Delaware Forest Service offers technical assistance to forest landowners.
For questions on the following programs, email: Sam Topper or call 302-856-2893.
Free Forest Management Plans/Timber Harvest Assistance
In order to properly care for the trees on your property, it is important to develop a plan for achieving your objectives, whether your goal is wood production, wildlife habitat, recreation, or a combination of all of these. The Delaware Forest Service can help you develop a customized management plan for your woodlot that will outline the activities needed to reach your goals. In addition to a plan, staff can conduct a forest inventory (a summary of the timber volumes by tree species), supervise reforestation and timber stand improvement projects, and help you with timber sales by providing sample timber sale contracts and lists of potential timber buyers. While our staff cannot perform timber appraisals, we do maintain a list of consultant foresters who can appraise your timber.
Cost-Share Programs
The Delaware Forest Service, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), offers a limited amount of cost shares to private landowners for such activities as tree planting and timber stand improvement. These cost share programs include the Forest Land Enhancement Program (FLEP), the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), and the State of Delaware Forestry Cost Share Program. Forest Service personnel work with interested landowners and the USDA to ensure the funds are properly spent. [Cost Share Application]
Reforestation/Low-Cost Seedling Program
The Delaware Forest Service offers a variety of tree seedlings each spring through a cooperative effort with the Maryland Forest Service nursery in Preston. Landowners order seedlings in the fall and early winter for delivery in mid-March to mid-April, depending upon weather conditions. For more information on the tree species available, visit the nursery’s website at: [Order Trees]
Delaware Property Tax Exemptions (Commercial Forest Plantation Act)
The Commercial Forest Plantation Act (Title 3, Chapter 26) was established to give landowners a property tax exemption for forests that are managed for timber production. In order to qualify for this thirty (30) year exemption, landowners must have at least 10 contiguous forested acres and follow a forest management plan approved by the Delaware Forest Service.
Download/View Application (pdf)
