Abstract:
Following a comprehensive review of their forestry curriculum in 1995, the Oklahoma State University Forestry Faculty elected to modify the way professional ethics are formally addressed. The modifications involve three courses. An introduction of ethics and their role in natural resource management is presented to freshman in an introductory course. This provides a framework for learning and applying the science and practices of the Forestry Profession in the context of an ethical philosophy. Students address ethics a second tirne between their sophomore and junior years. This happens during the initial summer camp course where students are exposed to philosophical and policy differences between natural resource management agencies. Ethics are formally reintroduced in two senior courses that are usually taken concurrently. One of these courses is a capstone experience where students address real natural resource management problems. The second is a course in forest administration and natural resource policy. In these two courses the instructors cooperate to require the students to consider professional ethics in a philosophical framework for decision making as well as an applied standard for real decisions in the execution of professional work. This is acconlpiished through discussions of the Ethical Canons of the Society of American Foresters in the forest administration and policy course. These discussions are followed by group presentations to the class of ethical considerations associated with projects from the student's capstone experience.
Keywords:
ethics, forestry curriculum
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