Chapter 77

77.88(3k)(a) (a) If the land remaining in the parcel after the requested withdrawal does not meet the eligibility requirements under the order designating the managed forest land, the withdrawal order shall withdraw the entire parcel.

77.88(3k)(b) (b) If the land subject to a managed forest land order after the requested withdrawal does not meet the eligibility requirements under that managed forest land order, the withdrawal order shall withdraw all land under that managed forest land order.

77.88(3L) (3L) Voluntary withdrawal; sustainability. Upon the request of an owner of managed forest land to withdraw part of a parcel of the owner’s land, the department shall issue an order of withdrawal if the department determines that the parcel is unsuitable, due to environmental, ecological, or economic concerns or factors, for the production of merchantable timber. No withdrawal tax under sub. (5) or withdrawal fee under sub. (5m) may be assessed. The order shall withdraw only the number of acres that is necessary for the parcel to resume its sustainability to produce merchantable timber, except that all of the following apply:

77.88(3L)(a) (a) If the land remaining in the parcel after the requested withdrawal does not meet the eligibility requirements under the order designating the managed forest land, the withdrawal order shall withdraw the entire parcel.

77.88(3L)(b) (b) If the land subject to a managed forest land order after the requested withdrawal does not meet the eligibility requirements under that managed forest land order, the withdrawal order shall withdraw all land under that managed forest land order.

77.88(3m) (3m) Withdrawal for failure to pay personal property taxes. If an owner of managed forest land has not paid the personal property tax due for a building on managed forest land before the February settlement date under s. 74.30 (1), the municipality in which the building is located shall certify to the department that a delinquency exists and shall include the legal description of the managed forest land on which the building is located in the certification. Immediately after receiving the certification, the department shall issue an order withdrawing the land as managed forest land and shall assess against the owner of the land the withdrawal tax under sub. (5) and the withdrawal fee under sub. (5m). Notwithstanding s. 77.90, the owner is not entitled to a hearing on an order withdrawing land under this subsection.

77.88(4m) (4m) Expiration of orders. The department shall maintain a list of orders designating managed forest lands that have expired. The department shall add a parcel to the list within 30 days after the date of expiration. For each expired order, the list shall provide a description of the land and shall identify each municipality in which the managed forest land is located.

77.88(5) (5) Withdrawal tax. The withdrawal tax shall be determined as follows:

77.88(5)(ac) (ac) Calculation of past tax liability. For purposes of this subsection, the amount of past tax liability for land to be withdrawn from the managed forest land program, except for land that is part of a large property, shall be calculated by multiplying the total net property tax rate in the municipality in which managed forest land to be withdrawn is located in the year prior to the year in which an order withdrawing the land is issued by an amount equal to the assessed value of the land for that same year, as calculated by the department of revenue, and by then multiplying that product by 10 or by the number of years the land was designated as managed forest land, whichever number is fewer.

77.88(5)(ae) (ae) Tax liability; general. Except as provided in par. (am), for land withdrawn during a managed forest land order, the withdrawal tax shall equal the amount of past tax liability under par. (ac) that is applicable to the land.

77.88(5)(af) (af) Tax liability; large property. Except as provided in par. (am), for land that is part of a large property that is withdrawn during a managed forest land order, the withdrawal tax shall be the higher of the following:

77.88(5)(af)1. 1. An amount equal to the past tax liability multiplied by the number of years the land was designated as managed forest land, less any amounts paid by the owner under s. 77.84 (2) (a), (am), and (bp).

77.88(5)(af)2. 2. Five percent of the stumpage value of the merchantable timber on the land, less any amounts paid by the owner under s. 77.84 (2) (a), (am), and (bp).

77.88(5)(am) (am) Converted forest croplands. For land that is withdrawn within 10 years after the date on which an initial managed forest land order was issued under s. 77.82 (8) for an application approved under s. 77.82 (7) (d), the withdrawal tax shall be the higher of the following:

77.88(5)(am)1. 1. The amount calculated under par. (ae) or (af).

77.88(5)(am)2. 2. The amount calculated under s. 77.10 (2) that would have applied to the land on the date on which the order was issued for the land under s. 77.82 (8).

