Classification of Forest Land

Any owner of land may apply for its classification as forest land by filing a written application with the assessor of property. The application must be filed by March 15. Reapplication thereafter is not required so long as the ownership as of the assessment date remains unchanged. Property that qualified as forest land the year before under different ownership is disqualified if the new owner does not timely apply. The assessor must send a notice of disqualification to these owners, but must accept a late application if filed within 30 days of the notice of disqualification and accompanied by a late application fee of $50.¹

The assessor shall determine whether the land is forest land, and if such a determination is made, the assessor shall classify and include it as such on the county tax roll.²In determining whether the land is forest land, the assessor must take into account, among other things, the acreage of the land, the amount and type of timber on the land, the actual and potential growth rate of the timber, and the management practices being applied to the land and to the timber on it. The assessor may request the advice of the state forester in determining whether the land should be classified as forest land.³

An application for classification of land as forest land shall be made upon a form prescribed by the state board of equalization, in consultation with the state forester, and shall include a description of the land, a general description of the uses to which it is being put, aerial photographs, if available, and such other information as the assessor of property or state forester may require to aid the assessor of property in determining whether the land qualifies for designation as forest land..⁴

Any person aggrieved by the denial of an application for the classification of land as forest land has the same rights and remedies for appeal and relief as are provided in the general statutes for taxpayers claiming to be aggrieved by the actions of assessors of property or boards of equalization..⁵