Manitoba Wild Harvesters Association

Code of Ethics

DRAFT March 10, 2004

Values Statement of the Association

The Manitoba Wild Harvesters Association (MWHA) is dedicated to exploring, understanding, and adding value to the non-timber resources of our forest lands while practicing and promoting sustainable harvesting methods and respect for other forest users. The Association believes that wildcrafting has a fundamental role to play in the rational use of our forest resources and can provide important economic, social, and environmental benefits to the rural communities of Manitoba. The MWHA will provide educational programs, research, and marketing opportunities to its membership to assist in the appropriate development of non-timber resources. Membership in the MWHA shall be open to all persons committed to the ethical standards expressed in this document.

Scope of the Code

This Code addresses ethical standards and behaviours of members of the Manitoba Wild Harvesters Association. The Code as written, updated, and amended from time-to-time is binding upon all members of the Association. 

Objectives of the Code of Ethics

It is the objective of the Manitoba Wild Harvesters Association that the following Code will:

• Provide a means for individual members to evaluate their own ethical standards and behaviours regarding wildcrafting and make adjustments if necessary to meet the standards contained in this Code.
• Provide a means to educate other stakeholders in our forest resources (including the public, resource managers, and others) about wildcrafting and to promote the high ethical standards practiced by members of the Association.
• Provide a means for local Chapters and the Association’s Ethics Committee to resolve grievances involving the behaviour and actions of members of the Association.

Standards for Members of the Association

Ecological Sustainability

Values Statement

Members of the Manitoba Wild Harvesters Association will harvest wild products in an ecologically sustainable manner as approved by the Association and publicized through training or other means. The definition of ecological sustainability is harvesting whole or parts of wild products using methods and in amounts that do not impact the long-term productivity and viability of populations, species, or their ecosystems, so that they are available in the same quantities for use by future generations.

Standards of Conduct

• Members of the Association will not harvest endangered or ‘at risk’ species. Endangered and at risk species will be considered to be those species listed as such by the provincial or federal governments. A current list of endangered and at risk species can be found in Appendix __.
• All members of the Association are required to follow Good Wildcrafting Practices (GWPs). Please see Appendix __ for details.
• All members of the Association are required to maintain a Log Book of harvesting activities (see Appendix __ ).
• Members will demonstrate an awareness of all of the potential impacts of harvesting activities before commencing harvest and act to minimize any negative impacts. Apart from actual harvesting activities, these impacts may be related to activities such as accessing harvesting sites, developing harvesting/buying camps, and others.
• Members will be expected to monitor the impacts of harvesting in their area(s) and should note any impacts positive or negative, to be shared with the local Chapter of the Association. The local Chapter should in turn share relevant information with the provincial Association.
• Members will approach harvesting activities with a respectful attitude to the plants they are harvesting, the ecosystems where they are found, and other potential users of forest goods and services.
• Members will follow the generally understood low-impact practices for wilderness travel in their harvesting activities, including the rule ‘if you pack it in, pack it out’.

Relations with Stakeholders

Values Statement

The Association recognizes that there are many groups who have an interest in the well-being of the forest, its resources, and the services it provides (i.e., clean water, air, animal habitat, cultural, spiritual, and others). Members of the Association will operate in a way that shows respect for other stakeholder interests and values in the forest. Many of these operating principles are reflected in the section on ‘Ecological Integrity’.

Standards of Conduct

• Wherever possible and practical, members of the Association subscribe to the view that local resources should first and foremost be developed for the benefit of local people. Association members from outside an area/region will not knowingly act in a way that negatively impacts the activities of wild harvesters already operating in that area/region.
• Members of the Association will respect the traditional values of their community.
• Association members will respect the property rights of others in their harvesting activities. Members will not harvest on private, reserve, or other lands with assigned rights without first seeking permission from whoever holds the rights to that land. 
• Members will select harvesting sites to avoid visual impacts that could negatively impact the enjoyment of the forest by others. Examples of this standard include not harvesting next to picnic areas and trails in parks, and not creating an unsightly impact on roadsides or the edges of lakes.    

Knowledge and Skill Development

Values Statement

The members recognize that knowledge of good wildcrafting practices, the products being harvested, and the ecosystems where they are found, comes from many different sources including experience, other harvesters, Elders, other forest users, published and unpublished materials, and formal researchers. Members of the Association also recognize that ‘learning wildcrafting’ is a life-long process that should be embraced and eagerly pursued through self-study and other training opportunities.

