department of Forestry evolved into the School of Forestry and Conservation, the first of its kind in the country. Ten faculty, 25 students. Samuel T. Dana is appointed professor and dean, serving from 1927-51. In his words, adding "conservation" to the School's name was to emphasize "the fact that in addition to the training of professional foresters, one of [the School's] important functions is to teach the philosophy of conservation as the fundamental basis of permanent national prosperity."
• 1928 Portions of the University's old hospital heating plant are converted to the Wood Utilization Laboratory.
• 1928 A 25-year School alumni reunion held in Ann Arbor.
• 1929 Opening of Camp Filibert Roth in Alger County near Munising, Michigan, the School's first forestry summer camp. An 8-week program is offered.
• 1929 School receives its first endowed fund from Charles Lathrop Pack to "advance practical forest land management in the broadest sense of the term."
• 1929 Two professional curricula are adopted. A Technical Curriculum offers a Bachelor of Forestry and Master of Forestry for "general practitioner" careers. A Scientific curriculum offers a Bachelor of Science in Forestry and Master of Science in Forestry degree for students pursuing scientific careers.

1930-1940

• 1930 First Ph.D. degrees conferred, School of Forestry and Conservation.
• 1931 Three distinct programs are offered in the School: forest production, wood utilization, and forest zoology.
• 1934 A new course is offered on the recreational use of forests and other wildlands.
• 1934 Harlow Whittemore named Chair of Department of Landscape Design.
• 1935 Forestry camp moves to a permanent site at Golden Lake in the Ottawa National Forest, Iron County.
• 1936 First Bachelor of Science in Wood Technology degree conferred, School of Forestry and Conservation.
• 1938-51 Professor Willett F. Ramsdell chairs an interdepartmental graduate seminar in land utilization. Its first year involves students in economics, sociology, public administration, landscape design, geography, and forestry and conservation.
• 1939 Department of Landscape Design transferred to the College of Architecture and renamed the Department of Landscape Architecture.
• 1939 A post-graduate program in administration for executives in conservation agencies is offered.
• 1943 Regents approve a fellowship program for training Latin American students in forestry and wood technology.
• 1947 New curriculum policy requires students to obtain 60 semester hours in non-forestry subjects to avoid narrow specialization.
• 1949 School receives a 10-year grant from the Charles Lathrop Pack Forestry Foundation to strengthen its conservation education.

1950's

• 1950 Name of school changed to School of Natural Resources, with Departments of Forestry, Wood Technology, Wildlife Management, Fisheries and Conservation.
• 1950-54 Extension activities increase, with additional off-campus courses offered in conservation and wood technology.
• 1951 Stanley G. Fontanna appointed dean and professor of forestry.
• 1951 First Master in Wildlife Management and Master of Science in Conservation degrees conferred.
• 1952 First Master of Science in Fisheries degrees conferred.
• 1952-53 A master's sequence in Conservation and Education is established in the School of Education. A teaching of conservation workshop is jointly offered by the School of Education and the School of Natural Resources.
• 1953 The School produces a comprehensive radio series called, "Michigan in the Year 2000."
• 1953-54 The Schools of Business and Natural Resources inaugurate a combined program. Students qualifying for a bachelor's or master's degree in the School may take an additional year of study leading to an MBA degree.
• 1955 Forest Science, a journal of research and technical papers, begins publication, sponsored by the Society of American Foresters, the US Forest Service, and the School of Natural Resources. Professor Stephen H. Spurr, editor.
• 1955-56 Combined programs with the School of Education are formally inaugurated, based on demand for conservation teachers in primary and secondary schools. The Rackham School of Graduate Studies establishes a Master of Science degree in the combined fields of public administration and conservation.
• 1958 Walter L. Chambers named to reorganize Department of Landscape Architecture. 14 undergraduate students and one graduate student enrolled.