77.88(5g) (5g) Estimates of withdrawal tax.

77.88(5g)(a) (a) Upon the request of an owner of managed forest land, the department of revenue, with the assistance of the department, shall prepare an estimate of the amount of withdrawal tax that would be assessed under sub. (5) if the department were to issue an order to withdraw the land under this section.

77.88(5g)(b) (b) A request from an owner under this subsection shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable fee payable to the department of revenue of either $100 or the alternative nonrefundable fee calculated under par. (c), whichever is greater.

77.88(5g)(c) (c) The alternative nonrefundable fee shall be calculated by multiplying the total number of whole and partial acres by $5.

77.88(5m) (5m) Withdrawal fee. The withdrawal fee assessed by the department under subs. (1) (c), (2) (ac) 2., (am), and (c), (3), and (3m) shall be $300.

77.88(6) (6) Determination of stumpage value. In determining the stumpage value of merchantable timber for purposes of this section, an estimator agreed upon by the parties or, if they cannot agree, a forester appointed by a judge of the circuit court in the county in which the land is located shall estimate the volume of merchantable timber on the land. The estimate obtained shall be final. The department shall determine the current stumpage value of the merchantable timber, based on the applicable stumpage value established under s. 77.91 (1). The owner shall pay the entire cost of obtaining the estimate.

77.88(7) (7) Payment; delinquency. Taxes under sub. (5) and fees under sub. (5m) are due and payable to the department on the last day of the month following the effective date of the withdrawal order. Amounts received shall be credited to the conservation fund. If the owner of the land fails to pay the tax or fee, the department shall certify to the taxation district clerk the amount due. The taxation district clerk shall enter the delinquent amount on the property tax roll as a special charge.

77.88(8) (8) Exception.

77.88(8)(a) (a) No withdrawal tax or withdrawal fee may be assessed against an owner who does any of the following:

77.88(8)(a)1. 1. Transfers ownership of managed forest land for a public road or railroad or utility right-of-way.

77.88(8)(a)2. 2. Transfers ownership of managed forest land for a park, recreational trail, wildlife or fish habitat area or a public forest to the federal government, the state or a local governmental unit, as defined in s. 66.0131 (1) (a).

77.88(8)(a)3. 3. Transfers ownership of or leases not more than 10 acres of managed forest land to a county, city, village, or town for siting a public safety communications tower.

77.88(8)(a)4. 4. Transfers ownership of managed forest land for a public purpose to a city, village, town, or county that is a taxing jurisdiction, as defined under s. 70.114 (1) (f), for the land.

77.88(8)(b) (b) The department may not order withdrawal of land remaining after a transfer of ownership is made under par. (a) or after a lease is entered into under par. (a) 3. unless the remainder fails to meet the eligibility requirements under s. 77.82 (1).

77.88(9) (9) Order; miscellaneous provisions.

77.88(9)(a) (a) Each withdrawal order issued under this section shall include the legal description of the land withdrawn.

77.88(9)(b) (b) The department shall notify the owner in writing of the withdrawal order, stating the reason for the withdrawal.

77.88(9)(c) (c) The department shall mail a copy of the withdrawal order to each person specified under s. 77.82 (8).

77.88(9)(d) (d)

77.88(9)(d)1. 1. Except as provided in subd. 2., a withdrawal order issued before December 15 of any year takes effect on the January 1 after the date of issuance, and a withdrawal order issued on or after December 15 of any year takes effect on the 2nd January 1 after the date of issuance.

77.88(9)(d)2. 2. An order that is issued for a withdrawal of land that is located within a proposed ferrous mining site takes effect on the date the order is issued.

77.88(9)(e) (e) If less than a total parcel of managed forest land is withdrawn, the department shall amend the order under s. 77.82 and the management plan to correct the description of the remaining land.

77.88(10) (10) Applicable taxes. Chapter 70 applies to any land withdrawn from the managed forest land program under this section.

77.88(11) (11) Liability for previous taxes. Withdrawal of land under this section does not affect the liability of the owner for previously levied taxes under s. 77.84.

