Economics, taxes and woodland owner assistance programs

On this page you can learn about managing your woodland as an investment, and the programs that provide some cost sharing funding that can help you accomplish the things you would like to on your forest. Cost-share programs are constantly changing and the existing publications are a subset of what is available. For the latest, most complete, information on grants and cost-share program visit the DNR’s Cost-share information site.

Estate/ Succession Planning

Estate Planning for Forest Landowners
Produced by: USDA Forest Service, 2009
Publication number: SRS-112
Keywords: estate planning, taxes, valuation, deductions, wills, gifts, trusts, ownership

Family Estate Planning
Produced by: UWEX Cooperative Extension, 2011
Publication number: B1442
Keywords: property ownership, property distribution, taxes, estate planning

Preserving the Family Woods: Tools to help guide transfer to the next generation of landowners
Produced by: United States Department of Agriculture
Publication number: NA–IN–04–08
Keywords: family legacy, estate planning

Protecting Your Legacy
Produced by: UW Extension
Publication number: UWEX-3
Keywords: property ownership, property distribution, taxes, estate planning

Woods Words(2009,2010,2011,2012)
Produced by: UWEX Cooperative Extension- Environmental Resources Center
Publication number: ERC1
Keywords: resources, foresters, loggers

Your Family Land: Legacy or Memory?
Produced by: United States Department of Agriculture
Publication number: NA–IN–01–09
Keywords: estate planning

Income Taxes

Casualties, Disasters and the Income Tax: Some Tips for Woodland Owners
Produced by: UW-Madison Department of Forest Ecology and Management, 2001
Publication number: Forestry Fact 16
Keywords: tree, value

Determine Your Basis And Keep More Timber Income
Produced by: UW-Madison Department of Forest Ecology and Management, 1994
Publication number: Forestry Fact 71
Keywords: tax, management, planning, value, loss, expense

Estate Planning for Forest Landowners
Produced by: USDA Forest Service, 2009
Publication number: SRS-112
Keywords: estate planning, taxes, valuation, deductions, wills, gifts, trusts, ownership

Family Estate Planning
Produced by: UWEX Cooperative Extension, 2011
Publication number: B1442
Keywords: property ownership, property distribution, taxes, estate planning

Federal Income Tax on Timber: A Key to Your Most Frequently Asked Questions
Produced by: USDA Forest Service
Publication number: R8-TP39
Keywords: timber tax laws, woodland tax classification, timber sales, capital assests, expenses, cost-share payments, timber loss

Forest Landowners’ Guide to the Federal Income Tax
Produced by: USDA Forest Service
Publication number: USDA-718
Keywords: capital costs, reforestation tax incentives, operating expenses, timber income and capital gains, government program cost- share payments, casualty losses, conservation easements

Taxes for Woodland Owners
Produced by: American Forest Foundation
Publication number: MLP-1
Keywords:timber tax laws, woodland tax classification, timber sales, capital assests, expenses, timber loss

Investments

Determine Your Basis And Keep More Timber Income
Produced by: UW-Madison Department of Forest Ecology and Management, 1994
Publication number: Forestry Fact 71
Keywords: tax, management, planning, value, loss, expense

Estate Planning for Forest Landowners
Produced by: USDA Forest Service, 2009
Publication number: SRS-112
Keywords: estate planning, taxes, valuation, deductions, wills, gifts, trusts, ownership

Family Estate Planning
Produced by: UWEX Cooperative Extension, 2011
Publication number: B1442
Keywords: property ownership, property distribution, taxes, estate planning

How to Evaluate Forest Investments
Produced by: UWEX Cooperative Extension
Publication number: G3476
Keywords: management planning, value, income, rate of return, present value, costs, inflation

Lake States Woodlands: A Selection of Forest Investment Evaluation
Produced by: UWEX Cooperative Extension, 1996
Publication number: G3521
Keywords: management planning, value, income, present value, rate of return

What’s My Timber Worth? And Why?
Produced by: UW-Madison Department of Forest Ecology and Management, 2003
Publication number: Forestry Fact 97
Keywords: timber harvest, timber sale, logs, marketing, selling, stumpage prices

Managed Forest Law (MFL)

The Managed Forest Law program is time sensitive. For that reason, please follow the link to the Wisconsin DNR to get the latest information and applications for the MFL program.

