Section 12-6-49. Qualifications and requirements for registered foresters

   (a) The minimum qualifications and requirements for registration as a registered forester shall be as follows:

   (1) Graduation with a baccalaureate degree from a school, college, or department of forestry approved by the board, passage of a board approved examination after graduation, and a specific record of an additional two years' or more experience in forestry work of a character satisfactory to the board indicating that the applicant is competent to practice forestry. Such two years' experience need not be obtained on lands owned, leased, rented, or held by the applicant or by any person, corporation, agency, entity, or institution by which such applicant is employed, so long as the applicant works under supervision of a registered forester or under other supervision acceptable to the board; or

   (2) Graduation from a school of forestry not approved by the board or completion of a curriculum approved by the board in which the applicant has acquired a minimum of 40 quarter hours' credit, or its equivalent, in forestry subjects, provided that such applicant may be licensed only after acquiring two years' experience of a character satisfactory to the board and under the supervision of a registered forester or under other supervision acceptable to the board, and only after passing a board approved examination; provided, however, that an applicant who graduates on or after July 1, 1993, from a school of forestry not approved by the board or who, on or after July 1, 1993, completes a curriculum approved by the board in which the applicant has acquired a minimum of 40 quarter hours' credit, or its equivalent, in forestry subjects, may be licensed only after completing three years' experience of a character satisfactory to the board and under the supervision of a registered forester or under other supervision acceptable to the board and only after passing a board approved examination.

(b) The board shall issue licenses only to those applicants who meet the requirements of this Code section, provided that no person shall be eligible for registration as a registered forester who is not of good moral character and reputation.

(c) It shall be the duty of the board by rule or regulation to define "supervision" and "experience" as used in this part, and in so doing the board shall consider and give effect to the directness, immediacy, scope, extent, quality, and constancy of such supervision, and, as to experience, the nature, quality, and extent thereof.

Ga. L. 1951, p. 581, § 12; Ga. L. 1959, p. 161, § 4; Ga. L. 1989, p. 352, § 1; Ga. L. 1993, p. 481, § 1.