Stakeholder Input Opportunities for Forestry Documents

Forest Tax Law Handbook Chapter 201 Managed Forest Law Procedures for Applications and Management Plans and Appendix 201H, Sharing Archaeological and Historical Data, have been revised in the following ways, with changes highlighted.

• Reflect recent enhancements to the management plan template in the Wisconsin Forest Inventory and Reporting System (WisFIRS).
• Better align with expectations for the quality and completeness of data and documentation submitted via WisFIRS.
• Provide clarity around justifying enrollment of acres by PIN.
• Align with the updated department process for accessing archaeological and historical data.

The Forest Tax Law Handbook serves to digest the law relating to the forest tax programs and provide guidance for the administration and implementation of the Tax Law programs. The Handbook embodies statute and rule and provides greater procedural detail to ensure consistency in their application.

The new Chapter 207 Large Ownership (Account) Administration documents and codifies procedures for granting Large Ownership status and administering Large Ownerships, requirements for management commitments, achieving compliance with regulatory requirements and the results of losing Large Ownership status. Procedures include roles and responsibilities, requesting and granting large account status, and methods of ensuring sound forestry in the absence of a department-approved management plan. Audits are defined as onsite document reviews, and procedures for document reviews are provided along with a document review checklist.

• Forest Tax Law Handbook Chapter 207 Large Ownership (Account) Administration
• Appendix 207A, Document Review Checklist

The Forest Tax Law Handbook serves to digest the law relating to the forest tax programs and provide guidance for the administration and implementation of the Tax Law programs. The Handbook embodies statute and rule and provides greater procedural detail to ensure consistency in their application. 

The Public Forest Lands Handbook gets updated every 2 years to review current process/procedures, incorporate approved policy changes, update language, improve clarification, process and fix broken links. The major updates at this time include new internal review language for County Forest lands and Department managed lands, revised chapter content to improve consistency, and GNA updates.

For a detailed summary of the changes, read the full Change Summary for Public Forest Lands Handbook Update.

Fire Management Handbook (HB4325.1)

The Fire Management Handbook has been updated to reflect changing policy needs and operational efficiencies, as detailed in the summary of changes document below:

• Summary of proposed changes to the Fire Management Handbook