{"slug":"ma-forest-stewardship-program-plan-cost-share","name":"Forest Stewardship Program Plan Cost-Share","provider":{"name":"Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation with Massachusetts Woodlands Institute","type":"state"},"organization":null,"country":"US","region":"MA","locality":null,"scope":"regional","audience":["landowner","farmer","municipality"],"kind":"cost_share","benefit":"Fixed reimbursement of $1,140 for a new 10-year Forest Stewardship Plan on 10 to 36 acres, plus $16 per acre above 36","summary":"The Massachusetts Forest Stewardship Program pays most of the cost of having a licensed consulting forester write a 10-year stewardship plan covering timber, water, wildlife habitat, climate resilience and recreation. DCR approves applications and plans; the Massachusetts Woodlands Institute issues the reimbursement. Add-on payments are available for Foresters for the Birds and Climate Forestry plan components.","eligibility":"Massachusetts landowners with 10 or more acres of woodland and no existing stewardship plan; owners already in Chapter 61, 61A or 61B without a forest management plan; and municipal forest parcels of 25 acres or more. Owners in primary processing of raw wood products are excluded. Owners with under 10 acres are told to contact DCR.","how_to_apply":"Submit the Forest Stewardship Plan Application and an IRS W-9 by mail or email to the Massachusetts Forest Stewardship Program in Clinton, MA. After DCR approval, hire a licensed consulting forester to write the plan and submit it to DCR; reimbursement follows plan approval. Funds are first-come, first-served each fiscal year with a waiting list once exhausted. Contact Michael Downey at DCR, 413-212-3039.","url":"https://masswoodlands.org/programs/forest-stewardship","source_url":"https://masswoodlands.org/programs/forest-stewardship","season":"Rolling; funds allocated each state fiscal year (July to June)","program_status":"active","lat":null,"lng":null,"data_note":"Rates shown are the FY2026 schedule; larger parcels (500+ acres) are reimbursed on an approved estimate up to $14,622 or $19,622. Source is the program's administering partner site because mass.gov pages could not be fetched at research time.","updated_at":"2026-11-08T00:02:20.743Z","page_url":"https://treerm.org/residents/programs/ma-forest-stewardship-program-plan-cost-share","markdown_url":"https://treerm.org/residents/programs/ma-forest-stewardship-program-plan-cost-share.md","license":"CC-BY-4.0"}