Financial Help plus Tax Tips

Assistance to Landowners

Wisconsin offers landowners two important categories of financial incentives to help reduce the expenses of owning and caring for woodlands:

1. State forest tax laws that help reduce property taxes
2. Cost sharing programs that are available from both state and federal sources, which reimburse landowners for allowable conservation project expenses

These programs often require the landowner to provide a legal description of his or her land. Go through the tutorial to learn how to locate land using a legal description.

Forest Tax Programs

The purpose of Wisconsin's forest tax laws is to encourage sustainable forestry on private lands by providing property tax incentives to landowners. This is accomplished with a binding agreement between the state Department of Natural Resources and private landowners. Under the Managed Forest Law (MFL), the landowner agrees to a management plan for a period of 25 or 50 years that includes mandatory and recommended practices. The reward for following the plan is that MFL property taxes average 80% less than regular property taxes. Landowners entering the program pay only $1.67 or $8.34 per acre annually (depending upon the land's status as open or closed public access) and a yield tax on harvested timber.

Earlier forest tax programs (now closed to enrollment) with similar provisions included the Forest Crop Law and the Woodland Tax Law. If you are buying forestland, you may come across a parcel enrolled in one of the earlier programs.

Wisconsin Landowner Grant Program

The Wisconsin Landowner Grant Program (PDF, 119K) is a cost sharing program that provides $1,087,900 annually for stewardship practices on private land. A wide array of practices are eligible for cost sharing including management plan development and tree planting. Up to 50% of the eligible costs can be refunded to you upon completion of the work. Landowner grant applications are accepted continuously but processed only four times a year - February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 1. Applications are funded on the basis of priority. Contact your local DNR forester for details.

Other Cost Sharing Programs

• Conservation Reserve Program
• Environmental Quality Incentives Program
• Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program

Income Tax Tips

Assistance to Organizations

Grant Programs

All interested groups, organizations, Federal, State and County officials are invited to complete a Stewardship Grant Application.

Funding for Stewardship Grants is currently on hold. Please monitor this website for future updates on funding availability.

The primary objective of the Wisconsin Forest Stewardship Program is to encourage private non-industrial forest landowners to consider all resources in the management of their forest lands. Secondary objectives are to:

• encourage landowners to obtain a Forest Stewardship Plan to help meet their management objectives
• protect the resources for future generations
• educate landowners and the general public as to the importance of nonindustrial private (NIPF) lands.

More details regarding eligibility and specific program requirements are included with the application.

In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis or race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA Director, Office if Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity employer.