What is Professional Forestry?
The practice of professional forestry means providing advice or services in relation to trees, forests, forest lands, forest resources, forest transportation systems, or forest ecosystems.
Professional forestry encompasses a range of diverse jobs that can occur in the forest or in an office where plans and policies are decided and includes planning, advising, directing, approving, supervising, engaging in, and reporting services.
Services 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.
Watch the video: It’s Not All About Logging.
The practice of professional forestry was also described in the former Foresters Act to include, but was not limited to:
Reserved Practice of Professional Forestry
Regulated practice defines the broad area of practice where FPBC must regulate registrants.
Reserved practice means the advice and services provided can only be done by a registered forest professional. This applies when the advice or services of the regulated practice could impact the protection of the environment or affect the safety, health, and welfare of the public. In these circumstances, the experience or technical knowledge of a professional forester (RPF) or RFT is needed and legally required.
Forest Professionals are Accountable
Professional Forestry is a Regulated Profession
Like other regulated professions such as lawyers, accountants, doctors, dentists, and engineers, anyone practicing professional forestry must be registered with and meet specific standards set by the profession’s regulator, FPBC. A registrant who does not follow FPBC standards risks being disciplined and losing their license to practice professional forestry.
Infringement of Practice and Title
It is an offence under the Professional Governance Act (PGA) to undertake reserved forestry practice, or use a reserved title, if not registered with the FPBC. Such offences carry a maximum fine of $200,000 and/or a two-year prison sentence.
Forest Professionals are Highly Educated
Two Main Types of Forest Professionals
To become registered with FPBC and be able to practise professional forestry, all prospective forest professionals must complete a two-year articling process under a sponsoring forest professional and pass a series of licensure examinations about:
RPFs and RFTs both have reserved practice rights and titles:
Other Forest Practitioners
FPBC also regulates other forest occupations, such as timber cruisers (ATC), silvicultural surveyors (SAS), timber evaluators (ATE), and forest technicians.
Forest Professionals Adhere to Strict Professional Standards
Hiring a Forest Professional Ensures You Have the Right Skills
Reduce Environmental and Operating Risks
Hiring a forest professional reduces environmental risks and operating risks as well as other liabilities involved in forest management by getting someone who is competent with the right education, skills, and experience, who will follow the law and professional standards of practice when managing or implementing forestry-related work.
Achieve Social Licence
The public trusts forest professionals to be competent and to follow the laws governing the use of forests and the environment while balancing the health and sustainability of forests. For 20 years, independent public opinion research finds the public ranks forest professionals as the most trusted source for providing information regarding BC’s forest resources.
It’s the Law
Only those licensed by and registered with FPBC are legally able to practice professional forestry in BC, no matter how knowledgeable they are about forests.
Who Hires Forest Professionals?
Forest professionals work for a wide range of employers, including:
Other Resources
Watch the video: What does a Forest Professional do?