Standards of Professional Practice for Certified Foresters

Every Certified Forester® (CF) and applicant for Certified Forester status agrees to:

1) Make every effort to periodically review and follow all applicable state and federal regulations governing environmental quality and, specifically, the stewardship and management of forest resources; 

2) Make every effort to recognize and inform prospective clients or employers of the responsibility to conserve forest resources and to maintain environmental quality in management recommendations; 

3) Refrain from providing a professional opinion or recommendation for an area of expertise for which the individual is not qualified by either academic preparation or experience and to refer clients or employers to other natural resource professionals when the expertise of such individuals shall best serve the interests of the public, the forestry profession, and the client/employer; 

4) Use only truthful and not misleading statements in any advertising or statement of qualifications; 

5) Refrain from misrepresenting CF certification, or one’s individual CF status, including the misuse of application status, trademark, certificate, or other related credentials; 

6) Refrain from any misrepresentation on an application; willful submission of incorrect information in recertification; or failure to include relevant information in any communication to the Certification Review Board (CRB) or SAF National Office; and to 

7) Pay all required fees, as set forth in Certification Requirements. 

Further, every CF and CF applicant agrees that violation of the standards listed above may be a basis for adverse action, including denial or revocation of certification or recertification, in accordance with Certification Review Board (CRB) Administrative Rules, and that:

8) Certification may be suspended, and may be revoked pending review by the CRB, following final action resulting in revocation or suspension of a CF’s state forestry registration or licensing credential, or related professional credential or professional membership;

9) A conviction of, plea of guilty to, or plea of nolo contendere to a felony related to forestry practices or to public health or welfare or misdemeanor that relates directly to forestry practices, is grounds for denial, revocation, or suspension of certification; and that

10) The CF shall report any revocation, suspension, conviction, or plea as described above to SAF within thirty (30) days of the final action. An individual convicted of such a felony or misdemeanor may be ineligible to apply for certification or recertification for a period of three (3) years from the exhaustion of appeals, probation, parole, or final release from confinement (if any) whichever is later. 

-- Adopted by the Council of the Society of American Foresters in 1994. Document revised April 2003 and September 2005.