Standards of Conduct

• Members of the Association will review the Code on at least an annual basis, and will review and ensure their understanding of any and all revisions to the Code as they receive them. Members should evaluate their own activities and behaviour and make changes as needed to ensure both the spirit and letter of the Code is followed.
• Wherever practical, the Association will promote and provide local training by, and for, local people. Included in this perspective is the use of properly trained, experienced, and knowledgeable local harvesters to provide training. The training of new harvesters to ensure they subscribe to the spirit of this Code will also be a priority for the Association.
• Members will involve themselves in, promote, and support research on topic areas beneficial to the practice of sustainable wildcrafting, especially research that is practical and focused on the needs of forest communities.    

Business Activities

Values Statement

The MWHA is committed to promoting the economic health of the wildcrafting industry, including ensuring that high quality, safe wildcrafted products are available to consumers.

Standards of Conduct

• Members will conform to the regulatory requirements of local, provincial, and federal governments.
• Members will conduct all business activities in a fair and truthful manner. This will include (but not be limited to) delivering the products in a form and of a quality agreed to with the buyer.
• The safety of the consumers of wild harvested products will be a priority for members of the Association. All products being consumed as food or medicine, or being used on the body (salve, lip balm, etc.) will be harvested from, and processed in, a clean environment free of potentially harmful contaminants.
• Members will not engage in any activities detrimental to public perceptions of the Association or the wildcrafting industry. Members in good standing may identify themselves in marketing activities as members of the MWHA, but may not claim MWHA endorsement for any of their products.      
• Members will attempt to maximize the value of wild resources wherever possible and practical.

Responding to Possible Violations of the Code

The Code of Ethics of the MWHA is a tool for self-regulation by members of the Association. All members of the Manitoba Wild Harvesters Association are required to conform to the Code. In the event that a member is suspected to be in violation of the Code due to a specific action or actions, the following procedure will be followed.

NOTE: It is the position of the Association that all attempts should be made to resolve the matter in a positive way at the local level, prior to any disciplinary action being required.

Step 1: Attempt to Resolve the Issue at the Local Level

In most communities, responsibility for Association activities at the local level will rest with a local or regional Chapter. Once an accusation or observation of misconduct by a member comes to the attention of another member of the Association , the ‘observing’ member is required to resolve or report the issue. The resolution of the issue may involve the member dealing with it themselves, or reporting the accusation or observation in writing to the local Chapter. 

If the matter is reported to a local/regional Chapter, local membership will have the opportunity to resolve the issue at the local level. The member who is the focus of the complaint will be provided the opportunity to discuss the situation with the local membership in the hopes that the matter can be resolved. 

Step 2: Suspension of Member Privileges

If the situation is not resolved to the satisfaction of the majority of the total membership in the local Chapter, the Chapter has the right to suspend the privileges of the member deemed to be in violation of the Code. It is understood that with suspension comes the loss of privileges to market (including promotion AND sale) any of their products under the title of ‘Member of the Manitoba Wild Harvesters Association’ . A written ‘Notice of Suspension’, including the reasons for the suspension, must be completed by the local Chapter and provided to both the suspended member and the Ethics Committee for the Provincial Association within 15 days of the suspension becoming effective. The details that will be included in the Notice are provided in Appendix __.

Following suspension, the member has the right to pursue two routes to the reinstatement of privileges: appeal or reinstatement plan.

Step 3: Appeal of Suspension

All members that have been suspended have the right to appeal the suspension. If the member has additional information not considered in the original decision, he/she can request consideration of that information by the local Chapter. The suspended member also has the right to appeal the suspension in writing to the Ethics Committee of the provincial Association within 90 days of being notified of the suspension.   

The appeal will be heard within 15 days of the appeal being registered.

If the appeal is successful, the member will be notified in writing and reinstated immediately with all the privileges accorded to a member in good standing of the Association. If the appeal is rejected, the member must be notified in writing of the reasons for the rejection. 

Step 4: Reinstatement Plan

If the suspended member does not appeal, or loses the appeal of the suspension, he/she can apply to develop a ‘Reinstatement Plan’. This plan must outline the reason for suspension, how the member will correct the problem, a description of remedial training that will be followed, and how the member intends to prove they are in compliance with the Code. More details on the recommended contents of the reinstatement plan can be found in Appendix __. Following acceptance of the plan by the local Chapter with or without the input of the Ethics Committee of the Association, conditional reinstatement can be granted with the understanding that the member will be on probation for a period of 6 months.

List of Appendices

A: List of Endangered and At Risk Species

B: Good Wildcrafting Practices (in development)

C: Harvester’s Log Book

D: Notice of Suspension Letter

E: Contents of a Reinstatement Plan

F: Glossary

Including another harvester, a buyer, or any other member of the Association.

A ‘majority’ will be considered as 50% + 1 of the total local Association membership.

Includes any and all suggestions of membership in, or connection to, the Manitoba Wild Harvesters Association.