The field of Natural Resources and Forest Ecology has many disciplines because ecology concerns the interconnectedness of all living communities and their relationships with each other; which makes the field very large and multifaceted.  Ecology is known as the study of the relationships between all living organisms (including humans) and their environment, at all trophic levels.  There are many different subdisciplines of ecology based on the size, scale, location, and individuals making up the community.  Just a few of these important subdisciplines of ecology include Foresters (caring for forests and harvesting forest products), Soil Scientists (those who study soil), Conservation Biology (the study of earth’s species and biodiversity), and more in order to gauge the health of the environments in question.  By working in the forest itself as well as other ecological biomes to measure organisms’ health through competition, relationships, and more environmental health is evaluated and protected.  Many of the jobs in this field consist of field ecology, laboratory, restoration, and biology.  Importance of understanding nature’s health and its general cycles will help humans maintain a healthy environment now and into the future.  Ecologists often work closely with other Ecologists, Dendrologist (those who study trees), Pathologists (those who study pathogens, specifically in forests), Entomologists (those who study bugs, also specifically in forests), Biologists, Geologists (those who study Earth), Hydrologists (those who study the water table), Environmentalists, and many other Scientists.  The study of Ecology is very important and contributes to society greatly because it helps us understand how humans affect our general environment and natural cycles.  Measuring food production, efficiency, clean air, clean water, biodiversity, sustainability, and protecting human health are just some of the ways Ecology proves to be important for everyone. Natural Resource Managers and Forest Ecologists also work closely with policymakers, timber harvesters, private land owners, and various other land-owning companies and stakeholders in order to maintain the health of their environments.  Measuring both environmental pathogens and biodiversity are two really important ways Ecology contributes to protecting the environment and overall health.  Finally, it is important to know the best management practices as well as laws, policies, and safety before making changes to local environments.  Invasive species, such as the Emerald Ash Borer, can cause ecosystem-wide extinctions of tree species such as the Ash tree. This is really important to be tracked and damage mitigated by ecologists and colleagues around the country. (Sydor, 2007)

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