Instead of being registered as a professional forester, an applicant may request to be registered as a certified specialist in one or more fields of forestry. Nothing in this article shall authorize the board to certify or otherwise license wildlife biologists, fisheries biologists, botanists, ecological restorationists, stream restorationists, hydrologists, or geologists. Registration in a specialty area does not prohibit a professional forester from providing services within that professional forester’s area of expertise. Any public agency or professional society may submit for board recognition its independent certification program as full qualification without examination for the board’s certificate of specialization. That certification as a specialist shall be granted provided the board determines the program fully protects the public interest in that area of practice encompassed by the program. Those certificants are subject to board registration and discipline with review by that specialty.