Tax valuations for woodlands enrolled in Chapter 61 or 61A in Massachusetts will rise sharply for the tax year that begins on July 1st.
The Farmland Valuation Advisory Commission voted new valuations in March for the fiscal year 2027 which begins July 1st.
The average valuation for woodlands will rise from $88/acre to 101/acre, a rise of 14.8%, from the current fiscal year.
Timber prices since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 have risen and fallen sharply each year reflecting fluctuating consumer demand. The rise in tax values reflects higher reported stumpage prices.
Values for below average woodlands will be valued at $81/acre, a rise of 16% from the FY 2026 value.
Values for above average woodlands will rise from $106/acre to $121/acre, an increase of 14 percent..
Under the formula, a 50 acre average woodland would be valued at $5,050 for tax purposes, and in a community with a $15/$1,000 valuation tax rate, would be assessed $75.75 in annual taxes under Chapter 61, a rise of $9.75 from the current year.
Values for Chapter 61 & 61A forest land are set using a formula MFA developed with assessors, the Department of Conservation & Recreation and Massachusetts Farm Bureau. The formula is based on average stumpage price values, discounted to reflect that not all woodland growth can be harvested due to site and environmental considerations.