Managed Forest Law

Managed Forest Law

The Managed Forest Law is a landowner incentive program designed to encourage sustainable forestry on private woodlands in Wisconsin. It is administered by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The law, through a written forest management plan, couples landowner objectives and timber harvesting, wildlife management, water quality and recreation to maintain a healthy and productive forest.

Eligibility

To be eligible, a landowner must own a minimum of 10 contiguous acres of forestland with a minimum of 80% of the land in forest cover. 

Currently, the Managed Forest Law reduces property taxes to $1.74 per acre if the land is closed to public access. Up to 80 acres may be closed to public access by the landowner. 

Forest land taxes can be further reduced to $0.74 if an acre is designated "open" to the public.