Professional Forestry Explained

What is Forestry?

Professional Forestry is the science of managing, caring for, and creating forests and forest lands.

Under the Professional Governance Act (PGA), the Forest Professionals Regulation defines professional forestry as the provision of advice or services related to trees, forests, forest lands, forest resources, forest transportation systems, or forest ecosystems.

Professional forestry encompasses a range of diverse jobs that can occur on the ground in the forest, or in an office where plans and policies are developed.

Professional forestry activities may relate to inventory, classification, valuation, appraisal, conservation, protection, management, enhancement, harvesting, silviculture, and rehabilitation of trees, forest lands, forest resources, forest transportation systems, and forest ecosystems.

Forestry is not logging; logging is the cutting of trees for use as wood products.

Kerri Simmons, RPF, vice-chair of the 77th FPBC Board, explains what is professional forestry:

Who Practices Professional Forestry?

Professional forestry is a regulated profession, similar to engineering, chartered accounting, law, dentistry, and architecture. Like those professions, provincial legislation grants forest professionals specific practice rights.

Under the authority of the PGA, only individuals registered and licensed by Forest Professionals British Columbia (FPBC) are allowed to practise professional forestry. This is to ensure protection of the environment and the public.

Kelly Kitsch, RFT, chair of the 77th FPBC Board, and, Chris Gruenwald, RPF, director of forestry, City of Mission, share what they enjoy about being forest professionals:

Types of Forest Professionals

  • Registered Professional Forester(RPF): commonly holds a four-year post-secondary degree and is involved in all aspects of managing forests and how they will be used and cared for.

  • Registered Forest Technologist(RFT): commonly holds a two-year post-secondary diploma and is mainly involved in technical forest management activities, such as forest measurements, silviculture, forest operations, and forest protection.

  • Associate Registrants (Natural Resource Professional, Affiliated Forest Professional).

  • Trainees – people working under the supervision of a practising RPF or RFT who accepts professional accountability for the work;  typically trainees (Forester in Training, Trainee Forest Technologist, Allied Science Forester in Training, Allied Science Trainee Forest Technologist).

Click to view full PDF of infographic What is a Forest Professional?

Forest Professionals Meet Strict Educational Standards

Anyone seeking to become a registered forest professional in BC must first complete a science or natural resource-focused degree or diploma.

Following their education, all prospective forest professionals must register with FPBC, complete a two- to four-year articling process under a sponsoring registered forest professional, and pass a series of licensure examinations on:

  • professional and ethical concepts;

  • application of professional principles to practice;

  • BC environmental laws; and

  • Indigenous Peoples history, rights, and more.

Professional standards

  • Follow nine Standards of Ethical and Professional Conduct: competence, independence, conflict of interest, due diligence, integrity, forest stewardship, safety, professionalism, and reporting.

  • Maintain their competence through continuing professional development and only doing work they are competent to do.

  • Report the unethical behavior or poor practice and conduct of other professionals.

  • Agree to be subject to random audits, practice reviews, investigations, and, if warranted, discipline by FPBC.

Regulated and Reserved Practice of Professional Forestry

Is the advice or services offered related to trees, forests, forest lands, forest resources, forest transportation systems or forest ecosystems? If yes, this is known as the regulated practice of forestry.

Regulated practice defines the broad area of practice where FPBC must regulate registrants.

If the public or environment could be put at risk if the advice or services offered is done improperly and the risk could be mitigated by applying the experience or knowledge of a forest professional, this is known as reserved practice.

Reserved practice means the advice and services can only be provided by a forest professional registered and licensed with FPBC.

Listen to Garnet Mierau, RPF, FPBC director of practice, explain how forest professionals help municipalities:

RPFs and RFTs both have reserved practice rights and titles:

  • RPFs are entitled to practice within the full scope of reserved practice;

  • RFTs practice within four broad general areas of reserved practice (forest measurements, silviculture, forest operations, and forest protection);

  • Trainees for both categories are only entitled to practice under supervision until they become either RPFs or RFTs.

Click the image to see full PDF infographic of the different types of forestry practice areas:

Infringement of Practice and Title

It is an offence under the PGA to undertake reserved forestry practice, or use a reserved title, if not registered with FPBC. Such offences carry a maximum fine of $200,000 and/or a two-year prison sentence.

Other Forest Practitioners

FPBC also regulates other forest occupations, such as timber cruisers (ATC), silvicultural surveyors (SAS), timber evaluators (ATE), and forest technicians.

Click the image to see full PDF infographic of the different types of forestry practice areas:

Other Resources

Watch the video What does a Forest Professional do?:

Watch the video It’s Not All About Logging:

Learn more about BC’s registered forest professionals and the practice of forestry in our brochure Trusted to Care for BC’s Forests and Forest Lands.

Click the image to see full PDF: