Advice and site visitsState
Maine Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry · ME
Free two-hour-plus walk of your woodlot with a state District Forester who answers questions and suggests next steps
Maine Forest Service's ten District Foresters meet woodland owners on their property, walk the land, answer questions, suggest possible activities or next steps, and point owners to other information or assistance. Visits generally run two or more hours depending on the size of the woodlot, and the advice is free. Information about ownerships under 1,000 acres is kept confidential by law.
GrantState
Maine Forest Service, Project Canopy · ME
Up to $15,000 for community tree planting and maintenance, $20,000 for planning and education, and $20,000 for emerald ash borer mitigation, with a 50 percent match
Project Canopy, Maine's urban and community forestry program within the Maine Forest Service, offers $390,000 in 2026 grants funded by the USDA Forest Service: $250,000 in Project Canopy Assistance grants (Planning and Education up to $20,000; Planting and Maintenance up to $15,000) and $140,000 in Emerald Ash Borer Mitigation grants (up to $20,000, for the most severely affected communities, with projects completed by January 31, 2028). Recipients provide a 50 percent match in cash or in-kind services.
Tax incentiveState
Maine Revenue Services and municipal assessors, with Maine Forest Service guidance · ME
Forest land of 10 or more acres managed for commercial timber is taxed on its ability to grow trees rather than market value
Enacted in 1972 (36 M.R.S. §§ 571-584-A), the Tree Growth program values qualifying forest land by productivity using per-acre rates Maine Revenue Services sets each year, which generally lowers the assessed value and property tax. The landowner must have a forest management and harvest plan prepared or certified by a licensed professional forester, follow it, and update it every 10 years, filing a sworn statement with the assessor on application and every 10 years after. Withdrawing land triggers a penalty: a percentage (30 percent for 10 years or less, falling to 20 percent at 20 or more years) of the difference between the land's just value and its Tree Growth value, or a five-year back-tax calculation.
Advice and site visitsState
Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Forest Resources Division · MI
A professional forester helps you write a personal forest stewardship plan for your woods
The Michigan DNR's Forest Stewardship Program connects private landowners with professional foresters who inspect the land and prepare a personalized stewardship plan covering goals such as wildlife habitat, invasive species removal, forest health, tree planting and timber sales. The forester also explains related programs like the Qualified Forest Program. Michigan's conservation district foresters, funded through MDARD's Forestry Assistance Program, offer one-on-one site visits as well.
Tax incentiveState
Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development · MI
Exemption from local school operating millage (typically 18 mills) on enrolled forest land
Michigan's Qualified Forest Program exempts privately owned, actively managed forest land from the local school operating tax, usually 18 mills, in exchange for following a forest management plan written by a Qualified Forester. Land stays enrolled until the owner removes it. Owners pay an annual fee equal to 2 mills of the land's taxable value, which funds landowner assistance.
Advice and site visitsState
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry · MN
A 10-year Woodland Stewardship Plan written with a forester, which unlocks DNR cost-share and the SFIA and 2c property-tax programs
Minnesota's Forest Stewardship Program, funded by the USDA Forest Service and run by the DNR, pairs woodland owners with DNR stewardship foresters or approved plan writers (consulting foresters, Soil and Water Conservation District staff, conservation groups) to write a Woodland Stewardship Plan. A registered plan is the gateway to DNR cost-share for tree planting, invasive removal and habitat work, to Sustainable Forest Incentive Act payments, and to the 2c Managed Forest Land tax class (0.65% class rate).
Discounted treesState
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry · MN
Bareroot seedlings from about $70 per 100 (conifers) to $155 per 100 (shrubs); 250-seedling packets from $187.50
The Minnesota DNR's State Forest Nursery in Akeley grows and sells bareroot conifer, hardwood and shrub seedlings for conservation planting on Minnesota land. Conifers are 2-4 years old and hardwoods 1-3 years old, and every seedling is inspected before sale. Orders for spring 2027 planting are open now.
Tax incentiveState
Minnesota Department of Revenue with Minnesota DNR · MN
Annual per-acre payments ($12.73 to $22.52 per acre for 2027, depending on covenant length) for keeping forest land under a management plan
SFIA pays Minnesota forest landowners each year for enrolling their woods under a registered Woodland Stewardship Plan and recording a covenant that limits the land to forest management for 8, 20 or 50 years. The Department of Revenue issues payments every October 1; payments are taxable income. Land in SFIA cannot also be in the 2c Managed Forest Land tax class or in RIM, CREP, CRP or Green Acres.
