Landowner Information Sheet - Please Read Before Signing Cutting Plan
The Massachusetts Forest Cutting Practices Act:
The Massachusetts Forest Cutting Practices Act (the “Act”) requires the improvement,
maintenance, and protection of forest lands for the purpose of conserving water, preventing floods
and soil erosion, improving the conditions for wildlife and recreation, protecting and improving air
and water quality, and providing a continuing and increasing supply of forest products. The Act
requires that a Forest Cutting Plan be filed with the appropriate Department of Conservation and
Recreation (DCR) Regional office before harvesting timber to ensure that these values are
protected. The cutting plan is meant to satisfy the law, reflect your objectives for your land, and
help you understand the proposed harvest.
Your Objectives:
The most important information on a Forest Cutting Plan is the landowner’s objectives. You will
be asked to choose between Long-term Forest Management or a Short-term Harvest. This choice
will determine which trees will be harvested and which will remain; this decision will also
determine the future condition of the forest for decades to come. You will indicate your
objective by checking one of two boxes in the Landowner Signature Section on page 4.
Information on the two choices is provided below.
Long-term Forest Management
Long-term Forest Management means the planned management of the forest to achieve one or
more of the following objectives: produce immediate and maximize long-term income from
harvesting activity, maintain or enhance wildlife habitat, improve recreational opportunities,
protect soil and water quality, or produce forest specialty products such as maple syrup.
This strategy employs the science and art of forestry to help you manage your property to achieve
multiple objectives, preserve future management options, and maximize economic return.
Short-term Harvest
Short-term Harvest means the selection of trees for cutting based on the economic value of
individual trees which commonly results in a residual forest stand dominated by poor quality trees
and low value species. While this strategy produces immediate income and meets the minimum
standards of the act, it does little to improve the future condition of the forest. A Short-Term
harvest can limit future income and management options by:
• Removing trees before they reach economic maturity
• Leaving little value for future harvests
• Retaining slow growing or poor quality trees
• Removing mostly large diameter or high value species (such as oak) that could act as a seed source
for growing future high quality trees or provide food for wildlife
Landowner Information Sheet for
Chapter 132 – The Forest Cutting
Practices Act, 304 CMR 11.00
Please Read BEFORE signing your Cutting Plan and keep
for your own records.
If you have any questions, call the nearest DCR regional
office (listed on page 2) or
mass.gov/dcr/service-forestry
