Environmental planning is the application of natural science principles to decisions concerning land use, development and conservation. At Berkeley, environmental planning is based on two convictions: that community development must be guided by environmental principles, and that the integrity of the natural environment and the needs of future generations must be respected in land management decisions. The environmental planner is a professional with highly developed analytical, policy, and management skills who can apply natural resource information to decisions about the appropriate use of land and natural resources.

Environmental planners draw heavily upon a base of knowledge in the natural sciences; they must be able to derive planning principles from a wide range of disciplines such as hydrology, geology, soils science, and plant and wildlife ecology. Yet, environmental planners must be able to apply scientific knowledge to decisions that are made in complex political and economic settings. For this reason, the environmental planning program includes training in the planning process, development economics, political institutions and law, and regulatory policy and administration.

Environmental planners work at many scales of planning. At the state and national level environmental planners shape and implement environmental policies to protect air and water quality; conserve fragile environments and natural resources; manage recreation, open space, and public lands; and control the hazards and other impacts of economic activities such as mining and power production.

At the regional scale environmental planners analyze and interpret the landscape to reveal the conditions and carrying capacities that imply constraints or suitabilities for various types of land use. Guidelines and regulations based on this analysis can help prevent property damage by land slippage and subsidence, floods, forest fires, and other natural causes.

At the site planning scale, environmental planners review specific development proposals, acting as intermediaries between natural scientists and planning agencies. In this role, the traditional skills of the landscape architect in physical planning and site design are most important. Environmental planners are also responsible for preparing environmental impact assessments and suggesting ways to mitigate the impacts of development through creative responses to site conditions and the social context.

Graduates of the environmental planning program work in a broad variety of professional settings. Many work in public sector land use and environmental agencies at the local, state, and federal levels. These include the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Forest Service, Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, state coastal agencies, and local land management departments, as well as local government. Others are employed in private planning and design firms that may be retained by public agencies or directly involved in land development and conservation planning.