77.88 History History: 1985 a. 29; 1991 a. 39; 1993 a. 16, 131; 1995 a. 27; 1999 a. 150 s. 672; 2003 a. 228; 2005 a. 64, 299; 2009 a. 186, 365; 2013 a. 20, 81; 2015 a. 358; 2017 a. 59; 2021 a. 230.

77.88 Annotation The withdrawal provision of sub. (2) (f) is directory upon the Department of Natural Resources and therefore does not require the department to withdraw the subject property from the managed forest land program due to noncompliance with certification requirements. Warnecke v. Estate of Warnecke, 2006 WI App 62, 292 Wis. 2d 438, 713 N.W.2d 109, 05-0021.

77.883 77.883 Ferrous mining.

77.883(1) (1) The department may not issue an order of withdrawal under s. 77.88 (1) based on the cutting of timber or other activities on managed forest land if all of the following requirements are met:

77.883(1)(a) (a) The cutting or activity is necessary to engage in bulk sampling, as defined in s. 295.41 (7).

77.883(1)(b) (b) The area that will be affected by the cutting or the activity does not exceed 5 acres.

77.883(1)(c) (c) A bulk sampling plan has been filed with the department under s. 295.45 and all approvals that are required for bulk sampling have been issued by the department.

77.883(1)(d) (d) The revegetation plan that is part of the bulk sampling plan described under par. (c) includes forestry practices that will ensure that the merchantable timber and other vegetation that will be cut or otherwise affected will be restored to the greatest extent possible.

77.883(2) (2) The requirement under sub. (1) (d) does not apply to managed forest land that is within a mining site described in a preapplication notification under s. 295.465 or in an application for a mining permit under s. 295.58.

77.883(3) (3) Section 77.86 (1) (c) and (d) do not apply to cutting of timber or another activity on managed forest land if all of the requirements in sub. (1) (a) to (d) are met.

77.883 History History: 2013 a. 1.

77.885 77.885 Withdrawal of tribal lands. Upon request of an Indian tribe, the department shall order the withdrawal of land that is owned in fee that is designated as managed forest land from the managed forest land program. No withdrawal tax under s. 77.88 (5) or withdrawal fee under s. 77.88 (5m) may be assessed against an Indian tribe for the withdrawal of such land if all of the following apply:

77.885(1) (1) The Indian tribe provides the department the date of the order to transfer the land to the United States to be held in trust for the tribe.

77.885(2) (2) The tribe and the department have in effect a written agreement under which the tribe agrees that the land shall continue to be treated as managed forest land until the date on which the managed forest land order would have expired.

77.885 History History: 2009 a. 28.

77.89 77.89 Distribution of moneys received.

77.89(1) (1) Payment to municipalities.

77.89(1)(a) (a) By June 30 of each year, the department, from the appropriation under s. 20.370 (5) (bv), shall pay 100 percent of each payment received under s. 77.84 (3) (b) and 100 percent of each withdrawal tax payment received under s. 77.88 (7) to the treasurer of each municipality in which is located the land to which the payment applies.

77.89(1)(b) (b) The department shall distribute from the appropriation under s. 20.370 (2) (mv) of the statutes $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2015-16 and $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2016-17 among treasurers of each municipality in which is located land subject to a managed forest land order that is designated as closed to public access under s. 77.83 (1). The department shall distribute to each municipal treasurer an amount in proportion to the number of acres of closed land in that municipality. The department shall make the payments for fiscal year 2015-16 before July 1, 2016. The department shall make the payments for fiscal year 2016-17 before July 1, 2017.

77.89(2) (2) Payment to counties.

77.89(2)(a) (a) Each municipal treasurer shall pay 20 percent of each payment received under sub. (1) (a) and (b) and under ss. 77.84 (2) (a), (am), and (bp), 77.85, and 77.876 to the county treasurer and shall deposit the remainder in the municipal treasury. The payment to the county treasurer for money received before November 1 of any year shall be made on or before the November 15 after its receipt. For money received on or after November 1 of any year, the payment to the county treasurer shall be made on or before November 15 of the following year.

77.89(2)(b) (b) The municipal treasurer shall pay 20 percent of the amounts received under s. 77.84 (2) (b) and (bm) to the county treasurer, as provided under ss. 74.25 and 74.30, and shall deposit the remainder in the municipal treasury.