Discounted treesState
Missouri Department of Conservation · MO
Low-cost native tree and shrub seedlings for reforestation, windbreaks, erosion control and wildlife plantings
The Missouri Department of Conservation's George O. White State Forest Nursery near Licking offers Missouri residents a wide variety of native tree and shrub seedlings each year for conservation planting. Orders are taken from September through spring and popular species sell out early.
Advice and site visitsState
Missouri Department of Conservation · MO
MDC foresters advise any landowner and will write a long-term forest management plan, with free use of mechanical tree planters
MDC offers two levels of help. The Advisory Service is open to all landowners, including urban residents: consultations, publications, insect and disease identification, referrals and help weighing management options. The Management Service is for owners who want a long-term plan: a forester visits the property, provides a map or aerial photo, summarizes options and helps develop the plan, with follow-up on tree planting, timber stand improvement and timber sales.
Cost-shareState
Mississippi Forestry Commission · MS
Up to 75 percent of the cost of tree planting, site preparation, vegetation control, burning, firebreaks and thinning, capped at $10,000 per landowner per year
Created by the Legislature in 1974 and funded by the state timber severance tax, the Forest Resource Development Program (FRDP) pays flat-rate cost share, up to 75 percent depending on the practice, for establishing and improving a crop of trees: pine and hardwood planting (including longleaf and containerized stock), chemical and mechanical site preparation, herbaceous and woody vegetation control, silvicultural burning, firebreaks, pre-commercial thinning, fertilization, mid-rotation management and management plans. Landowners pay the full cost first and are reimbursed, must finish practices within the fiscal year approved (July 1 to June 30), and agree to protect the area from fire and grazing and manage it for timber for at least ten years.
Advice and site visitsState
Mississippi Forestry Commission · MS
Free forestry advice from state area foresters on insects, disease, invasive species and best management practices, plus fee-based plans, burning and firelanes
The Mississippi Forestry Commission's area foresters serve non-industrial private forest landowners. Most technical assistance and forestry advice is free, including advice on insects, diseases, invasive species and Best Management Practices, pest surveys and salvage recommendations on request, and compliance checks for cost-share programs. For a fee, priced per job, MFC also offers direct services such as forest management plans, prescribed burning, firelane establishment and maintenance, logging road and loading deck maintenance and Southern Pine Beetle suppression. Owners of large tracts are routinely referred to private consulting foresters.
Advice and site visitsState
Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Forestry Assistance Bureau · MT
Free one-on-one consultations with a DNRC service forester for private and urban forest owners
DNRC has 14 service foresters and two urban foresters (Billings for the east, Kalispell for the west) in offices across Montana. They help landowners develop forest stewardship or management plans, identify cost-share grants, diagnose insects and diseases, advise on forest practice laws (best management practices, streamside management zones, slash treatment, hazard reduction agreements), assist with timber sales, reforestation, thinning and pruning, and help with defensible space around homes. The Forest Stewardship Program also offers workshops, the MTForestInfo.org education site, and grants to private landowners and communities to reduce wildfire risk through local staff and partners.
Tax incentiveState
Montana Department of Revenue · MT
Parcels of 15 or more contiguous timber acres are valued for property tax on forest productivity (net income divided by a capitalization rate) rather than market value
Montana classifies qualifying private forest land as Class 10 property and values it by dividing net income per acre by a capitalization rate under 15-44-103, MCA. Net income per acre is productivity times stumpage value plus agricultural income minus costs, with stumpage value, agricultural income and production costs set by forest zone. About 14.6 million acres of privately owned forest land are in the class, and it is revalued every two years.
Discounted treesStateSeasonal
Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Forestry Division · MT
Native tree, shrub and grass seedlings and seed sold by the lot for conservation plantings in Montana
The state nursery in Missoula grows seed and seedlings of trees, shrubs, grasses and other plants for conservation work such as post-fire recovery, erosion control, windbreaks, wildlife habitat, forest health, Christmas tree farming and urban forestry. Small container seedlings are packaged in multiples of 24 and large container seedlings in multiples of 9; seed is sold by the gram, ounce or pound. Seedlings are delivered to a county you select or picked up at the nursery in Missoula; seed ships only to Montana addresses.
