Standard 7

Professionalism and Ethics

Canada’s professional forester serves the public interest and understands the role of the profession. Professional foresters have integrity, are competent, independent and accountable for their actions and decisions. They maintain professional standards and conduct based on ethical principles including life long learning and continuing competency requirements.

Standard 7 is a self-paced module. Participants will be able to begin and finish the course at their own leisure, with no official timeline for completion. Participants will be able to register and begin Standard 7 at any point throughout the year.

Module Objectives

  • Commitment to life­long learning and career development.
  • Contact with the professional forestry regulatory body.
  • Conflict of interest.
  • Knowledge of professional regulation and history.
  • Moral and ethical questions in forest resource use.
  • Professional character includes independence, integrity, competence, respect and accountability.
  • Professional ethics, obligations and codes of conduct.
  • Standards of professional practice.
  • Understanding of due diligence, limits to competence, law of professional negligence, duty of care, accountability and professional liability.

Module Schedule

This training package will incorporate self-paced, online modules, required readings, discussion forums, and a variety of evaluation methods including quizzes on lecture content.

See course content below to get started!

Course Content

Getting Started

  • Getting Started

    Welcome to Standard 7

Step 1

  • Introduction

    Overview of the lesson plan for Step 1

  • Introductory core lectures

  • Readings

    What Professional Foresters Do

Step 2

  • Introduction

    Overview of the lesson plan for Step 2

  • Core Lectures

    Core lectures building off of the introductory content from Step 1

  • Supplementary Lectures (not mandatory)

    The Evolution of Forest Management in Ontario, Indigenous perspectives and traditional knowledge

  • Readings

    Readings required from Step 1

  • Discussion Forum Questions

    Regulated professions and trade associations, Scope of practice, Self-Regulating professions, Going it alone.

Step 3

  • Assignment #1

    Describe and discuss an ethical dilemma you have encountered in the workplace.

  • Quiz #1

Step 4

  • Discussion Forum Questions

    Evidence-based information, The long run, Applying a code of ethics, Beyond ethics.

Step 5

  • Submission: Assignment #1

    Please submit Assignment #1

  • Assignment #2

    From your individual perspective, explain and describe a variety of ethics and ethical constructs that are applied in the profession of forestry.

  • Quiz 2

Step 6

  • Proposal Submission: Assignment #2

    Please submit your proposal for Assignment #2

Step 7

  • Submission: Assignment #2

    Please submit Assignment #2