 |
||||
Frequently Asked Questions
Changes in the Continuing Forestry Education program
and the Certified Forester Program
Has the
SAF changed the way that Continuing Education credits are assigned?
Yes, the SAF has really tightened up on these credits. There are new requirements
for the providers of training, as well as the CFE Coordinator, and on you -
the attendee. Now, the provider must apply for credits ahead of time and report
attendance back to the national office. The CFE Coordinator is required to provide
new forms to providers, may no longer evaluate courses offered by their employer
or organization, and must attend annual training. You, as an attendee, will
receive a certificate of attendance at approved courses/workshops, and may update
your training records online at www.safnet.org
Are my
old credits still valid?
Yes, the changes that went through are as of January 2, 2008 and will apply
to future events. The criteria under which your old credits were issued is the
same, but the process has now changed as to how you apply for those credits.
What about
courses I have attended in the past? How are they evaluated?
Those courses will need to be submitted to the National Office, with a detailed
agenda, the credentials of each of the presenters, the brief content of each
of the segments, and the time that each segment was presented. In addition,
you must affirm that you did attend the course in its entirety. This is sent
to the SAF national office, to Pat Cillay, at cillayp@safnet.org
What if
the provider of the training/workshop did not apply for credits ahead of time?
If the provider does not apply for credits ahead of time, nor within a week
after the training, then each individual who wishes to obtain credit for the
course must send all the necessary paperwork to the national office for evaluation.
If I need
to send in a request for credit myself, where do I send it and what do I need
to send?
You must send a detailed agenda, the credentials of each of the presenters,
the brief content of each of the segments, and the time that each segment was
presented. In addition, you must affirm that you did attend the course in it's
entirety. This is sent to the SAF national office, to Pat
Cillay, at cillayp@safnet.org
Who evaluates
the courses, and where do I send the information?
The SAF CFE Coordinator will approve CFE Credits for trainings/workshops that
are to occur in the future, or have occurred within the past week. All others
will be sent to the National Office for evaluation by the CRB. As the provider
of the training, you should send the application for CFE Credit in Michigan
to Debra Huff, DNR - FMFM, P.O. Box 30452, Lansing,
MI 48909-7952 or email to huffd@michigan.gov
Other applications for multi-state trainings or past events should be sent to
Pat Cillay, 5400 Grosvenor Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814
or cillayp@safnet.org
What if I am arranging a workshop
or conference - what are the steps I need to take to have credit assigned for
the course?
All organizations must complete an application for CFE credit including the
following information:
o A complete agenda including times for presentations,
breaks, meals
o Names and titles of presenters
o Brief description of individual presentations
o Field Trips: length of time at each stop
Any incomplete application will be returned to the provider.
Applications will be available in the future, but for now, they can be requested
from the Michigan CFE Coordinator, Debra Huff,
at huffd@michigan.gov or 517-335-3355
As the provider of the training/workshop,
what are my responsibilities after I get the credits assigned?
Attendance Documentation is required. Providers are responsible for producing
and distributing certificates of attendance/completion to attendees for any
activity including live, online, and subscription programs offering CFE credit.
Certificates must include the following information:
o Provider: Name and complete contact information
o Title/Name of the program
o Date and location (city and state) of the program
o Name of the attendee to whom the hours are awarded
o The number of hours awarded - broken down when appropriate
The number of hours awarded must be broken down by day for multi-day events.
Hours awarded may be broken down in a logical way to fit the event format. For
example, if a daylong meeting has an indoor presentation in the morning and
a field trip in the afternoon, the hours can be broken down to reflect the number
of credits for the morning presentation and the number of credits for field
trip.
Attendance Verification is required. Providers must ensure that the hours awarded
to each participant represent the actual hours that the person attended an event
or activity. This can be completed by one of the following:
o Registration records - Registration records should
clearly indicate those individuals that
registered for a single day, entire event, optional events, or were no-shows.
o Sign in sheets - Sign in sheets should be easily accessible
for attendees. Sign-in sheets can also be used to track attendance at concurrent
sessions and optional events.
o Self-assessment reports - Reports should indicate
that an individual passed the assessment. It should not contain any specific
scores.
Providers must submit records to the National SAF Office. No later than three
weeks after conclusion of an event, providers must submit the following information
to the SAF National Office:
o Final Agenda AND
o Sign in Sheets OR Registration Records
The SAF National Office will retain the past three-years of agendas and attendance
verifications.
For organizations that do not have prior CFE approval, appropriate documentation
will have to be issued to all attendees after the event. If organizations do
not apply for approval within one week after execution of the event, attendees
will have to apply directly to the Certification Review Board (CRB) for CFE
credit and provide appropriate documentation of attendance at the event. If
a provider fails to submit the above information, the CRB reserves the right
to immediately remove CFE credit in its entirety.
My company
provides a lot of training for forestry employees. Does that count for credit?
