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What is a consulting forester?
Notes from the field (Summer 2010) |
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| In the last INLT Quarterly Newsletter(Spring 2010),my article “What is a Forester” (INLT Quarterly Newsletter, Spring 2010) discussed the important role professional foresters play in managing our natural resources. My article also pointed out that there are many different types of foresters and that they fill a variety of specialized niches while working to achieve a balance between human needs and forest sustainability. My concluding article describes the role a Consulting Forester plays in filling one of those important niches. 
Essentially, a Consulting Forester is a professional who provides forest management services to the general public on a fee basis. Much like a certified public accountant (CPA) would work to minimize a client’s tax bill, a Consulting Forester works with a landowner to maximize the benefits and financial profits realized through proper forest management.
Consulting Forester expertise can be invaluable as landowners work toward improving their forest, but confusion arises about who qualifies as a Consulting Forester. Unlike other professions (medical doctors, CPA, professional counselors) requiring state licensure, most states have no foresters’ licensing requirements.
To alleviate confusion and preserve the profession’s integrity, a Consulting Foresters group formed the Association of Consulting Foresters (ACF) in 1948 and set strict Consulting Foresters competency and credentialing standards. Since 1948, the standards have evolved to reflect industry changes so that today the ACF stands as the Consulting Foresters’ benchmark. The following list highlights some AFC membership requirements:
- Minimum of a B.S. degree in Forestry from an approved college
- Must be sponsored by ACF members and provide both professional and personal references
- 5 years experience in practical forestry administration, management, or other special forestry classification.
- A member's principal business activity must be forestry consulting work to the general public on a fee or contractual basis
The mission of the Association of Consulting Foresters is to promote the ethical stewardship of forest resources by advancing the Profession of Consulting Forestry.
A Consulting Forester must earn a four-year forestry degree through an accredited college, adhere to a strict ethical code, represent the clients’ best interests, (i.e. avoid conflicts of interest), and meet their clients’ ownership objectives. Although not all forestry consultants are ACF members, rest assure that a forester who earned the ACF credential met the necessary standards to properly represent themselves as a professional forestry consultant.
The Consulting Forester service is especially useful when developing a forest management plan. A consultant will work with a landowner to identify ownership objectives and will develop a management strategy that defines the condition and their forestland value long into the future.
A consultant’s knowledge and experience is also valuable, if not essential, when it comes time to implement forest management strategies, especially timber harvesting. Most consultants work with a landowner throughout the process which includes preparing a harvest plan and contract, selecting trees to remove/retain, promoting product marketing and utilization, and assuring fair and competitive logging cost. Follow-up is also provided to assure that the client is satisfied with cleanup efforts.
Consulting Foresters offer timber volume estimates and timber valuation services. This information is particularly valuable for the following needs: placing a value on forested land, buying or selling property, establishing a conservation easement or estate planning purposes.
The other duties most consultants perform include: identifying potential cost-share assistance, overseeing tree planting or pre-commercial thinning, developing wildlife habitat improvement projects, providing absentee landowner representation, and serving as an expert witness in court.
Again, since a Consulting Forester works specifically for his/her client and does not receive compensation from any other source, a fee must be charged. Fees will vary based on the service provided and may differ somewhat between consultants. For services such as forest management planning, timber volume estimates and timber appraisal reports, most consultants use a fixed-rate fee based on the anticipated complexity of the project. When overseeing a timber harvest, most consultants base their fee on a percentage of the revenue or on the amount of material removed using a by the ton or thousand-board-foot volume measurement. (Note: When shopping for a consultant it is always important to ask the right questions, but in this case, it is especially important to make sure you are comparing the same numbers because some consultants base their fee on net figures and some on gross.) Finally, an hourly or day rate is used for other services.
As one of many different professionals working to manage our forests, a Consulting Forester is instrumental in helping individual landowners assure that their forests continue to provide forest products, clean water, pure air, wildlife habitat, and spiritual value.
Steven V. Bloedel, ACF, CF
Inland Forest Management, Inc.
(208) 263-9420
IFM@inlandforest.com
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