77.89 History History: 1985 a. 29; 1987 a. 378; 1991 a. 39; 1995 a. 27; 2003 a. 228, 327; 2005 a. 253, 299; 2007 a. 20; 2013 a. 81; 2015 a. 55, 358; 2017 a. 59.

77.89 Annotation “Each municipality” in sub. (1) means every municipality where the property is presently located, not every municipality where the property has ever been located. When a parcel was annexed by a village and removed from the program, the village, and not the town that previously contained the parcel, was entitled to the withdrawal tax payment under sub. (1). Town of Somerset v. DNR, 2011 WI App 55, 332 Wis. 2d 777, 798 N.W.2d 282, 10-1501.

77.895 77.895 Grants for land acquisitions for outdoor activities.

77.895(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

77.895(1)(b) (b) “Land” means land in fee simple, conservation easements, and other easements in land.

77.895(1)(c) (c) “Local governmental unit” means a city, village, town, or county.

77.895(1)(d) (d) “Nonprofit conservation organization” has the meaning given in s. 23.0955 (1).

77.895(2) (2) Program. The department shall establish and administer a program to award grants to nonprofit conservation organizations, to local governmental units, and to itself to acquire land to be used for hunting, fishing, hiking, sightseeing, and cross-country skiing.

77.895(3) (3) Requirements. The department shall promulgate rules establishing requirements for awarding grants under this section. The rules promulgated under this subsection shall include all of the following:

77.895(3)(a) (a) A requirement that the department give higher priority to counties over other grant applicants in awarding grants under this section.

77.895(3)(b) (b) A requirement that, in awarding grants to counties under this section, the department give higher priority to counties that have higher numbers of acres that are designated as closed under s. 77.83.

77.895(3)(c) (c) A requirement that, in awarding grants to towns under this section, the department give higher priority to towns that have higher numbers of acres that are designated as closed under s. 77.83.

77.895(3)(d) (d) A requirement that no grant may be awarded under this section without it being approved by the board of each county in which the land to be acquired is located.

77.895(3)(e) (e) Requirements concerning the use of sound forestry practices on land acquired under this section.

77.895(3)(fm) (fm) A requirement that no more than 10 percent of grant funding available under this section may be used to acquire parcels of land that are less than 10 acres in size.

77.895(3)(gm) (gm) A requirement that land acquired with a grant under this section be open to hunting, fishing, and trapping during all applicable hunting, fishing, and trapping seasons.

77.895(4) (4) Use of land. Land acquired under this section may be used for purposes in addition to those specified in sub. (2) if the additional uses are compatible with the purposes specified in sub. (2).

77.895 History History: 2007 a. 20; 2015 a. 55.

77.90 77.90 Right to hearing. An applicant under s. 77.82 or an owner of managed forest land who is adversely affected by a decision of the department under this subchapter is entitled to a contested case hearing under ch. 227.

77.90 History History: 1985 a. 29; 2009 a. 365.

77.905 77.905 Procedure in forfeiture actions. The procedure in ss. 23.50 to 23.85 applies to actions to recover forfeitures brought under this subchapter.

77.905 History History: 1989 a. 79.

77.91 77.91 Miscellaneous provisions.

77.91(1) (1) Stumpage values. Each year the department shall establish reasonable stumpage values for the merchantable timber grown in the municipalities in which managed forest land is located. If the department finds that stumpage values vary in different parts of the state, it may establish different zones and specify the stumpage value for each zone. The stumpage value shall take effect on November 1 of each year. Notwithstanding s. 227.11, the department may not promulgate or have in effect rules that established stumpage values.

77.91(2) (2) Publication of information.

77.91(2)(a) (a) The department, with the cooperation of the University of Wisconsin-Extension, shall publish and distribute information describing the managed forest land program, including the applicable taxes and penalties and the forestry and resource management practices that are acceptable as part of a management plan.

77.91(2)(b) (b) The department shall prepare, update annually and, by March 31 of each year, offer for sale to the public information describing the location of managed forest land designated as open under s. 77.83.