Forest Ag Program
Landowners in Colorado are eligible to sell their timber through the Forest Ag Program, which offers similar tax valuation as that of traditional agricultural lands. Forest landowners voluntarily participate in the Forest Ag Program and must fulfill certain requirements for initial eligibility.
To be eligible for the Forest Ag Program, properties must meet several criteria:
- Own at least 40 contiguous forested acres.
- Perform forest management activities to produce tangible wood products for the primary purpose of obtaining a monetary profit. Tangible wood products can include sawlogs, posts, poles, firewood, and Christmas trees and boughs.
- Have a Forest Stewardship Plan prepared by a professional forester and approved by the CSFS, which incorporates the landowner’s goals, desired future conditions of the land and a strategy to obtain a profit from wood products generated on the land.
- Annually submit forms and enrollment fee to the CSFS by October 1 to be considered for recommendation to the County Assessor.
- Manage the land according to the Forest Stewardship Plan and Annual Work Plan.
For more information about Forest Ag requirements and a list of professional foresters, please contact your local CSFS Field Office.
Learn more about this program in the Forest Ag Brochure (250 KB PDF).
- Landowners enroll in the program by submitting a Forest Stewardship Plan and annual enrollment fee.
- Landowners implement management activities as described within their Annual Work Plan.
- Each year, the CSFS will inspect the work completed against what was outlined in the Annual Work Plan to verify treatments are being implemented as scheduled and according to the Plan.
- If the accomplishments are satisfactory, the CSFS will annually recommend the landowner be included in the program to the County Assessor. They will review the CSFS list of eligible and ineligible properties and determine property tax classification.
- Landowners continue implementing their Stewardship Plan.
Forest Ag Form
Due by October 1
- Forest Ag Inspection Request Form (Tax Year 2027) (215 KB PDF)
For assistance with forms, please contact your local CSFS Field Office.
Forest Ag Request to Change Annual Work Plan
- Application to Change Annual Work Plan (200 KB PDF)
Program Policy
- Forest Ag Policy and Guidelines (190 KB PDF)
- Eligibility Checklist (14 KB PDF)
- Non-Compliance Policy (210 KB PDF)
- Inspections Report (33 KB PDF)
- Management Plan and Checklist (280 KB PDF)
- Management Plan Acceptance Statement (70 KB PDF)
This newsletter serves as a complimentary mechanism to provide critical program reminders, forestry information, and other resources to support your efforts.
Background
During the late 1980s, the Larimer County tree farmers coordinated their efforts with the Colorado State Forest Service to initiate a program that would promote forest stewardship and help reduce forest fragmentation, while allowing eligible forest lands a similar tax valuation as that of traditional agricultural lands. Tree farmers, as members of the American Tree Farm System, manage their forests for wood products, water, wildlife and recreation. Instead of grazing cattle, producing hay or other agricultural products, Forest Ag participants would be required to produce tangible wood products.
In 1990, the Colorado legislature enacted the Forest Agriculture Classification Program, which the Colorado State Forest Service administers. The Forest Ag Program promotes forest health and stewardship, wood products utilization, sustainable forest management and reduced fragmentation of forested lands.
Benefits of the Forest Ag Program include the generation of forest products, more resilient forests better able to withstand insect and disease activity, a reduced threat of catastrophic wildfire and the prevention of forest fragmentation.