The BPS Code of Ethics 

1. Members of BPS are expected to conduct themselves ethically and orderly during BPS functions, and refrain from any activities that would harm the good name or reputation of BPS.

2. Members shall not claim or pretend to be conducting BPS business or work unless they actually are at the time, nor represent themselves to be members of BPS while engaged in any questionable or improper activities on their own time.

3. No one may make a non-operating expenditure or incur any indebtedness for BPS without prior authorization of the membership.

4. BPS members will not use their affiliation with the BPS for personal profit or gain.

5. BPS trips are for Society members and their guests only. The Society member is responsible for conveying these ethical guidelines to each guest, and ensuring those guests abide by these guidelines.

6. Members agree not to collect in advance of Society field trips.

7. Members agree to make all specimens of scientific importance available to recognized scientific researchers or institutions for study. Strong consideration should be given to having the specimen donated or loaned to a qualified museum, or otherwise making it available to the scientific community via photographs. A qualified museum would be characterized by:

1) there are proper facilities to safely store the fossil;
2) the fossil will be readily accessible to qualified researchers without charge;
3) the institution should be in the general area where the fossil was found.

8. Land owner permission must be obtained to go on their property. Members shall not collect specimens where prohibited by federal, state or local laws.

9. Members agree to protect scientifically important sites. Members will not disclose collecting locations. Members will not disclose museum sites to anyone, not even other members who did not attend the field trip.

10. All members will assist in preserving the integrity of all collecting locations. Members will surface collect only. Some locations lend themselves to shovels and picks (such as quarries). Others do not, such as creeks, gullies, and river sites. Specific collecting guidelines will be announced on each trip.

11. Members will not excavate or prepare a fossil without the proper training and oversight by a professional paleontologist. A professional paleontologist, working with a reputable museum, will be notified of significant sites, or sites of interest to their particular specialty.

12. Members agree not to over collect sites, unless specifically requested to assist the professional paleontological community in a salvage operation.