The board must review and decide the issues included in the MFL owner's request
within a reasonable time. Upon conclusion of the review process, the board must issue
an opinion for review by the chief state forester, who must then determine whether to
accept the opinion of the board. All decisions of the chief state forester must be in writing
and include sufficient facts in order to substantiate the decision.

The DNR must promulgate rules establishing the procedures and timeline for
filing, review, and decision of the issues that come before the board for its review and
action.

An MFL owner who receives a decision of the chief state forester retains the right
to a contested case hearing under s. 227.42, stats., on the issues decided by the chief state
forester.

MANAGED FOREST LAND MANAGEMENT PLANS AND TIMBER
HARVESTS

Under current law, s. NR 46.18 (4), Wis. Adm. Code, permits the DNR to modify the
requirements of management plans under the MFL program for ownerships exceeding
1,000 acres. Management plans may be modified after consideration of the following:

• Other land of the owner entered as MFL or forest crop land.

• The number of counties in which lands proposed for entry or renewal or the
owner's existing MFL and forest crop land lie.

• The existence and availability for review of a management plan prepared by or
for the owner and acceptable to the DNR.

• Submission of a written commitment from an owner to provide, upon DNR
request, information from the management plan for review or audit. The commitment
shall describe the management plan and outline the procedure used to update and amend
the management plan.

• An owner's demonstrated consistent accessibility to competent technical forest
management assistance through staff or consultant services.

This bill shifts the contents of s. NR 46.18 (4), Wis. Adm. Code, to the managed
forest land subchapter of ch. 77, stats. Additionally, the draft directs DNR to promulgate
rules to permit the management plans of groups of owners of managed forest land to be
modified in the same manner as permitted for large ownerships. The bill directs the DNR
to submit its proposed rules on this topic to the administrative rules clearinghouse no
later than the first day of the 12th month after the effective date of the bill.

Under current law, s. 28.025, stats., directs DNR to establish annual allowable
timber harvests for forested property owned by this state and forest property under the
jurisdiction of DNR from which timber is harvested.

This bill requires modified management plans for ownerships that exceed 1,000
acres to include the establishment of an annual allowable harvest. This requirement
would not apply to ownerships exceeding 1,000 acres whose lands are certified by an
independent third party. The bill directs DNR to promulgate rules to establish annual
allowable timber harvests in modified management plans.

Finally, this bill specifies that, if the DNR requires an owner of MFL to harvest
particular timber from the land within a specified time period, the time period may not
be less than three years.

DESIGNATION OF ADDITIONAL MANAGED FOREST LAND

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Under the MFL program, an owner of land designated as MFL under an order that
takes effect on or after April 28, 2004, may apply to the DNR to designate an additional
parcel of land as MFL if the additional parcel is at least 3 acres and is contiguous to any
of the owner's designated land. The application must include a nonrefundable $20
application recording fee unless a different amount is established by the DNR by rule at
an amount equal to the average expense to the DNR of recording a managed forest land
order. The fee must be deposited in the conservation fund. An application must be
submitted on a DNR form and must contain any additional information required by DNR.
[s. 77.82 (4), stats.]

If an owner of land that is designated as MFL under an order that takes effect
before April 28, 2004, wishes to have designated as MFL an additional parcel of land that
is at least 3 acres in size, that does not satisfy the MFL program eligibility requirements,
but is contiguous to any of the owner's designated land, the owner may withdraw the
designated land from the original order and may file an application with the DNR for a
new order covering both the withdrawn land and the additional land. The withdrawal
tax and the withdrawal fee do not apply under these circumstances. [s. 77.82 (4g), stats.]
However, the filing of the new order has the effect of applying the current requirements
of the MFL program, including a higher rate of taxation to both the additional parcel and
the designated land from the original order.

This bill sunsets current law as it applies to owners of land designated as MFL
under orders that take effect before April 28, 2004. Instead, under the bill, the land owner
would be able to designate an additional parcel of land as MFL in, generally, the same
manner as an owner of land designated as MFL under an order that takes effect on or
after April 28, 2004.

Under the bill, only the additional parcel of land designated as MFL would be
subject to the taxes in effect when the application for addition of the parcel is filed.

LEASING OF MANAGED FOREST LAND

Under current law, for land designated as MFL under an order that takes effect on
or after October 27, 2007, no person may enter into a lease or other agreement for
consideration if the purpose of the lease or agreement is to permit persons to engage in
a recreational activity. Any lease or other agreement for consideration that permits
persons to engage in a recreational activity was voided effective January 1, 2008.

The managed forest law defines recreational activities to include hunting, fishing,
hiking, sight-seeing, cross-country skiing, horseback riding, and staying in cabins.

This bill repeals the prohibition on leasing of MFL. Instead, the bill permits the
leasing of MFL, including leases and other agreements for consideration, that permit
persons to engage in a recreational activity, if the use does not conflict with sound forestry
practices or any forest management objective contained in the management plan for the
land. The bill also specifies that any person who enters into a lease shall be subject to a
forfeiture if the lease presents a conflict with sound forestry practices or the forest
management objectives contained in the management plan.

