WOODLOT MANAGEMENT 141 



In this way the woodlot is placed on a financial basis the 

 same as any other business. It produces a known income every 

 year. The value of the woodlot can be figured on a basis of 

 the income. 



This represents the method of management of forests in 

 countries where forestry has been practiced many years. It 

 gives an idea of what forestry really is, a business of growing 

 crops of trees. There are many other methods of regulating 

 the annual cut in woodlots or forests to secure a sustained 

 yield. These can be found described in books relating to 

 general forestry. 



TAXATION OF WOODLOTS 



Woodlots in most states are subject to the general property 

 tax. Each year the assessors appraise the value of the trees 

 together with the land, and the owner pays the tax annually 

 on this valuation. No one objects to paying a just tax on 

 property, but a tax out of proportion to the value of the 

 property is unjust. A mature stand of timber that is being 

 held for a rise in the value of stumpage is probably justly 

 taxed by this system. But often the tax on such timber has 

 been made a burden. Overtaxation on mature timber has 

 been common in many regions, the assessors figuring to get 

 all out of the timber possible before it is cut. This has been 

 a chief cause of the slashing of many of our forests. 



But a growing stand of timber, on the other hand, is in the 

 nature of a crop and should pay a tax only when the crop 

 is harvested, and not year after year while the crop is growing 

 and producing no revenue. When the crop brings in an 

 income then the tax should be collected. The land should pay 



each and the woodlot divided into as many parts as there are periods 

 in the rotation. Then the timber on one part would be cut during 

 each period and reproduction established. When the woodlot is cut 

 through the timber on the first part cut would be large enough to 

 harvest. 



