A recently published report by the Open Space Institute looks at evolving ownership patterns in the forests of American states Maine and New Hampshire, and argues the importance of tax incentives to strengthen the forestry industry.
The 22-page report, “Forestland for Sale: Challenges and Opportunities for Conservation over the Next Ten Years,” uses the 600,000-acre Mahoosuc region of Maine and New Hampshire as a case study of the impact across America of more than 25 years of changing forest ownership patterns.
Perhaps the most dramatic change is the rise of T-REITs (Timber Real Estate Investment Trusts) and TIMOs (Timber Investment Management Organizations) as major landowners. These organisations, according to the report, need tax incentives to keep investing in the area.
The report says: “Without new tax incentives, stronger biomass markets or increases in public and private conservation dollars, escalating land prices will make it increasingly difficult to manage the land as forests.
“The same instability that threatens the region’s forests provides an immense opportunity, however: to prepare for the next wave of forest dispositions five to 10 years in advance. Maine and New Hampshire state governments, private landowners, local planning boards and conservation groups can take action to protect the public access, rural jobs, and ecosystem services that contribute to the forest-based economy in the region.”
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