How does Maine Tree Growth Program Work?
Maine Tree Growth is available for both forest land and farm land. There are many nuances to how Maine Tree Growth works, but here are the basics.
Forest land owners can put all or part of their acreage into the program, except for two acres that must be excluded around any house or dwelling. The minimum parcel size that can be entered is 10 acres.
Landowners who enter the program must agree to two main principals.
First, land that is enrolled cannot be developed. If it is developed, the landowner is subject to a penalty, which can be significant depending on the value of the land being withdrawn from the program.
I always tell my clients that if there are areas of their land that are never likely to be developed, then those are perfect areas to enter into Current Use. If there are other areas where options should remain open to build on someday, then those areas should be excluded from enrollment.
Second, the land must be managed for forestry. Work is guided by a forest management plan and map. How this type of plan is developed, and what it contains, are described in more detail below.
By agreeing to not develop land, and to manage it for forestry, the state then taxes the land at its “use value” – the value for which the land is being used. This amounts to a substantial reduction on property taxes. It varies by town, but the reduction in the land portion of a property tax bill can be significant, sometimes 70%, 80% or even 90%!
Forest land owners can put all or part of their acreage into the program, except for two acres that must be excluded around any house or dwelling. The minimum parcel size that can be entered is 10 acres.
Landowners who enter the program must agree to two main principals.
First, land that is enrolled cannot be developed. If it is developed, the landowner is subject to a penalty, which can be significant depending on the value of the land being withdrawn from the program.
I always tell my clients that if there are areas of their land that are never likely to be developed, then those are perfect areas to enter into Current Use. If there are other areas where options should remain open to build on someday, then those areas should be excluded from enrollment.
Second, the land must be managed for forestry. Work is guided by a forest management plan and map. How this type of plan is developed, and what it contains, are described in more detail below.
By agreeing to not develop land, and to manage it for forestry, the state then taxes the land at its “use value” – the value for which the land is being used. This amounts to a substantial reduction on property taxes. It varies by town, but the reduction in the land portion of a property tax bill can be significant, sometimes 70%, 80% or even 90%!