Discussion: Fiduciary Role of a Forester - Hiring a Forester

The term "fiduciary duty" describes a legal relationship between two or more parties (most commonly a "fiduciary" or "trustee" and a "principal" or "beneficiary") which demands the fiduciary to be extremely loyal to the person to whom they owe a service. They must not put personal interests before the duty, and must not profit from their position as a fiduciary, unless the principal consents as part of their mutual agreement.

Registered foresters have agreed to commit themselves to a professional standard, in essence, agreeing to be a fiduciary either to an organization he works for or to a timber owner that is a client. A professional forester agreeing to become a fiduciary says that he or she can be entrusted with managing the "Principal's" forest which may include selling the timber for a small percentage of the sale. Often, foresters are hired as consultants and considered to be serving only the forest owner.

There are thirteen states that register their foresters. These registered professional foresters are agreeing that they will act in the sole interest of their beneficiary. You need to know who your forester's employer is and if there might be a conflict of interest in managing your property. Hire only a registered forester in these states and ask the forester if he is working exclusively in your behalf.

All states have forestry consultants for hire. They also are aware of their fiduciary responsibilities if they belong to the Association of Consulting Foresters (ACF). For the best approach when hiring a forester, select your candidates from your state's list of registered foresters and/or a practicing forester that is a member of the ACF.

States with Licensing Boards for Foresters
How to Sell Your Timber