Managed Forest Law Information
Produced by: WI Department of Natural Resources
Publication number: FR-295
Keywords: managed forest law

Managed Forest Law Tax Program
Produced by: UW-Madison Department of Forest Ecology and Management, 2019
Publication number: Forestry Fact 50
Keywords: tax, MFL, management planning

Managed Forest Law: Filling Out a Cutting Notice
Produced by: UW-Madison Department of Forest Ecology and Management, 2005
Publication number: Forestry Fact 100
Keywords: MFL, timber harvest

Managed Forest Law: How Does the Program Impact Existing and Future Structures?

Produced by: UW-Madison Department of Forest Ecology and Management, 2015
Publication number: Forestry Fact 101
Keywords: MFL, buildings, structures

Managed Forest Law: Transferring Land
Produced by: UW-Madison Department of Forest Ecology and Management, 2010
Publication number: Forestry Fact 102
Keywords: MFL, land transfer

Managed Forest Law: What Constitutes a Mandatory Practice?
Produced by: UW-Madison Department of Forest Ecology and Management, 2008
Publication number: Forestry Fact 99
Keywords: MFL, timber harvests, mandatory practices

Wisconsin’s Recreational Use Statute: Limiting the Injury Liability of Private Landowners
Produced by: UWEX Cooperative Extension
Publication number: G3326
Keywords: recreation, liability, public use, legal aspects

Non-timber Forest Products

A more in-depth look at non-timber forest products can be found at thiswebsite.

Best Management Practices for Log-Based Shitake Culitvation
Produced By: University of Vermont Extension
Publication number: UVE-1
Keywords: equipment, harvesting, processing, care, handling, log selection

Careful Harvest Fact Sheet I
Produced by: University of Minnesota Cooperative Extension
Publication number: UMES-1
Keywords: balsam bough, birch, lycopodium, biology, harvesting, regulations

Careful Harvest Fact Sheet II
Produced by: University of Minnesota Cooperative Extension
Publication number: UMES-2
Keywords: cedar, birch, willow, biology, harvesting, regulations

Forest Tree and Shrub Seeds
Produced by: Virginia Tech
Publication number: VT-15
Keywords: marketing, harvesting, care, handling

Ginseng
Produced by: Virginia Tech
Publication number: VT-7
Keywords: habitat, marketing, harvesting, processing

How To Tap Trees and Make Maple Syrup
Produced by: University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Publication number: UMCE-7036
Keywords: production, tapping

Maple Production For Beginners
Produced by: Cornell Cooperative Extension
Publication number: CUCE-2
Keywords: equipment, tapping, collection, processing, filtering

Maple Syrup
Produced by: University of Minnesota Extension
Publication number: UMES-11
Keywords: equipment, tapping, collection, processing, filtering

Assistance Programs

For the latest, most complete, information on grants and cost-share program visit theDNR’s Cost-share information site.

Wisconsin Forest Landowner Grant Program
Produced by: UW-Madison Department of Forest Ecology and Management, 1999
Publication number: Forestry Fact 92
Keywords: assistance, cost-share, grant

Wisconsin Forest Landowner Grant Program (DNR)
Produced by: WI Department of Natural Resources
Publication number: DNR1
Keywords: wildlife habitat, management planning, introduction, history, ecology

Land Measures and Borders

Fences in Agricultural Areas
Produced by: UWEX Cooperative Extension
Publication number: LGC13
Keywords: Chapter 90, fence law

Land Measurement and Survey
Produced by: Oregon State University Extension
Publication number: PNW-581
Keywords: survey types, legal basis, maps, aerial photographs, GIS, GPS

Woods Words(2012)
Produced by: UWEX Cooperative Extension- Environmental Resources Center
Publication number: ERC1
Keywords: resources, foresters, loggers

Trespass and Liability

Wisconsin’s Recreational Use Statute: Limiting the Injury Liability of Private Landowners
Produced by: UWEX Cooperative Extension
Publication number: G3326
Keywords: recreation, liability, public use, legal aspects