Cost-shareStateSeasonal
N.C. Forest Service · NC
Partial reimbursement for site preparation, seedlings, tree planting and release, up to 100 acres and $10,000 per fiscal year
North Carolina's state reforestation cost-share program, run by the N.C. Forest Service since 1977. It pays part of the cost of establishing a new forest or improving an existing one; rates are set by NCFS district up to a cap. Requests exceed funding, so eligible applications are chosen by random draw.
Tax incentiveState
North Carolina Department of Revenue and county tax assessors · NC
Forestland taxed on its forestry use-value rather than market value, with the difference deferred
North Carolina's present-use value program lets qualifying forestland be assessed on what it is worth for growing timber. The deferred tax is only collected (for the current and three prior years, with interest) if the land leaves the program.
Discounted treesStateSeasonal
N.C. Forest Service Nursery and Tree Improvement Program · NC
Affordable native tree seedlings (45 to 50 species) in quantities from 10 to several thousand, delivered to 13 points statewide
The N.C. Forest Service grows and sells tree seedlings for reforestation and afforestation to customers of all sizes. Species include loblolly, longleaf, shortleaf and eastern white pine, Atlantic white cedar and many hardwoods; the list changes each year with seed availability.
Advice and site visitsUniversity / extension
North Dakota Forest Service (North Dakota State University) · ND
Free on-site visit and management advice for private owners of native forest, pine or aspen stands and windbreaks; windbreak owners can also get a renovation plan and cost-share
The North Dakota Forest Service Forest Stewardship Program assists private forest landowners to encourage and enable active, long-term forest management of native forests, pine stands, aspen pockets and windbreaks. Landowners request an on-site visit through an online Survey123 form. Since 2015 the Windbreak Renovation Initiative has offered technical and financial assistance to private windbreak owners statewide; the technical assistance request is free and projects are handled first come, first served. The page also describes the Forest Stewardship Tax Law, which lets landowners in participating counties pay a fixed $0.50 per acre per year in property tax on forested acres that meet certain conditions.
Discounted treesUniversity / extensionSeasonal
North Dakota Forest Service (North Dakota State University) · ND
Bare-root and container conservation tree seedlings from the state nursery for shelterbelts, living snow fences and wildlife plantings
The North Dakota Forest Service runs Towner State Nursery, which grows about one million bare-root and container seedlings a year, used mainly in shelterbelts, living snow fences, wildlife block plantings and other conservation plantings. A 2027 catalog is posted on the nursery page. Order confirmations begin in December.
Cost-shareUniversity / extension
Nebraska Forest Service (University of Nebraska-Lincoln) · NE
Reimbursement of up to 75 percent of the cost of removing flammable trees and shrubs around homes or buildings on forest land
The Nebraska Forest Service reimburses up to 75 percent of the cost of removing flammable trees and shrubs around homes or buildings to create defensible space. Cost-share is reimbursed to the applicant after a project's successful completion. The same page lists regional programs for forest fuels treatment (up to 75 percent, Pine Ridge, Niobrara Valley, Loess Canyons and northeast Nebraska near the Missouri River) and forest restoration on burned land in the Pine Ridge or Niobrara Valley (up to 75 percent of removal, erosion control, planting, seeding, weed and animal damage control and fencing), plus mini-grants of up to ten trees for fall planting projects by groups with an in-kind match.
Discounted treesOther
Nebraska Natural Resources Districts with the Nebraska Forest Service · NE
Low-cost conifer, deciduous tree and shrub seedlings for windbreaks, erosion control and wildlife habitat, ordered through your local Natural Resources District
Nebraska's 23 Natural Resources Districts sell conservation tree and shrub seedlings for windbreaks, erosion control, wildlife habitat and other conservation purposes; the Nebraska Forest Service says NRDs help landowners plant more than a million trees across the state each year. Each NRD runs its own program, and depending on the district services can include windbreak design, planting, weed barrier installation or weed control, and drip irrigation. The statewide species list covers conifers, deciduous trees and shrubs with expected heights.
Tax incentiveState
New Hampshire Current Use Board (Department of Revenue Administration) and municipal assessing officials · NH
Open space farm, forest or unproductive land is assessed on its current use value rather than market value; a further 20 percent reduction applies if the land is open to public recreation year-round
Under RSA 79-A, municipal assessing officials appraise qualifying open space land (farm land, forest land or unproductive land as defined in the statute) at current use values set each year by the Current Use Board, which is administratively attached to the Department of Revenue Administration. Land open to public recreational use 12 months a year without an entrance fee gets its current use value reduced by 20 percent. When land is changed to a non-qualifying use, a land use change tax of 10 percent of its full and true value is due in addition to the annual property tax.
