Ethics and Standards of Conduct for TMNs

Our Mission: to develop a corps of well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities in the State of Texas.

TMN Ethics and Standards of Conduct stems from our mission statement that emphasizes beneficial management of natural resources and nature areas

Sponsored by: Why is Ethics and Conduct Important?

• Collecting Rocks and Seashells is always fun Ethics Integral to Outdoor • 645,000 visitors to Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona Behavior: • cart off an estimated 12 tons of petrified wood each year. Reforming the conception of the • Picking flowers can be a hoot proper human relationship with • Removing wildflowers from the wild can adversely affect our natural environment. We pollinators and other animals that depend on that species have a duty to respect our for food and cover environment. Ethics provides guidance about values and • Those fossils would look great on my mantle choices to influence decision • Depends on where collected making. Conduct asserts that • Wow an arrowhead some specific actions are • Did you dig for it? appropriate, others inappropriate. • How bout that feather just laying there • Problems for your future In a Nutshell as to why we consider Ethics and Conduct

• Unique concerns in resource management – some complex • Can involve questions about duties and obligations in science and public welfare • Ethical behavior (Conduct) requires us at times to obey a law we don’t understand or believe in, even when the chances of being given a citation are negligible. • A new approach needed to conceptualize responsibility – a forum to discuss conduct and ethics – a Worldview TMN basis of Ethics

• Aldo Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac (1949), in particular, advocated the adoption of a “land ethic”: first person to suggest a role for ethics in looking at nature. • That land as a community is the basic concept of ecology, but that land is to be loved and respected is an extension of ethics. (Leopold 1949: vii–ix) • A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise. (Leopold 1949: 224–5) A Distinction

• Land Ethics – the moral philosophy, standards of conduct and moral judgment related to land /natural resources/environment

• Land Stewardship – is assuming the responsibilities for the care and use of land resource.

• Land Stewardship is broader than environmental stewardship, as it connects land to community, and the importance of not only ecological sustainability, but also the sustainability of social and cultural practices, values and benefits Nature Stewardship

• Aldo Leopold (1887–1949) championed environmental stewardship based on a land ethic dealing with man's relation to land and to the animals and plants which grow upon it – Unit 1 in our book. • Leopold positioned Ethics as the material criterion of Stewardship • Master Naturalist programs across the country have engaged people in Nature Stewardship for >20 years forming a network of stewards. • Reconnecting humans with nature benefits personal health and wellness, educates stakeholders about the importance of conservation, and enhances individual participation in environmental efforts. • Nature Stewardship, reflective in the TMN mission statement, refers to responsible use and protection of the natural environment through conservation and sustainable practices. Leopold’s Teachings

• Everything in nature is interconnected and independent • Every part is important to the health and survival of the whole • Humankind has the ethical and moral obligation to treat nature communities with respect and to protect and conserve it as much as possible

The TMNP starts our pathway to learn how to be good stewards for beneficial management of natural resources, fulfilling our stated mission. In this context TMNs have an Ethical Code and Standards of Conduct. TMN Code of Ethics

• Subscribe to the highest standards of integrity and conduct. • Promote and support the statewide and local Texas Master Naturalist Program. • Respect the state sponsors of Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, their roles, and expectations. • Disseminate information to promote understanding of, and appreciation for, the values of our natural resources. • Strive to increase knowledge and skills to advance as a Texas Master Naturalist volunteer. • Promote competence as a Texas Master Naturalist volunteer by supporting high standards of education, service, and performance. • Encourage the use of sound biological information in education and outreach and in management decisions. • Support fair and uniform standards of service and treatment of those engaged in the Texas Master Naturalist Program. • Know and follow established Texas Master Naturalist Program protocols and policies. • Abide by the local Texas Master Naturalist Chapter Bylaws. • Avoid use of the Texas Master Naturalist title, logos, and trademarks for personal endeavors and/or profit. • Act as trustworthy and ethical stewards of the environment. • Never inappropriately disturb or harass wildlife. Never inappropriately remove anything from its natural state or area. TMN Standards of Conduct • Uphold the Commitment made to the Program and the required volunteer and advanced training hours required by the Texas Master Naturalist Program and the Local Chapter. • Uphold the dignity and integrity of the Texas Master Naturalist Program. Volunteers shall endeavor to avoid even the suspicion of dishonesty, fraud, deceit, misrepresentation, or unprofessional demeanor. • Conduct themselves appropriately to context and setting at all times. • Be considerate and respect other’s points of view. • Keep accurate records of volunteer service, training and research, and monthly (at a minimum) report these records to your local Chapter. • Avoid performing service when such service is judged to be contrary to the Code of Ethics or detrimental to the well-being of the Texas Master Naturalist Program and its sponsors, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. • Provide maximum possible effort in the best interest of each client and/or volunteer project. • Be mindful of their responsibility to society and the Texas Master Naturalist Program. • Studiously avoid discrimination in any form, or the abuse of Texas Master Naturalist Program authority, Certification, or Membership for personal satisfaction. Advocacy, lobbying or promoting political issues while performing as a TMN volunteer is strictly prohibited. • Cooperate fully with professionals and other Master Naturalist volunteers in the best interest of our natural resources. • Refrain from advertising in a self-laudatory manner, beyond statements intended to inform prospective clients or members of qualifications, or in a manner detrimental to the Texas Master Naturalist Program and its volunteers. • Avoid all use of alcohol and controlled substances while on duty as a Texas Master Naturalist volunteer. Reporting for service while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance will result in termination from volunteer service. • Accept responsibility for decisions made and actions taken based on these decisions. The Intersection of Law, Rules, Regulations and Ethics

Three leg stool analogy as TMNs engage in programs/projects. Need to be aware of Federal, State and local laws; the rules and regulation of the program; and the ethics of the program and your personal natural resource ownership. Unit 22 in our book Implications of being a TMN

• In our role as an Ambassador and Teacher we might be asked questions best answered by a game warden. • You will find yourself putting together displays for educational purposes and you need to understand how to properly collect samples. • Your voice is loud as a TMN and you will be sought out and placed in ethical situations. In the Field

• Understand Local and State Rules and Regulations associated with volunteer efforts. • Be aware of the type of Property you are planning to visit – group education hike for example. • Be careful in collecting specimens – Do you have required permits (Federal or State or Both)? Migratory Bird Treaty Act prohibits collection processing without proper permits. Supplemental Reading on Stewardship, Ethics and Conduct

• The Good Urban Stewardship: https://txmn.org/st/the-good-urban-steward/

• Environmental Ethics: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-environmental/

• Environmental stewardship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_stewardship

• Land Ethic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_ethic https://www.aldoleopold.org/about/the-land-ethic/

• Integrating all: https://rightsandresources.org/blog/from-tourists-to-stewards-of-nature/

• In our Book: Unit 1 and Unit 22