If the content is specific to a particular agency or company, then it cannot
be given credits. Thus, it turns out that some meetings do not qualify for CFE
credits, since they focus on agency specific content, and not on information
that is needed by the forestry professionals in general.
Who is the CFE Coordinator for
the State of Michigan? For the National Office?
Michigan's CFE Coordinator is Debra Huff (huffd@michigan.gov)
and the National Office contact for CFE is Louise Murgia
(murgial@safnet.org) or Pat
Cillay (cillayp@safnet.org).
How do I track the credits that
I have towards my requirement for the Certified Forester continuing education?
You may enter credits that you have earned directly online at safnet.org, if
you are an SAF member or Certified Forester. Once a course is evaluated, it
is entered into the database online. You may see this database, and check off
the courses that you attended for recording into your records. The SAF national
office will send members an update of hours upon request, and will send a summary
when the required 60 hours of continuing education credits have been reached.
For more information, go to the website at: http://www.safnet.org/education/continuingeducation.cfm
and click on Continuing Education Calendar.
Where can I get information
about becoming a certified Forester, or maintaining my Certified Forester status?
There is extensive information about the Certified Forester program at http://www.certifiedforester.org
How do I take the Certified
Forester exam?
First you must apply to the Certified Forester program then take the required
exam. Once approved, an individual has one-year to pass the exam. Extensions
may be granted..
The exam is administered through Schroeder Measurement Technologies Inc. (SMT)
at hundreds of testing centers throughout the US. To locate a testing center
near you, visit SMT's (http://www.smttest.com/)
and click on "find a testing center" under quick links. They will
schedule individuals at their testing sites at a time that is convenient for
the you. There is no limit on the number of times an exam may be taken. There
is a fee to take the exam.
How does
SAF manage the Certified Forester and the Continuing Forestry Education programs?
The Certification Review Board (CRB) oversees and audits Certified Forester
program implementation, evaluates and periodically reviews program processes
and procedures, and makes recommendations as needed to the SAF Council on program
guidelines and standards. The CRB investigates questionable compliance and other
concerns regarding certification and recertification and serves as the initial
appellate body on eligibility decisions. Except for revocation for nonpayment
of fees (upon which SAF staff may act), only the Board may revoke or suspend
certification once granted.
The Board consists of eight Certified Forester volunteers representing a diversity
of forest resources employers and geographic regions, and one public member.
What do I get once I become
a Certified Forester?
This credential provides credibility with landowners you serve and your employers.
You get listed on the national SAF website of Certified Foresters, which landowners
can access to find competent foresters. You get permission to use the CF logo
on your correspondence and business cards. Some states accept the examination
for state registration or licensure.
In addition, Certified Foresters who have taken the NRCS Conservation Planning
Course, modules 1-5, are eligible for certification with NRCS as a TSP. This
course is available online at http://www.nedc.nrcs.usda.gov/catalog/consplan.html.
How do
I maintain my Certified Forester Status?
To maintain the CF certification, an individual must:
1. continue to comply with the CF Standards of Professional Practice;
2. accumulate 60 continuing forestry education (CFE) contact hours over a three
year period
3. pay applicable renewal and recertification fees.
What constitutes m required
60 hours of Continuing Education over three years?
Individuals with a recertification date BEFORE February 1, 2011
Cat 1-CF and/or Cat 1-FCA
30 credit hours, minimum
A maximum of 30 credit hours may
be distributed between Categories 2 and 3.
Category 2 - Not to exceed 30 credit hours
Category 3 - Not to exceed 25 credit hours
Individuals with a recertification date AFTER February 1, 2011
Cat 1-CF - 40 credit hours, minimum
A maximum of 20 credit hours may be distributed among categories 1-FCA, 2, and
3.
Do I get any credit for teaching
a course or for writing an article?
They may qualify for Category 3 credits; Category 3 activities must satisfy
ALL the following conditions:
(1) Professional activities undertaken outside of normal job responsibilities
(2) The subject matter qualifies under category 1, such as presentations in
a classroom,
field, or lab setting; writing and publishing of forestry or forestry-related
subject matter;
or, service to the profession through volunteer work
Do I get credit for serving
as an officer on a Forestry Board?
In some cases, yes. Category 3 credits can be earned for service on state or
local boards or equivalent of forestry related service organizations (e.g.,
Tree Farm, state Stewardship Committee, The American Chestnut Foundation, Woodland
Owners Associations, RC&D forestry committees, NRCS and soil conservation
boards).
o Service on county or local municipal boards affecting land use planning and
zoning (e.g., planning commission and board of zoning appeals).
No more than 2 credits per year may be applied, except that up to 5 Category
3 credits may be earned for chairing the board or a subcommittee of the board.
This website is maintained
by Bill Cook, Michigan State University Extension
Forest in the Upper Peninsula. Comments, questions,
and suggestions are gratefully accepted.