Discounted treesStateStatus not confirmed
New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands, Forest Management Bureau · NH
Bare-root tree and shrub seedlings, more than 50 species plus specialty packages, grown from seed at the state nursery in Boscawen
The State Forest Nursery, run by the Forest Management Bureau of the NH Division of Forests and Lands (Department of Natural and Cultural Resources), grows about 3 million seedlings and sells about 350,000 a year across more than 50 species and specialty packages. Every seedling is grown from seed in the nursery's own seedbeds, with as much seed as possible collected from local sources. It sits in an 880-acre state forest along the Merrimack River.
Advice and site visitsUniversity / extension
University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension · NH
Free woodlot visit from your county forester for properties of approximately 10 acres or more
UNH Extension county foresters visit your property for free and help with woodlot objectives including forestry, recreation, wildlife habitat, water resources, scenic beauty and income. They also run workshops, woods forums and field days, help towns manage town-owned lands and plan conservation projects, and offer professional development for foresters and loggers. Extension also publishes a directory of licensed foresters and the quarterly NH Woods and Wildlife newsletter for private woodlot owners.
Tax incentiveState
New Jersey Division of Taxation with NJ Forest Service and municipal assessors · NJ
Woodland managed under an approved plan is taxed at farmland value instead of market value
New Jersey's Farmland Assessment Act lets qualifying land be assessed on its agricultural value. Woodland that is not part of a working farm qualifies only when the owner follows a Woodland Management Plan, normally written by a professional forester and approved by the NJ Forest Service, and meets a modest income test from forest products. Roll-back taxes for the current and two prior years apply if the land leaves agricultural use.
Discounted treesStateSeasonal
New Jersey Forest Service, Forest Nursery (Jackson) · NJ
Low-cost native tree and shrub seedlings from the state nursery, plus a free seedling for every New Jersey third grader
The New Jersey Forest Service grows native tree and shrub seedlings at its nursery in Jackson Township and sells them each spring through an annual Tree Seedling Catalog, with tube seedlings on a separate order form. A third-grade program gives a free seedling to each student when a teacher or class representative orders. In 2025 orders ran February 20 to April 30 with pickups March 25 to April 30.
Advice and site visitsState
New Jersey Forest Service (NJDEP) · NJ
A free consultation with a state forester and a path to a 10-year stewardship plan that can qualify woodland for reduced property taxes
The New Jersey Forest Service offers private woodland owners a one-time meeting with a state forester to discuss forest stewardship, explain cost-share assistance and recommend programs. Owners then work with a forester to write a 10-year Forest Stewardship Plan under N.J.A.C. 7:3-5, signed by both the landowner and the forester and approved by the Forest Service. An approved plan is the route to reduced property taxes on woodland under the Farmland Assessment Act.
Discounted treesStateSeasonal
New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, Forestry Division · NM
Low-cost container seedlings of more than 60 species, $95 per lot of 49, for conservation plantings in New Mexico
The Forestry Division sells low-cost seedlings grown in 10-cubic-inch containers, more than 60 species, for plantings that support forest and watershed health in New Mexico. Fall distribution is the main option: seedlings are sold in lots of 49 per species at $95 per lot, plus a $5 handling fee per order and $50 per lot shipping if delivery is chosen. Spring distribution requires orders larger than six lots (294 seedlings per species). Because demand exceeds supply, the division asks buyers to submit requests one to two years ahead; a smaller same-year inventory is sold online at a higher price.
Advice and site visitsState
New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, Forestry Division · NM
Advice from a state district forester on management planning, treatments, tree health, planting and funding, with no minimum parcel size
Forestry Division foresters provide technical assistance to New Mexico landowners in all 33 counties, including developing resource management plans, insect and disease identification, facilitating forest health project funding, and distributing low-cost seedlings. Through the Forest Stewardship Program, run with the USDA Forest Service, a stewardship plan written by a resource professional and approved by the State Forester covers landowner objectives, wildlife, soil, water, recreation, cultural resources and timber; stewardship practices must be maintained for 10 years. The page also mentions a state-administered cost-share program for forest management and the Forest Health Initiative.