Louisiana Tech University School of Forestry - Forester Yearbook (Ruston, LA)

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SOCIETY OF AMERICAN FORESTERS Washington 6, D. C. Foresters' Code of Ethics The purpose of these canons is to for- mulate guiding principles of profession- al conduct for a forester in his relations with other foresters, with his employers, and with the public. The observance of these canons secures decent and honor- able professional and human relation- ships, establishes enduring mutual con- fidence and respect, and enables the profession to give it maximum service. Professional Life 1. The professional forester will uti- lize his knowledge and skill for the benefit of society. He will cooperate in extending the effectiveness of the for- estry profession by interchanging in- formation and experience with other foresters, and by contributing to the work of forestry societies, associations, schools, and publications. 2. He will advertise only in a digni- fied manner, setting forth in truthful and factual statements the services he is prepared to render for his prospec- tive clients and for the public. Relations With the Public 3. He will strive for correct and in- creasing knowledge of forestry and the dissemination of this knowledge, and will discourage and condemn the spread- ing of untrue, unfair, and exaggerated statements concerning forestry. 4. He will not issue statements, criti- cism, or arguments on matters connected with public forestry policies, without in- dicating, at the same time, on whose be- half he is acting. 5. When serving as an expert wit- ness on forestry matters, in a public or private fact finding proceeding, he will base his testimony on adequate knowl- edge of the subject matter, and render his opinion on his own honest convic- tions. 6. He will refrain from expressing publicly an opinion on a technical sub- ject unless he is informed as to the facts relating thereto, and will not dis- tort or withhold data of a substantial Adopted N0t'cmbc1f 12, 1948 or other nature for the purpose of sub- stantiating a point of view. Relations With Clients, Principals, and Employers 7. He will be loyal to his client or to the organization in which he is cm- ployed and will faithfully perform his work and assignments. 8. He will present clearly the conse- quences to be expected from deviations proposed if judgment is authority in cases where he is respon- sible for the technical adequacy of for- estry or related work. his professional forestry overruled by nontechnical 9. He will not voluntarily disclose information concerning the business af- fairs of his employers, principals, or clients, which they desire to keep con- fidential, unless express permission is first obtained. 10. He will not, without the full knowledge and consent of his client or employer, have an interest in any busi- ness which may influence his judgment i11 regard to the Work for which he is engaged. 11. He Will not, for the same serv- ice, accept compensation of any kind, other than from his client, principal, or employer, without full disclosure, knowledge, and consent of all parties concerned. 12. He will engage, or advise his client or employer to engage, other ex- perts and specialists in forestry and related fields Whenever the client's or employer's interests would be best served by such actions, and will cooper- ate freely with them in their work. Relations With Professional Foresters 13. He will at all times strive to protect the forestry profession collec- tively and individually from misrepre- sentation and misunderstanding. 14. He will aid in safeguarding the profession against the admission to its ranks, of persons unqualified because of lack of good moral character or of 31 adequate training. 15. In writing or in speech he will be scrupulous to give full credit to oth- ers, in so far as his knowledge goes, for procedures and methods devised or dis- covered and ideas advanced or aid given. and 16. He will not intentionally without just cause, directly or indirect- ly, injure the reputation or business of another forester. 17. If he has substantial and con- vincing evidence of unprofessional con- duct of a forester, he will present the information to the proper authority for action. 18. He will not compete with an- other forester on the basis of charges for work by underbidding through re- duction of his quoted fee after being informed of the fee quoted by a com- petitor. 19. He will not use the advantages of a salaried position to compete un- fairly with another forester. 20. He will not attempt to supplant another forester in a particular employ- ment, after becoming aware.that the latter has been definitely engaged. 21. He will not review the work of another forester, for the latter's em- ployer, without the otheris knowledge, unless the latter's connection with the work has been terminated. 22. He will base all letters of refer- ence or oral recommendation on a fair and unbiased evaluation of the party concerned. 23. To the best of his ability he will support, work for, and adhere to the principles of the merit system of em- ployment. 24. He will not participate in solicit- ing or collecting financial contributions from subordinates or employees for political purposes. 25. He will uphold the principle of appropriate and adequate compensation for those engaged in forestry Work, in- cluding those in subordinate positions, as being in the public interest and main- taining the standards of the profession.

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5 I s sat I Mm ,N was lr ,si an gl was nw was ws wa as up xc is is an 1 il ll -rv-H' rs. I1 G1 il I Bl H M ,II If .Q il .M .. M STUDENT MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY OF AMERICAN FORESTERS BACK ROW: McKissack, Hall, Anthony, Stroud, Tolar, Kay, Elking SECOND ROW: Comeaux, Stagg, Carruth Squyres, Gills, Reitzellg THIRD ROW: Dark, Shows, Istre, Westbrook, Morris, FRONT ROW: Erwin, Slayton, McGrew, Rock ett, Colvin. There's o one ond only Compliments in refresh ment, too f ,:43,t9,9'.L.4P-4-4 DIAMOND HANDLE CO. ,L ' Manufacturers of Broom, Mop, and Sweeper Handles . . . Box 498 AL 5-2963 Ruston, Louisiana Ruston Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Inc. 30

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THE FORESTERS A D PUBLIC EDLICATIO by Ed Kerr The professional forester upon graduation from Louisiana Tech has benefitted from 16 or more years of public education a la Louisiana. He has reaped the benefits from a system which is almost as old as Am erica herself. But the forester soon finds that his connection with public education is not severed when he receives his diploma. Only his role changes--from student to teacher. In contrast to most other professional men, the forester cannot maneuver himself into a private corner to practice his profession. Rather, he must take his knowledge constantly to the public and strive to teach that public about forestry and good forestry practices. Why? Because the object of the forester's entire career is growing trees and no one has been able to grow trees anywhere except out-of-doors. Anywhere the forester grows trees, whether it be next year or 50 years from now, he will need the cooperation of people in order to grow those trees successfully. People live in the forests and by the forests. They hunt in the forest. They fish in the forest's lakes. They walk through it to get somewhere else or simply just to take a hike. They vote taxes on the forest land and sometimes on the trees that grow thereon. They approve rights of way through the forest for pipelines, roads and canals. They choose forest acreage for flood basins, water reservoirs and drainage structures. They vote for or against forest fire protection and forest research funds. They set forest fires, either accidentally or on purpose. No profession in the world has ever depended upon public understanding for its successful functioning as does forestry today. And why not? Everything the forester does affects to some extent some people. And the feeling that some people have about the trees around them borders on the religious. They agree with Joyce Kilmer that only God can make a tree and steadfastly oppose the mistreatment of God's creations. Aha! There, my anxious graduate, lies your big problem of public education. The average man, much less schooled in forestry than you, may well have a different idea of what constitutes mistreatment of trees than you have. For instance, thousands of them today look upon the deadening of hardwoods--any hardwoods--as wasteful, if not sacrilegious. He views it as a threat to his hunting future as well. Your job: teach him what you know, that worthless, misshapen hardwoods are denying valuable growth to the pines around them. How well you teach him this and the hundreds of other reasons why foresters do what they do, will in the final analysis, determine your success as a forester. The forester knows what he is doing is right. His problem in public relations is to convince the people in and around the woods that he is right. Sometimes this is a laborious process, demanding much time and talent on the part of the forester. In short, many foresters have learned to hold their Biltmore sticks in their left hand. Their right hand is reserved for a coffee cup. .32