Forestry Management Plan

Any land being managed under a forestry management plan accepted by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) under the Illinois Forestry Development Act shall be considered as “other farmland,” and shall be valued at 1/6 of its productivity index equalized assessed value as cropland. The IDNR shall inform the Department of Revenue and each County Assessment Office of each parcel of land covered by an approved forestry management plan.

Conservation Stewardship Program

This program was designed to encourage landowners to maintain unimproved land in order to protect limited environmental resources. The program offers the incentive of reduced valuation for property taxes to landowners who were willing to commit to maintaining and managing unimproved land.

Landowners who wish to receive the special valuation of unimproved land provided by this law, are required to prepare a Conservation Management Plan according to rules developed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). That plan will describe how the land will be managed to protect and maintain environmental resources. When a Conservation Management Plan is approved, IDNR will notify the Department of Revenue. Revenue will then notify the appropriate County Assessment Office of the properties that have qualified for the special valuation and the necessary adjustment in the valuation will be made beginning with tax year 2008 (payable in 2009).