Combining zoning regulations and property tax relief to retain forestland and promote forest management

Abstract

Zoning and property tax relief are two mechanisms that may be used to influence the management of privately held forestlands. We use data from the Adirondack Park in northern New York to examine if tax incentives duplicate or complement zoning in (a) satisfying the goal of retaining forestland, and (b) promoting active management of privately owned forestlands. Within the Adirondack Park, the bulk of lands given forestland tax relief also have strict land use zoning. We conclude that the combination of zoning regulations with forest property tax relief is no more effective in achieving the goal of retaining forestland than the Adirondack Park zoning regulations by themselves. We also conclude that combining zoning regulations with forest property tax relief is not effective in meeting the goal of influencing active forest management on private forestlands.