ETH401 – Forestry Ethics and Professional Conduct |
NZIF Code of Ethics & Case Study Summary
What are values? - Values are what is important and worthwhile; they form the basis for moral
and ethical codes.
What are morals? - Morals are codes of conduct governing behavior—values put into practice as
actions.
What is ethics? - Ethics involves critical reflection on morality and provides a rational way to
work through dilemmas to determine the best course of action.
Define 'dilemma' in ethics. - A situation requiring a difficult choice between two or more equally
undesirable alternatives.
What distinguishes ethics from morality? - Morality is personal judgment of right and wrong;
ethics are community or professional standards of right and wrong.
What are consequentialist theories? - They focus on maximizing goodness or the best
outcomes.
What are deontological theories? - They emphasize duties, rights, or obligations regardless of
outcomes.
What are virtue theories? - They focus on character and being a virtuous person rather than
specific actions.
Why is ethics important in forestry? - Because forestry decisions affect others, laws may not
cover all situations, and ethical trust enables sound decision-making across cultures.
List the four components of acting ethically. - Moral sensitivity, moral judgement, moral
motivation, and moral character.
, What is moral sensitivity? - Recognizing when a situation involves an ethical issue and
understanding its impact on others.
What is moral judgement? - Reasoning about what ought to be done and identifying the moral
ideal.
What is moral motivation? - Prioritizing ethical values over competing interests.
What is moral character? - Having the strength and persistence to act on moral
intentions.
What defines professional status? - Specialized training, service to the public, peer governance,
and adherence to a professional code of conduct.
What makes forestry a profession? - It combines science and art, requires judgment and
integrity, and involves responsibility beyond technical skills.
What are key aspects of client/professional relationships? - Imbalance of power, importance of
issues, opacity of diligence, and lack of personal knowledge.
Why are ethics central to professions? - Clients rely on professionals for matters they cannot
evaluate themselves; trust depends on adherence to codes and standards.
What is professional ethics? - Moral standards governing how specialists use their knowledge
and skills when providing services to the public.
What are professional codes of ethics? - Codified rules guiding professional behavior, often
enforced by associations through sanctions or membership loss.
What was established by the Forests Amendment Act 2020? - Mandatory registration for log
traders and forestry advisers (later repealed in 2023).
What replaced the 2020 amendment after repeal? - Return to the voluntary NZIF Registered
Forestry Professional scheme.
NZIF Code of Ethics & Case Study Summary
What are values? - Values are what is important and worthwhile; they form the basis for moral
and ethical codes.
What are morals? - Morals are codes of conduct governing behavior—values put into practice as
actions.
What is ethics? - Ethics involves critical reflection on morality and provides a rational way to
work through dilemmas to determine the best course of action.
Define 'dilemma' in ethics. - A situation requiring a difficult choice between two or more equally
undesirable alternatives.
What distinguishes ethics from morality? - Morality is personal judgment of right and wrong;
ethics are community or professional standards of right and wrong.
What are consequentialist theories? - They focus on maximizing goodness or the best
outcomes.
What are deontological theories? - They emphasize duties, rights, or obligations regardless of
outcomes.
What are virtue theories? - They focus on character and being a virtuous person rather than
specific actions.
Why is ethics important in forestry? - Because forestry decisions affect others, laws may not
cover all situations, and ethical trust enables sound decision-making across cultures.
List the four components of acting ethically. - Moral sensitivity, moral judgement, moral
motivation, and moral character.
, What is moral sensitivity? - Recognizing when a situation involves an ethical issue and
understanding its impact on others.
What is moral judgement? - Reasoning about what ought to be done and identifying the moral
ideal.
What is moral motivation? - Prioritizing ethical values over competing interests.
What is moral character? - Having the strength and persistence to act on moral
intentions.
What defines professional status? - Specialized training, service to the public, peer governance,
and adherence to a professional code of conduct.
What makes forestry a profession? - It combines science and art, requires judgment and
integrity, and involves responsibility beyond technical skills.
What are key aspects of client/professional relationships? - Imbalance of power, importance of
issues, opacity of diligence, and lack of personal knowledge.
Why are ethics central to professions? - Clients rely on professionals for matters they cannot
evaluate themselves; trust depends on adherence to codes and standards.
What is professional ethics? - Moral standards governing how specialists use their knowledge
and skills when providing services to the public.
What are professional codes of ethics? - Codified rules guiding professional behavior, often
enforced by associations through sanctions or membership loss.
What was established by the Forests Amendment Act 2020? - Mandatory registration for log
traders and forestry advisers (later repealed in 2023).
What replaced the 2020 amendment after repeal? - Return to the voluntary NZIF Registered
Forestry Professional scheme.
