Learning, Fun and Relationships in Wheeling WV

It is nice to get out of the woods every once in a while and spend a little time with my competitors.

I always enjoy these get togethers, partly for the learning, partly for the atmosphere, but mostly for the camaraderie.

The Foresters at this level of professionalism, those in the Association of Consulting Foresters, are always a pleasure to spend time with.

We work hard to improve the profession at every turn by making sure that each of us is educated to be the best in our businesses, and to make sure that each of us demonstrates the very highest in professionalism to the public.

Today we were having an in-depth forum on the updating of our Code of Ethics, a lengthy document that we all live by and take very seriously.

I don’t generally get very verbal at these meetings unless I am leading them, but I took up the microphone several times to defend my stance on many of these Canons.

The canon that I felt most strongly about defending was the one prohibiting the payment of or acceptance of any fees for referrals.  Though a few Foresters in the room who are also Real Estate Brokers did want to change this one, I pointed out some of the problems that the real estate field has with this common practice and the damage that it does to that profession when trust is lost and fighting ensues over referral fees.

It will take about a year before all the discussions and voting is finished on these updates, but I think that this one will remain as it is.  It is far too easy to destroy the trust of our clients when they think that those referrals are to fill our pockets rather than to care for them and their land.

ACF Code of Ethics

These canons formulate the guiding principles of professional conduct for ACF Consulting Foresters in their relations with each other, their employers, the public and with other foresters. Observance of these canons secures decent and honorable professional and human relationships, establishes enduring mutual confidence and respect, and enables the profession to give its maximum service.

These canons have been adopted by the membership of the Association and can only be amended by the membership. These canons apply to all membership categories. Procedures for processing charges of violation of these canons are available from the ACF National Office. All members upon joining the Association agree to abide by this code as a condition of membership.

Professional Life

1.    ACF Consulting Foresters will utilize their knowledge and skill for the benefit of society.

2.    An ACF Consulting Forester will cooperate in extending the effectiveness of the forestry profession by interchanging information and experience with other foresters and by contributing to the work of forestry societies, associations, schools, and publications.

3.    An ACF Consulting Forester will advertise only in a dignified manner, setting forth in truthful and factual statements services offered prospective clients and the public.

4.    Professional work should come to ACF Consulting Foresters on the basis of their experience, competency, and reputation. Solicitation by criticism of competitors, self laudation, or lobbying is degrading to the profession and is unethical.

Dealing With The Public

5.     An ACF Consulting Forester 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.

6.    ACF Consulting Foresters will not issue statements, criticism, or arguments on matters connected with public forestry policies, without indicating, at the same time, on whose behalf they are acting.

7.    When serving as an expert witness on forestry matters in a public or private fact finding proceeding, an ACF Consulting Forester will base testimony on adequate knowledge of subject matter and render opinions based on honest convictions.

8.    ACF Consulting Foresters will refrain from publicly expressing opinions on a technical subject unless informed of the facts relating thereto, and will not distort or withhold data for the purpose of substantiating a point of view.

9.    Forestry plans and reports should be definite and specific and should have no double meaning.

Dealing With Clients, Principals, and Employers

10.    ACF Consulting Foresters will be loyal to their clients and to the organization in which they are employed and will faithfully perform their work and assignments.

11.    ACF Consulting Foresters will clearly present the consequences expected if their professional forestry judgment is overruled by non-technical authority when they are responsible for the technical adequacy of forestry or related work.

12.    ACF Consulting Foresters will not voluntarily disclose information, received in confidence, concerning business affairs of their employers, principals, or clients, unless express permission is first obtained.

13.    An ACF Consulting Forester must avoid conflicts of interest or even an appearance of such conflicts.

14.    ACF Consulting Foresters will not, for the same service, accept compensation of any kind other than from their clients, principals, or employers, without full disclosure, knowledge, and consent of all parties concerned.

15.    ACF Consulting Foresters will engage, or advise their clients or employers to engage, other experts and specialists in forestry and related fields whenever the clients' or employers' interests would be best served by such actions, and will cooperate freely with them in their work.

16.    An ACF Consulting Forester should not undertake work at a fee that will not permit a satisfactory professional performance.

17.    ACF Consulting Foresters will not use association with a non-forester, a corporation, or partnership as a cloak for unethical acts, but must accept responsibility for their acts.

18.    Under no circumstances should ACF Consulting Foresters undertake to make an appraisal when their employment or fee is contingent upon the amount of their estimate of value.

19.    It is unethical for an ACF Consulting Forester to pay or claim a fee or commission for the purpose of obtaining or referring employment.

Dealing With Professional Foresters

20.    An ACF Consulting Forester will at all times strive to protect the forestry profession collectively and individually from misrepresentation and misunderstanding.

21.     An ACF Consulting Forester will aid in safeguarding the profession against the admission to its ranks of persons lacking good moral character or adequate training.

22.     In writing, or in speech, ACF Consulting Foresters will be scrupulous in giving full credit to others, insofar as their knowledge goes, for procedures and methods devised or discovered, ideas advanced, or aid given.

23.     An ACF Consulting Forester will not intentionally and without just cause, directly or indirectly injure the reputation or business of another forester.

24.     If ACF Consulting Foresters have substantial and convincing evidence of unprofessional conduct of another forester, they will present the information to the proper authority for action.

25.     An ACF Consulting Forester will base all letters of reference, or oral recommendation, on a fair and unbiased evaluation of the party concerned.

26.     An ACF Consulting Forester will not solicit or collect financial contributions from subordinates or employees for political purposes.

27.     An ACF Consulting Forester will uphold the principle of appropriate and adequate compensation for those engaged in forestry work, including those in subordinate positions, as being in the public interest and maintaining the standards of the profession.

Adopted by the Association of Consulting Foresters by Member Referendum, November 11, 1976, replacing the Code adopted November 11, 1948. The 1976 Code was amended May 31, 1992.