1960's

• 1961 Remodeling of the West Medical Building completed. Building is renamed the Natural Resources Building and the School moves in, uniting all departments under one roof.
• 1961 Department of Conservation and the School of Public Health adopt a combined program on Environmental Planning and Water Development.
• 1961 A new graduate program begins on policy and program decision making designed for resource management personnel in governmental agencies. Sponsored by the Department of Conservation, Department of Environmental Health in the School of Public Heal th, and the Institute of Public Administration.
• 1961 Joint program instituted with the National Park Service and Conservation Department for an annual International Short Course in the Administration of National Parks and Equivalent Reserves. Joint doctoral program in natural resources economics established with the Economics Department. Program in regional planning and water resource science and management established with School of Engineering.
• 1962 Professor Stephen H. Spurr appointed dean.
• 1964 The School joins with eight other institutions form the Organization for Tropical Studies in Costa Rica.
• 1965 Administration of landscape design transferred from School of Architecture and Design to School of Natural Resources.
• 1965 Wood Science and Technology program phased out.
• 1965 Dean Spurr named dean of Rackham School of Graduate Studies. Professor Kenneth P. Davis serves as interim dean.
• 1967 Undergraduate landscape architecture program is phased out. Graduate program is renamed Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning.
• 1966 R. Keith Arnold named dean.
• 1969 University-wide committee, chaired by Stephen H. Spurr, organizes to evaluate new trends and direction of the School.
• 1969 Arnold takes post of Chief of Research, US Forest Service. Professor Stephen B. Preston serves as interim dean.

1970's

• 1970 James T. McFadden appointed dean.
• 1971 Reorganization of School. Departments are replaced by flexible programs. New courses added on environmental advocacy and environmental communications.
• 1973 Regents rename the Natural Resources Building the Samuel Trask Dana Building.
• 1973 Justin W. Leonard serves one term as acting dean.
• 1974 Dean McFadden resigns; Professor Charles E. Olson, Jr. is appointed dean for a one-year term. Stephen B. Preston named associate dean for academic programs.
• 1974 The Bachelor of Science in Forestry degree is re-instated for four-year forestry students.
• 1975 William J. Johnson is appointed dean.
• 1978 University and the National Science Foundation fund a three-year project to develop an Integrative Studies Center in the School.
• 1978 Landscape Architecture Program moves to Dana Building and East Engineering Building.

1980's

• 1982 Landscape architecture studios move to Dana Building and West Engineering.
• 1982-83 School is subject of University review and subsequent budget down-sizing of 25% over five years. Dean Johnson resigns. James E. Crowfoot appointed dean. Development Plan for reorganizing the School approved by the Regents. The Bachelor of Science in Forestry degree is phased out; professional forestry training is accredited by the Society of American Foresters at the master's level.
• 1983-88 School receives a major institutional grant from the Hewlett Foundation to underwrite the transition and re-design of the School's integrative interdisciplinary curriculum and research.
• 1983 School receives $93,000 grant from Scripps Howard Foundation to establish Meeman Archive, a computerized library for university and public access to national collection of outstanding environmental articles.
• 1986 Microcomputer laboratory is installed in basement of Dana Building.
• 1988 School's summer field training moves from Camp Filibert Roth to the University's Biological Station on Douglas Lake.
• 1988-89 Harrison L. Morton serves as acting dean during Dean Crowfoot's leave.

1990's

• 1990-95 The School's facilities expand with five million dollar renovation of its laboratories and creation of landscape architecture studios in the Dana Building.
• 1991 Dean Crowfoot resigns and returns to faculty position. Professor Harrison L. Morton is appointed interim dean.
• 1992 Garry D. Brewer appointed dean.
• 1992-95 The School is involved in numerous cross-campus environmental initiatives and grants: Corporate Environmental Management Program with the School of Business; UM Project for the Integrated Study of Global Change with two institutes and seven other schools; award of the National Pollution Prevention Center for Higher Education with the Business School and College of Engineering; USEPA's grant to create the National Consortium for Environmental Education and Training with many University units and private firms; selection by the University's International Institute for two new permanent senior faculty positions, combining a professional school, an LSA department,, and an area studies center.
• 1993 The School establishes its Geographic Information System laboratory for research and instruction in partnership with the University's Information Technology Division.
• 1992-97 School focuses on fund raising to date, in conjunction with the University's one billion dollar "M Campaign," resulting in: two new endowed senior faculty chairs ($2.7 million); endowed leadership of the National Pollution Prevention Center ( $700k); matching funds raised to create a Hewlett Foundation endowment for innovation and renewal ($500k); an endowment for Native American graduate students; and three major bequests for endowed student financial support ($1.2 million).
• 1995 Dean Brewer resigns and Professor Paul W. Webb appointed interim dean.
• 1998-1999 Phase I of The Greening of Dana comprised the filling in of the central courtyard and the addition of a new 4th floor and roof with skylight.

2000-2010

• 2001 Rosina M. Bierbaum appointed dean.
• 2001-2002 Phase II of The Greening of Dana
• 2003-2004 SNRE 100^th Anniversary