Tax valuations for woodlands enrolled in Chapter 61 or 61A in Massachusetts will rise slightly for the tax year that begins on July 1st.
The Farmland Valuation Advisory Commission voted new valuations in March for the fiscal year 2026 which begins July 1st.
The average valuation for woodlands will rise from $84/acre to $88/acre, a rise of 4.8%, from the current fiscal year.
In fiscal 2024, average tax valuations for Chapter 61 woodlands fell 16% from $100/acre to $84/acre..
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 $71/acre, a rise of $3 from the FY 2024 value.
Values for above average woodlands will rise from $100/acre to $106/acre, an increase of 6 percent..
Under the formula, a 50 acre average woodland would be valued at $4,400 for tax purposes, and in a community with a $15/$1,000 valuation tax rate, would be assessed $66 in annual taxes under Chapter 61, a rise of $3 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.