Forestry Ethics

October 4 2016AFA Annual Meeting

Fayetteville

CODE OF ETHICS

1. I will advertise only in a dignified manner, setting forth in truthful and factual statements the services I am prepared to render for my prospective clients and for the public.

2. I will strive for correct and increasing knowledge of forestry and the dissemination of this knowledge, and will discourage and condemn the spreading of untrue, unfair, and exaggerated statements concerning forestry.

3. When serving as an expert witness on forestry matters, in a public or private fact‐finding proceeding, I will base my testimony on adequate knowledge of the subject matter, and render my opinion on my own honest convictions.

continued 4. I will refrain from expressing publicly an opinion on a technical

subject unless I am informed as to the facts relating thereto, and will not distort or withhold data of a substantial or other nature for the purpose of substantiating a point of view.

5. I will not voluntarily disclose information concerning my business affairs of my employers, principals, or clients, which they desire to keep confidential, unless express permission is first obtained.

6. I will not, without the full knowledge and consent of my client or employer, have an interest in any business which may influence my judgment in regard to the work for which I am engaged.

continued 7. I will not, for the same service, accept compensation of any kind,

other than from my client, principal, or employer, with full disclosure, knowledge, and consent of all parties concerned.

8. I will engage, or advise my client or employer to engage, other experts and specialist in forestry and related fields when ever the client’s or employer’s interest would be best served by such actions, and will cooperate freely with them in their work.

9. I will aid in safeguarding against the registration of persons disqualified because of lack of good moral character or of adequate training.

continued 10. If I have substantial and convincing evidence of unprofessional

conduct of a registered forester, I will present the information to the State Board of Registration for Foresters.

Years of Experience

1. Less than 52. 5 to 103. 10 to 204. More than 20

Employer1. Forest Industry2. Consultant3. TIMO/REIT4. Government 5. Logger6. Other

Scenario # 1A client hires you to give the value of the timber resources on the property which you do. Later in the year a second client asks you for the volume of sawlogs and pulpwood in the different size classes. What would you most likely do?

Your Choices

A. B. C. D.

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A. Cruise the same tract again and work up the requested information

B. Contact the original client and get permission to use the cruise data and then tell the new client that you are using the same data to develop your timber volume estimates

C. Use the cruise data you already have and develop your timber volume estimates

D. Recruise the tract and use the average of the first and second cruise to develop your timber volume estimate

Scenario # 2

You are asked to bid on a tract of timber by a RF working for a company. You give your bid. After the bid closing you are then contacted by the forester and informed that you are the second high bidder and asked if you want to increase your bid. You could choose to do.

Your Choices

A. B. C. D. E.

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A. Increase your bid and possibly get the bid

B. Not increase your bidC. Contact the Board of

Registration and file a complaint

D. Refuse to deal with this company in the future

E. Both c and d

Scenario # 3

You are the successful bidder to harvest a tract. You have an easement to cross another landowner’s property. You have to construct a road across the property. The landowner you have to cross has asked only that you do the least amount of damage to the trees as possible. You have to remove enough tree in building the road that it would make a load of pulpwood. What do you do with the trees?

Your Choices

A. B. C. D.

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A. Leave them on the side where they were pushed

B. Load them out and include them with the timber sale

C. Load them out and sell as your own trees

D. Load them out and pay the landowner you crossed the proceeds of the sale of the load

Scenario 4You are a consultant forester and a landowner contacts you and wants you to help him thin the timber on his property. He saw a tract that was cut for “real estate purposes”. All the largest trees (sawtimber) were removed and many of the smaller trees (pulpwood) were removed leaving some of the intermediate trees. He likes this look and wants it done on his property.  The landowner tells you that he plans to pass this property down to his children in the future.

You Could

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A). Select the trees to be harvested and conduct the timber sale as the landowner requested.

B). Discuss the pros and cons of this type of harvesting and let the landowner make the decision about the future harvest.

C). Discuss this harvesting technique along with thinning from below, clear-cut and planting then based on the landowners decision determine which trees will be harvested.

D). Tell the landowner to get another consultant. 

Scenario 5You are contacted to bid on a timber sale by a landowner. In your discussion you see that they have no management plan and have made no consideration for the future of the property.

You Could

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A). Give them a bid on their timber and offer to develop a management for them.B). Give them a bid on their timber.C). Give them a bid on their timber and discuss the value of a management plan for the future of the property. D). Give them a bid on their timber and give them contact information on how to get a management plan for the property.

Scenario 6You are asked to help conduct a timber sale by a landowner. As part of that process you mark the timber to be sold. The landowner then changes his mind and decides he wants to conduct the timber sale. You are fairly compensated for your services by the landowner. Can you now offer a bid on the timber when the landowner requests bids on the timber?

Can You Bid?

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1. Yes2. No

Scenario 7 A hunt club wants to change contract

terms on which trees are to be cut, after an agreement has been made. You already have some time and effort invested in the project and the club President tells you unless the change is made then the deal is off.

You could

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1. Contact attorney for advice2. Write new contract3. Demand club stay with original

contract4. Suggest club get another

consultant

Question # 8 We are always looking for input for future

topics for Registered Foresters Continuing Education Credit. However not all topics meet the requirements necessary to qualify for CFE Credit. Please select from the list the topic that qualifies for Category 1 CFE credit.

Your Choices are…

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1. Logger Safety2. Duck Biology3. Pesticide equipment

maintenance4. OSHA Rules and

Regulations5. Your Company’s logging

guidelines

Questions / Comments