Legislature(1997 - 1998)
02/12/1998 01:20 PM House RES
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HB 182 - QUALIFICATIONS OF STATE FORESTER CO-CHAIRMAN HUDSON announced the first order of business was House Bill No. 182, "An Act relating to the qualifications of the state forester." Number 0113 REPRESENTATIVE BILL WILLIAMS, sponsor of HB 182, explained he introduced the bill to further strengthen the state's forestry program. The state already has one of the toughest Forest Practices Act in the nation. And, there has been legislation introduced by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate to make the act even stronger. Thus, HB 182 follows the trend to make the state's forestry program the best in the country. The bill would require the head of the Division of Forestry to have a bachelors degree or higher from a program accredited by the Society of American Foresters (SAF) and three years of field experience. The state's forests are becoming even more important with the decrease of available federal timber. Therefore, it is necessary to have a professional (indis.) in the division where approximately 70 percent of employees are either professional foresters or forestry technicians. The bill would also give the Alaska Fire Chiefs Association a formal opportunity to provide input during the hiring process. He encouraged the committee members to pass the bill from the House Resources Standing Committee. Number 0289 TOM BOUTIN stated he first moved to Alaska in 1973 at the age of 23. It is an excellent idea to consult with the Alaska Fire Chiefs Association for the selection of a state forester and other issues that come before the Division of Forestry. However, he is concerned about the current deputy state forester, a lady who has been acting state forester at least two times under different administrations. She is very well qualified, but she grew up in Nome. She is a contemporary of Representative Richard Foster. She attended the University of Alaska Fairbanks and her degree is in geology. The bill would eliminate her as a potential candidate for state forester at any time in the future. He said, "When you have been out of school for so long, it is more what you have learned along the way than how your degree might read." Number 0449 REPRESENTATIVE WILLIAMS stated he has been talking with Mr. Boutin over the past few days in regards to his concerns. If there was a way to fix the bill for him, he would, but as it reads now it is good for the state. Number 0479 REPRESENTATIVE BEVERLY MASEK asked Representative Williams whether there have been problems in the past with the way the division has been run and what was his reasoning for the bill. CO-CHAIRMAN HUDSON asked Representative Masek to hold her question. Number 0532 JEFF JAHNKE, State Forester, Division of Forestry, Department of Natural Resources, stated we support the intent of the bill. It is important that the Alaska Fire Chiefs Association has input into the selection of state foresters because they are a major cooperator of state forestry activities. The language regarding qualifications is more restrictive than necessary so we recommend the language refer to the "definition of a professional forester as defined by the SAF" rather than "graduation from a SAF certified institution." In April of 1997 the Board of Forestry looked at the bill and unanimously agreed to include the Alaska Fire Chiefs Association as part of the selection process, but failed to support the requirement of a bachelors degree and three years of field experience. Number 0636 REPRESENTATIVE WILLIAMS explained he had been in contact with the commissioner and agreed to the changes that are in the bill today. Number 0684 WAYNE NICOLLS, Representative, Alaska Society of American Foresters, read the following statement into the record: "The Alaska Society of American Foresters believes, consistent with the national Society's position relative to federal resource management agencies, that Alaska's state resource management agencies should be lead by professionals pertinent to the agencies' responsibilities. "As regards to the Division of Forestry, we believe the state's best interests in behalf of professional scientific management of the state's forest resources, are best served by a professional forester. Requirements for professional membership in the Society of American Foresters (SAF) should serve as a working definition for this purpose. They follow: "A. Must be a graduate of an SAF accredited forestry curriculum or of a candidate curriculum for accreditation or, "B. be a recipient of a graduate degree in forestry from an institution that has an SAF accredited forestry curriculum or one that is a candidate for accreditation or, "C. be a scientist or practitioner who holds a bachelor's or higher degree within the broad field of forestry based on a curriculum that is neither SAF accredited nor a candidate for accreditation and who has three or more years of qualifying experience within the broad field of forestry. "The characteristics of natural resources are such that their most effective management should not be subject to frequent leadership and personnel turnover and policy shifts that preclude continuity. "We support House Bill 182 to the extent that it would require a professional forester to fill the position of Director of the Division of Forestry, Department of Natural Resources, also called the State Forester." Number 0839 CO-CHAIRMAN SCOTT OGAN commented that the bill says a bachelor's or higher degree in a forestry-related program and stated there is a bachelor of art degree and bachelor of science degree. A bachelor of science is more of a discipline than a bachelor or art. He asked Mr. Nicolls whether a bachelor of art would be enough to be a state forester. Number 0859 MR. NICOLLS replied it would depend on what it is in. CO-CHAIRMAN OGAN stated the bill says a forestry-related program. MR. NICOLLS replied the criteria in the bill are directly out of the membership requirements for SAF. They are broadly interpreted - experience is the lynchpin for membership. It just says bachelor's degree, it does not specify bachelor of science. It was intended to be a biological science, but it has not been restricted to that. He knows of a member who has a degree in theology. Number 0922 REPRESENTATIVE JOE GREEN noted as well that the degree is not specified. He wondered whether there could be an environmentally sanctioned program, for example, that would pass muster. Number 0953 MR. NICOLLS replied, "I would say so." REPRESENTATIVE GREEN stated he is concerned that the bill would prevent the state from wanting a forester who would promote the development of a renewable resource like our forests, for example. MR. NICOLLS replied, "I don't think that would be precluded by that." The breadth of forestry includes a lot of things beyond timber management, for example. It is entirely possible that there are people with forest degrees who could not begin to administer a timber program. It would come with the screening of the applicants. The bill calls for basic qualification requirements. At last count, there are 62 accredited forestry curriculum programs. There is a large pool of candidates out there. And, all of the state foresters that he knows would have met the qualifications. Number 1048 REPRESENTATIVE GREEN asked Mr. Nicolls whether the 62 programs mentioned are accredited by the SAF. MR. NICOLLS replied, "Yes." Number 1075 CO-CHAIRMAN HUDSON announced the chair would like to have a motion to adopt the proposed committee substitute. Number 1082 REPRESENTATIVE RAMONA BARNES made a motion to adopt the proposed committee substitute for HB 182, version 0-LS0627\B, Luckhaupt, 2/10/98. There being no objection, it was so adopted. Number 1102 REPRESENTATIVE GREEN referred the committee members to page 1, line 13, "(2) at least three years of field experience in forestry", and asked Representative Williams whether three years is adequate. Number 1126 REPRESENTATIVE WILLIAMS replied he believes so. It was also recommended by the Alaska Society of American Foresters. Number 1145 CO-CHAIRMAN OGAN made a motion to move the proposed committee substitute for HB 182, version 0-LS0627\B, Luckhaupt, 2/10/98, from the committee with individual recommendations and the attached zero fiscal note. There being no objection, CSHB 182(RES) moved from the House Resources Standing Committee.
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