Summer 2003 Volume 12, Number 2
Collaborating with a Forester:
Certified Forester Program Ensures Forestland Owners Find the Best
By Jeff
Ghannam
Forestland owners value their land for
many reasons. It may be because they have a strong conservation ethic or they
may own it as an investment. The forestland may have been a gift from a previous
generation or it might be their legacy for the future.
Of course, forestland has value, but for many owners the forestland's value may
never equal the pride and attachment they have for their land. Some believe they
are investing not only in their financial future but also in the future of the
nation's environment. Active landowners know that forests provide
important wildlife habitat, safe and abundant drinking water, recreational
opportunities, and forest products. And when it comes to planning for the
future of forestland, a forester can be an invaluable partner to a landowner.
Foresters can help landowners develop forest management plans that attract diverse and abundant wildlife and improves water quality on their land. Foresters can also help assess the value of a forest, reduce tax liabilities, improve protection from fire, and prevent or control harmful insects and diseases. In short, foresters can assist landowners in meeting their desires for their land - and potentially make or save them money.
A forest
management plan can help landowners plan for what they want from their forest. A
management plan starts with the landowner's goals and objectives, incorporates
regulatory requirements, identifies government incentive programs for which they
maybe eligible, and provides management alternatives and timeframes. It better
positions them in the marketplace, considers their tax liability, and helps
ensure that their forest provides benefits for them and for future generations.
Once landowners decide they need a forester, how will they know they are getting
the most capable forester in their community? That's where the Society of
American Foresters (SAF), a national membership organization of 17,000 that
represents the forestry profession in America, can help.
SAF administers the Certified Forester's program that identifies foresters
around the country who meet the nation's most stringent requirements. The CF
program was established in 1994 to recognize and document professional forestry
excellence. The program is voluntary and open to qualified SAF members and
nonmembers.
The CF program documents that certificants are educated and experienced foresters who possess the necessary body of knowledge to perform as Professionals. It also shows that those certified are dedicated to professional forestry standards and are willing to stay ahead of the curve through continuing education.
'The public wants its practitioners to be capable and trained and SAF is the
only organization in the US in the position to certify foresters,' says Dave
Walters, CF, of the Tennessee Division of Forestry. Walters shares a commitment
to the CF program because it includes a requirement for on-going professional
development, and continuing education in the forestry profession benefits
everyone.'
The core requirements of the program are that certificants must have earned a
professional degree from a SAF-accredited or SAF-candidate forestry school
curriculum, or a substantially -equivalent degree from a non-SAF accredited
forestry school curriculum. They must also have five years of professional
forestry related experience. All applicants granted CF status must
complete 60 contact hours in continuing forestry education prior to
recertification every three years. No continuing education credits are required
for initial certification. All forestry professionals wishing to become
certified under the CF program must also pass a rigorous written exam.
A CF agrees to abide by the program's requirements and procedures for certification and recertification, to maintain continuing professional development, and to conduct all forestry practices in a responsible, professional manner consistent with state and federal regulations governing environmental quality and forest management practices.
Forester certification has taken on an increased priority given increasing public interest in forests and the people who care for them. It fills a void in the marketplace created by inconsistent or nonexistent state licensing and registration criteria for foresters.
'In many states, there's no way for the public to know whether the foresters in their area possess any degree of professionalism,' says Greg Hay, CF, chair of the Certification Review Board, the SAF body that oversees the CF program. "In addition to acknowledging a certificant's education and experience, the CF program is a statement that a forester has chosen to accept a code of ethics and agrees to professional standards of practice.'
For information
about the Certified Forester program, including an online directory of CF's,
visit the website at
www.certifiedforester.org. Or you can contact the Society of American
Foresters
5400 Grosvenor Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814-2198 (301) 897-8720 ext 122, fax
(301) 897-3690.