The College of Forest and Recreation Resources came into being July 1, 1970 through a reorganization, placing together two departments which previously had been in other colleges--the Department of Recreation and Park Administration and the Department of Forestry. Clemson's department head of forestry, William H. Davis McGregor, was appointed dean of the new college and held that position until 1978 when he was succeeded by Benton H. Box, a former executive vice president of the Southern Forest Institute. Box retired as dean in 1994 and became the interim executive director of the University Center in Greenville, South Carolina.

The Energy and Resource Development Institute (ERDI) was begun in February, 1981, to initiate research in the areas of energy conservation, resource management and development as it pertains to energy, and socioeconomic impacts of energy availability and policy. Robert H. Becker was hired to be the director.

In 1966 the Department of Recreation and Park Administration was established in the College of Education. Herbert (Bert) Brantley served from 1966-1987 as head of the department (which was renamed Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management in 1984). He was promoted to associate dean in 1970. After retiring from Clemson, he accepted the position of department chairman of the recreation and parks program at Indiana University. As state funds became available, the department expanded its public service activities. Some of the early programs included Camp Hope, a residential camp for mentally retarded young people and adults, Camp Logan and Camp Sertoma. The department administers these camping programs cooperatively with other groups. College Week for Senior Citizens is one of these and it offers senior-age citizens a week of participation in seminars, recreation and field trips. All of these programs are held at the Outdoor Laboratory located on the Clemson Forest [property] four miles south of campus, bordering on Lake Hartwell.

The Department of Forestry was authorized by the Board of Trustees of the Clemson Agricultural College in 1956, and undergraduate instruction began in 1957 in the College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences. Prior to this Clemson College had offered a two-year pre-forestry curriculum. A course in general forestry was taught as early as 1903. The Department was accredited by the Society of American Foresters in 1962. Graduate studies in forestry leading to a Master of Science degree began in 1965. The two core curricula offered are Forest Products and Forest Resource Management.

Extension foresters within the department provide education programs to update professional foresters, landowners, and agency and industry personnel on the latest technological advances and management practices.

In 1970 when McGregor became dean, Allen became the new department head. In 1982, Allen returned to full time teaching and research at which time Michael Taras was chosen to head Clemson's forestry department.

Until 1975 the two departments had been housed on opposite sides of the campus--Recreation and Park Administration in Godfrey Hall, and Forestry in the Plant and Animal Sciences Building. A new building to house the college was dedicated on October 30, 1975. The two-story 79,692 square-foot facility was named Lehotsky Hall in honor of Koloman Lehotsky, Professor Emeritus of Silviculture and Head Emeritus of the Department of Forestry at Clemson University.

Off campus the Department of Forestry maintains and operates a laboratory facility at the Belle W. Baruch Forest Science Institute. It is located on Hobcaw Barony, the home of the late Bernard M. Baruch, which is a 17,500 acre tract of land near Georgetown having extensive forests, freshwater swamps, and marshes. It is managed cooperatively by the University of South Carolina and Clemson University through a long-term agreement with The Belle W. Baruch Foundation.

The Clemson Experimental Forest is a teaching, research, and demonstration laboratory surrounding the Clemson University campus. This "forest" evolved from run-down farm land around Clemson that was acquired by the United States Department of Agriculture in the 1930s. Trees were planted to halt the erosion and reclaim the land, and in 1947 Clemson's forestry staff began managing the forest. In 1954 South Carolina Senators Charles R. Daniel and Strom Thurmond led passage of a bill deeding the forest's 27,400 acres to Clemson College for the token purchase price of one dollar. With acreage lost to Lake Hartwell, local government use, and a growing campus, the forest is now over 17,500 acres.

In 1978, the Clemson University Foundation directors approved the establishment of a foundation subcommittee for the College of Forest and Recreation Resources. The primary purpose of this committee was to develop programs for soliciting gifts and bequests to strengthen the college's educational, research, and public service programs.

All activities of the College of Forest and Recreation Resources were closely coordinated with the College of Agricultural Sciences at Clemson and with appropriate state and federal agencies. Some of these agencies included U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, the National Park Service, the South Carolina Commission of Forestry, and the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism.

In 1994 the university underwent a restructuring process and by July 1, 1995, Clemson University had merged nine colleges into five. PRTM became part of the College of Health, Education, and Human Development; and Forest Resources became part of the School of Natural Resources within the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences.