I found an article on the code of
ethics according to the Society of American Foresters that, I think, fits
nicely into my ethical goals as a future forestry profession holder. Members of this society describe, through 6
ethical goals, their main philosophy or idea of “stewardship of the world's forests” or the management of
world’s forests. This care and protection of forests has been the central topic
of discussion in all of my forestry classes.
The Society of American Foresters talks about the writer Aldo Leopold
and his writings focused on the moral obligation of caring for the world’s
forest. In my Seminar on Forest Issues class, we read a book by him and it’s
very interesting to discuss the impact that forests have on people of all culture
backgrounds. Ecosystems of the same forest can affect people differently. In
poverty stricken parts of the world, they are more concerned about the amount
of food that yields from a forest compared to the United States care of the
economical yield of a forest. This overuse, in the United States case, leads to
the damaging of forests that can affect later generations of these cultures.
These smaller cultures, in very rural parts of the world, treat their forests a
lot more carefully because of their direct dependence on the forests resources.
For Americans, it’s very difficult to realize the impact we have on forests and
the importance of forest management. A lot of people don’t know what a forester
is and after a short time of being in forestry classes, I have a greater
understanding of the overall importance that forests have on every human being.
Another
ethical goal, that this society values, is the appeal to the landowner
(principle or pledge 2). After my interview with a professional for an earlier
post in this blog, I learned that it’s very important to listen to the goals
and ideas of the landowner. My interviewee directly said that after first
receiving his forestry job, it was important to listen to the landowner and
focus on their goals and utilize his own training of forestry management to
reach the landowners goals and not his own. This idea coincides perfectly with
the 2nd pledge of the Society
of American Foresters and shows that even my classes, not directly associated
with forestry, are helping me with communication and furthering my educational
path to a forestry career by following these ethical goals.
Lastly,
I found the love that members of this society have for nature the most
important idea of all. I can easily relate to this ideology and I think that
anyone that wishes to be a forester can agree with it. Asking anyone why they
wanted to be a forester will uncover their instinctual and natural passion for
the outdoors. For me, growing up and always being outdoors made me the happiest
I could be and I wanted to pursue a career that was centered on management of
the outdoors and around involvement outdoors. “…foresters seek to sustain and
protect a variety of forest uses and attributes, such as aesthetic values, air
and water quality, biodiversity, recreation, timber production, and wildlife
habitat.” I think this is true because of all foresters recognition of the
importance of forest ecosystems and their own love for the outdoors.
Works Cited:
SAF Code of Ethics: Society of American Foresters. Society of
American Foresters Member Referendum, Nov. 3, 2000. Web. Oct. 2, 2013.
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