JULY 31, 1998 ADDRESS TO

JULY 31, 1998 ADDRESS TO

THE FORESTRY TASK FORCE

OF THE

PENNSYLVAINA GENERAL ASEMBLIES

JOINT AIR AND WATER POLLUTION CONTROL AND CONSERVATION COMMITTEE

Donald P. Oaks, Chair

Licensing and Registration Committee

Pennsylvania Division, Allegheny Society of American Foresters

DISCLAIMER:

I am an employee of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry. I am not appearing here today in the capacity of that employment. The initiative, which I will address here today, is not an initiative of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. I am here today as the Chairman of the Licensing and Registration Committee of the Pennsylvania Division of the Allegheny Society of American Foresters. I am solely responsible for the opinions and views that I will express here today and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources may not necessarily share these views.

In September of 1993 I was appointed the Chair of the Pennsylvania Division of the Allegheny Society of American Foresters hereafter referred to as the (SAF). The organization of this committee, under my tenure, was the result of requests from the Pocono North East Forestry Committee (PNEFC), and other entities, to the SAF.

The PNEFC had been involved in the study of the effect of local harvesting ordinances. These ordinances, which were being adopted without assistance from the forestry profession, were in the most part restrictive in nature and detrimental to the practice of good forestry. One of conclusion drawn by the PNEFC was that the ordinances represented a search for integrity on the part of the forestry community by the local jurisdictions enacting and enforcing the ordinances. It became apparent that local communities did not trust any individual who would profit directly from a timber harvest, neither landowner, a forester, nor the industry. They did, to an increased degree, accept the input of government foresters who they viewed as less likely to be overly influenced by the economics of the situation.

The charge to the Licensing and Registration Committee was to develop legislation for the Licensing and Registration of Foresters to be presented to the SAF by June of 1994 for the membership’s review and consideration. The committee, composed of SAF members contained representatives from the consulting, industrial, governmental and academic forestry disciplines, discussed and developed legislation that would amend the Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologist Registration Law to include foresters.

The text of the act defining forestry, the practice of forestry, minimum education and experience requirements and continuing education requirements was prepared by Steve Thorne, then Goddard Chair of Forestry at the Penn State School of Forest Resources in May of 1994. Maurice K. Goddard was the first person to sign a petition to bring the licensing initiative before the SAF membership. Steve Thorne was the second person to sign the petition.

The Licensing and Registration Committee recommendations and the proposed legislation was presented to the Pennsylvania Division Allegheny Society of American Foresters membership on June 23, 1994. Sufficient additional signatures were obtained at that meeting to bring the issue to a ballot that was mailed to all Pennsylvania Resident voting members of the Pennsylvania Division Allegheny Society of American Foresters. 62% of the ballots were returned. 68% of the returned ballots supported licensing Pennsylvania foresters. 32% of the returned ballots opposed licensing Pennsylvania foresters. The Pennsylvania Division Allegheny Society of American Foresters position became, and remains, that appropriate legislation to license Pennsylvania Foresters should be enacted by the General Assembly and approved by the Administration.

The SAF Licensing and Registration committee, which I chair, has prepared this legislation, an amendment to the Engineers, Land Surveyor, and Geologist Registration Law. The amendment is titled the Forester Accountability Act. I have brought copies of the Forester Accountability Act and copies of the Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologist Registration Law as it would appear if amended by the proposed Forester Accountability Act for the use of the Forestry Task Force members.

The Forester Accountability Act does the following:

Defines "Forestry" for the purpose of the act.

Defines "Practice of Forestry" for the purpose of the act.

Establishes the minimum educational and experience qualifications required for licensing and registration as a forester.

Four years experience with a four-year baccalaureate forestry degree

Six years experience with a two-year associate degree in forestry.

Provides for an examination process but further provides that licenses be issued without examination during the first two years after enactment, provided the applicant otherwise meets the requirements of the Forester Accountability Act.

Permits individuals engaged in the practice of forestry on the effective date of the Forestry Accountability Act who have attained, at the minimum, a two year degree in a field of study closely related to forestry or who have only completed 3 years of an approved four year forestry curriculum and who meet all other requirements the privilege of the practice of forestry until they have had the opportunity to pass the examination so long as they comply with continuing education requirement.

Individuals so practicing without a license may not represent themselves to be licensed foresters but shall be permitted to represent themselves as forester applicant, license pending examination.

Other applicants who have graduated from an approved two year or four year forestry curriculum, who have submitted to the board any application required by this Act during the first two years following the effective date of this act shall be permitted to represent themselves as foresters unless and until their application is denied by the board.

No person may represent themselves to be a Registered Professional Forester in Pennsylvania until so licensed by the board.

Provides for continuing education.

Permits the practice of forestry by persons other that licensed registered professionals under certain circumstances.

Practice by individuals or employees under the supervision of Registered Professional Foresters who in any event do not assume responsible charge of professional forestry work performed.

Practice by qualified persons not having a regular place of business in Pennsylvania from states and territories having standards at least equal to the Commonwealth not to exceed 30 days in the aggregate in the calendar year.

Officers and employees of the federal government for the government.

Landowners, companies and corporations on owned land so long as their practice does not endanger the public health safety and welfare.

Employees of public utilities so long as the public utility employees a registered professional forester who shall be in responsible charge of all forestry work performed by such employees

Companies and their employees performing work incidental to, or involved in, the manufacturing of a product or non-forestry service provided by the company.