ON IMPROVING THE NATURAL-RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

I argue that markedly better understanding of the processes of nature than is currently attained is possible; that this understanding would improve the management of natural resources and the environment; that competent scientists are the means to this goal; that to produce these scientists, college education should focus on developing the abilities to conjecture and test theories; and that educators should devise programs to attract into the natural resources and environmental sciences students who are naturally gifted in these abilities.