Tree growth in Maine, your own a timber tract of land acreage and want to reduce the property taxes.
How does that tree growth program work, how long does it last and what is a land management and harvest plan all about you wonder. What is it and why is it a good idea to maximize the health of your woodlot and at the same time get it into a tree growth property tax reduction plan program?
We have blog posted about land, the Maine tree growth program before.
But things change with the regulations and requirements for tree growth have too so being on your toes is needed. To avoid misteps and deep regreats that can be costly and are so so avoidable.
Lots of myths about the tree growth program too like if I enter the program can I still cut the woods I own?
The tree growth plan is just that. A strategy to maximize the growth of the “tree farming” and at the same time take into consideration the wildlife in the acreage. The soil erosion that impacts the environment if a cutting operation does not “tread lightly”.
Respect for the watershed that every woodlot empties into if streams or other waterways cross them. The steep terrains and poor timber cutting practices will cause fish to choke with the silt, soil washed into the previous natural resources.
More on soil erosion caused from your acitivity that can be good or bad for your neighboring property owners. The Maine lake or pond a few miles away.
So back to the woodlot in Maine, tree growth program, land management treament for your property acreage.
What the process starts with besides downloading the paperwork and filling in the spaces is the need for a licensed Maine forester.
To introduce you the property owner of the Maine woodlot to your land. Look over your shoulder to guide the managment after the original plan is set in motion. And subsequent tree growth plans build on what is started to manage the timber tract.
To spell out the objectives the landowner would like to see incorporated in how the woodlot in Maine is treated.
The best direction to take for the health of the wooded acreage tract of Maine land you invested hard earn dollars in or with your family were left the parcel to shepherd for the trees, wildlife, to protect the natural resources.
To determine the health of the wooded land now and what should happen down the road in the thinning, re-seeding and anything that encourages better woodlot tree growth. That’s the plan. It increases the value. The plan itself for tree growth is detailed and helps sell the land if a sale is needed.
Selectively removing the over story, large mature trees can open up the light. For the next generation down below that want to get up and go go go skyward. Just like in cities, crowding is not good for people or dense wooded species that always need space to grow best. Or at all.
The Maine woodlot management plan, with future harvest schedules built into it has lots of timber definitions in it.
Because you and I are not Paul Bunyan. Don’t own an ox named Babe. Or spend our time holding, revving up and cutting with a Jonsered or Husqvarna chain saw. Pass the bar chain oil please and can you toss that link file my way when you are done with it?
The woodlot tree growth plan talks about the general lot conditions.
Like when you get your six month or yearly check up at the doctors office. And shed clothes, hop up on the paper towel covered leather examination table. Danging your legs and looking at charts on the wall while the back end of your Johnny is wide open and a tad chilly.
What is the state of the woodlot now. What has happened over the years that is good or bad and spells out what the plan must do? Discussion about the species on the Maine land and how big or small a stand of them exists now?
Or will if best practices are appled to the Maine woodlot going into tree growth plan status.
More from the forest department folks at state of Maine headquarters in Augusta on tree growth regulations.
The tree growth plan will thrash the topic of thinning and weeding. Like a garden that does not grow so hot if not planted right. Or is too dense happens. What soils support which timber stands is put under the microscope for discussion in the tree growth land management plan.
To know which species of woods do better here and why. And what is the best use, plan for the sections that are falling behind or just plain neglected.
Mother Nature and the wildlife and recreational users of the Maine land impact it.
But there is nothing like a scientific study of the woodlot by a licensed, experienced forester to apply tried and tested best practices to maximize the rate of growth.
Which means earlier harvest cuts are studied. And money in the bank can happen again depending on what the mills, lumberyard are paying per cord of which Maine wood types.
Delivered in tree length or smaller by big trailer trucks with open trailers or clickety clack heading down the line on the locomotive train pair or rails.
The woodlot management plan or tree growth paperwork spells out ways to increase and protect the recreational applications for your Maine woodlot.
The tree growth plan reduced your property taxes to help you hang onto it and as an incentive to make sure you are taking the best care of the woodlot that you possibly can.
The woodlot plan will one by one spell out the species, how healthy or sick they are and what measures to take to cure problems. With diseased tree types, stands that are going to have no value if you put off cutting them. The report also explains what the forester found for property lines.
The rock walls, or missing lines, the boundary ones with bright red or whatever color paint blazes or needing them is valuable information. Much needed before anyone starts a saw or even thinks of cutting, harvesting the Maine woodlot. Are you even your Maine woodlot and where exactly out in the willy wags does it start and stop? Good to know.
Because not knowing where your woodlot boundary lines and corner posts are can mean counting tree that were cut.
Over the line on your neighbor and fines, court costs with lawyers and triple stumpage dmage awards. For timber tresspass, for removing what was not yours to help yourself to on the property owner’s wooded land surrounding you.
The Maine forester oversees the woodlot as your expert in the know about silviculture, forestry in general. Maps, roadways, existence of a camp you did not know was on the big acreage all is what the findings show.
When a forester is set loose with GPS coordinates, hip chains, on your Maine woodlot.
Pondering, studying the most recent aerial maps possible. And copies of your deeds in a title search at the local registry that is sometimes needed for clarification on the location, size, and access.
The white ash being ideal for tongue depressors or possible sticks for toy construction is in that report.
It has no taste! Did you know that? Of all the woods?
Cedar is great for log cabins, the spruce trees for purloins holding the cathedral ceiling roof line up solidly.
Everything about your ash, beech, rock maple discussed too.
The evergreens, the white or red pine, the black spruce trees.
How many, how to make them grow to be big and strong in the mission statement introduction.
How to encourage all the trees in your Maine woodlot to grow like the dickens.
Cost of a tree growth plan in Maine?
Like everything it depends where the Maine wood lot is located.
Where I live the average house price hovers around $71,000. The exact same house in the Portland area or southern Maine can fetch closer to the $200K mark.
The cost of living is so so different in a big state like Maine.
I have seen $500 to $600 forestry plans and there is a big difference in them. The thickness and depth of the tree growth plan is very different in scope.
Just finished reading a tree growth report, am digesting one for a Patten Maine property.

Way way more information and it is one of the more detailed forestry reports. Have another for an Amity Maine track of land that is skimpy.Where’s the beef? It passes the minimum standards and qualifies the land to be in tree growth. But just clears the hurdles. Pretty skinny.

You can feel the passion for the woods the Maine forester poured into the tree growth property tax reduction plan or not.
Not just buzz words regurgitated, this is serious business to babysit and raise up a Maine woodlot. I have an interview with a forester scheduled and will blog post about it to continue the knowledge base for tree growth in Maine discussion.
The soil conservation people I talked with today said you need to get on a yearly list.
For cost sharing for whatever your ten year plan report costs for your woodlot management. First come first serve is how Uncle Sam works with the woodlot tree growth plan funding help. More on soil profiles in Maine.
There may be a plan for tree growth on your Maine land. Study it, get one before you buy your Maine land. Know about the penalties if no out parcels not under the plan were made and you want to put up a chalet, construct a log cabin.
Knowledge is power and it is hard telling without knowing is an old Maine expression.
Find a local Maine forester to discuss the ABC of tree growth and land management timber plans. Ask for his or her advice. For new Maine land woodlot owners entering the tree growth plan. The lowering your property taxes part of tree growth is attractive. The rest of the program can be murky and not so clear cut.
I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Real Estate
207.532.6573 | info@mooersrealty.com |
MOOERS REALTY 69 North Street Houlton Maine 04730 USA