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This policy on the Use of
the Seal was approved at the AGM on May 17, 2001. The policy
has been rewritten to conform with the Professional Foresters Act
2000.
Use of Seal Policy
1. General
- This policy covers the use of the Professional
Seal by a member of the Association.
- This policy replaces all previous Use of Seal
Policies.
2. Enabling Legislation
and Jurisdiction
Professional Foresters Act 2000 Section 53(1) states:
“The Council may pass by-laws,
34. prescribing the seal and other insignia of
the Association and providing for their use;
35. requiring and governing the signing
and sealing of documents and plans by members of the Association,
specifying the form of seals and respecting the issuance
and ownership of seals;”
The provision of seal is currently required in the
Association By-laws, Section 15.2 and is subject to the O.P.F.A.
Code of Ethics. Section 15.2 reads: “The Association shall provide
a Professional Seal to the members upon registration, which shall
remain the property of the Association.”
3. Conditions for Use of Seal
- The application of the Professional Seal to a
document or a portion thereof signifies that the contents
conform to the Code of Ethics and professional forestry standards.
Certification must take the form of the seal’s imprint, signature
of the member, and current date.
- The Professional Seal should be applied whenever
the Registered Professional Forester prepares official estimates,
specifications, prescriptions, reports, plans and all other documents
in his/her professional capacity.
- The work presented by the sealed document shall
have been personally carried out by the member or shall have been
carried out under the member’s “direct supervision” or review.
- For the meaning of “supervision”, see the Association
document entitled “Scope of Practice Interpretation”. Supervision
must be such that the member can reasonably monitor and accept
responsibility for the work of the person being supervised.
The member must also hold a certificate of registration enabling
him or her to supervise the activity in question.
- Alterations or amendments to a document sealed
by a Registered Professional Forester, whether made by the author
or another individual, will immediately void the seal and signature
of the Registered Professional Forester. Altered or amended
documents can be re-signed and dated by the original Registered
Professional Forester or another as the circumstances require.
4. Implications of the Use of Seal
The Code of Ethics as identified in the Regulations
under the Act requires that (in part): “a member shall undertake
only work that he or she is competent to perform by virtue of training
and experience”
This implies that members limit their practice to
those areas of forestry wherein they maintain a competence by virtue
of education and/or experience and do not extend their endeavors
beyond the realm of competence.
A note regarding implications of the Code of Ethics
and Use of Seal:
The code restricts some members use of seal for certain
documents where they do not have the required competency.
It is expected that members would recognize their competency limitations
and would not seal and sign a document where they did not have the
required competence. This is especially significant if the
Association By-laws were to specify those circumstances or documents
where a seal is required.
The use of the seal also has implications regarding
liability and discipline. Sealing a document signifies that
that the member is accepting responsibility for the contents of
the document. If the seal is misused, or if the document sealed
is not prepared in accordance with the standards and ethics of the
profession, members could be held liable or be subject to disciplinary
action.
5. Policy Administration
- The use of the Professional
Seal is subject to investigation and disciplinary action as provided
in the Professional Foresters Act 2000 and the Association By-laws.
- Each Professional Seal
is the property of the Ontario Professional Foresters Association.
It must be returned to the Association upon termination of membership.
6. Examples of Documents
Following are examples of documents, non-inclusive,
upon which a Registered Professional Forester may use his/her Professional
Seal. In each circumstance, the member shall use his/her discretion
as to whether the application of the Professional Seal and signature
conforms to the Professional Foresters Act, 2000, the Association
By-laws, and this policy.
- cost claims associated with forestry activities
or programs,
- forest protection plans,
- forest management plans,
- planting plans,
- site remediation plans,
- annual or long term operating plans,
- appraisal of penalties for infractions under existing
legislation, silvicultural plans and prescriptions,
- volume surveys and estimates,
- timber volume cruise plans and reports,
- timber sales agreements and contracts,
- letters, plans, and/or reports incorporating professional
opinions and recommendations,
- annual reports, and
- forest audits.
February 2001, Approved at May 17, 2001 AGM
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This page last modified July 30, 2010 |