TAXATION OF MANAGED FOREST LAND

Except as provided under the MFL program, no tax may be levied on MFL, except
that any building on the land is subject to taxation as personal property under ch. 70,
stats.

MFL Orders Effective Prior to April 28, 2004

Each owner of MFL must pay to the municipal treasurer an acreage share on or
before January 31. Originally, this acreage share was $.74 per acre. In addition to this
amount, each owner was required to pay $1 for each acre that is designated as closed
under s. 77.83, stats.

Beginning in 1992 and in each 5th year thereafter, the department of revenue
(DOR) adjusts the amounts of tax by multiplying the original acreage shares specified by
a ratio using as the denominator the DOR's estimate of the average statewide tax per acre

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of property classes under s. 70.32 (2) (b) 4., 5., and 6., 1993 stats. (agricultural, swamp,
or waste and productive forest land), for 1986 and, as the numerator, the DOR estimate
of the average tax per acre for the same classes of property for the year in which the
adjustment is made. Based on this adjustment, the current acreage share is $.67 per acre
of open land and $1.57 per acre of closed land. [s. 77.84 (2) (c), stats.]

MFL Orders Effective on or After April 28, 2004

For MFL orders that take effect on or after April 28, 2004, each owner of MFL must
pay to each municipal treasurer, on or before January 31, an amount equal to 5% of the
average statewide property tax per acre of property classified as productive forest land
under s. 70.32 (2) (a) 6., stats., for each acre of MFL.

In addition to this amount, each owner must pay to each municipal treasurer, on
or before January 31, an amount equal to 20% of the average statewide property tax per
acre of property classified as productive forest land under s. 70.32 (2) (a) 6., stats., for each
closed acre of MFL.

In 2004, 2007, and each 5th year thereafter, DOR is required to determine the
average statewide tax per acre of productive forest land by multiplying the average
equalized value of productive forest land by the average tax rate determined under s.
76.126, stats. Based on this determination, the current acreage share is $1.67 per acre
of open land and $8.34 per acre of closed land. [s. 77.84 (2) (cm), stats.]

This bill specifies new calculations for the closed land acreage shares for MFL
orders that take effect on or after the effective date of the bill. Under the bill, owners of
closed land under new MFL orders would pay the greater of the following:

• The acreage share applicable to MFL orders that take effect on or after April 28,
2004.

• A total of 25% of the full value of the closed MFL times the full value effective
rate of taxation applicable to general property in the same taxation district as the closed
managed forest land.

DISTRIBUTION OF MONEYS RECEIVED BY DNR

No later than June 30 of each year, the DNR must pay 100% of each payment
received under s. 77.84 (3) (b) (delinquency payments), 77.87 (3) (yield tax), or 77.88 (7),
stats. (withdrawal tax), to the treasurer of the municipality in which the land is located.
[s. 77.89 (1), stats.]

Additionally, the DNR must pay before June 30 annually the municipal treasurer,
from the appropriation under s. 20.370 (5) (bv), stats., $.20 for each acre of land in the
municipality that is designated as MFL and for each acre of tribal land in the
municipality that has been withdrawn from the MFL program under s. 77.885, stats., but
for which payments under s. 77.84 (2), stats., are being made. [s. 77.85, stats.]

Each municipal treasurer must pay 20% of each payment received from the DNR
or directly under ss. 77.84 (2) (a) and (am) (payment for closed land), 77.85 (state
contribution for MFL acreage), and 77.876, stats. (noncompliance assessments), to the
county treasurer and must deposit the remainder in the municipal treasury. The
payment to the county treasurer for money received before November 1 of any year must
be made on or before November 15 after its receipt. For money received on or after
November 1 of any year, the payment to the county treasurer must be made on or before
November 15 of the following year. [s. 77.89 (2) (a), stats.]

The municipal treasurer also must pay to the county treasurer all amounts
received under s. 77.84 (2) (b) and (bm), stats. (payment for closed land). The county
treasurer must, by June 30 of each year, pay all amounts received under this provision
to the DNR. All amounts received from the DNR must be credited to the conservation
fund and reserved for land acquisition, resource management activities, and grants for
land acquisition for outdoor activities. [s. 77.89 (2) (b), stats.]

This bill modifies the distribution of moneys received by local units of government
in connection with the MFL program. Under the bill, 20% of MFL payments for closed
acreage received by a municipal treasurer would be paid to the DNR. Forty-eight percent

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of the closed acreage MFL payments received by a municipal treasurer (equivalent to 60%
of the amount remaining after payment to the DNR) would be paid to the county. From
the closed acreage payments received by a county, the county must spend at least
five-sixths of the amount received to acquire by purchase, lease, easement, or other
agreement land that will be open to the public for hunting and certain other recreational
activities, unless at least 40% of the county's lands are open to the public. If the county
meets the 40% threshold, the county may elect to expend some or all of the amount on
activities to improve resource management, including forest growth, forest health, fish
habitat, wildlife habitat, and watershed protection.