Introduction

2.1. The appraised value of managed timberland shall be determined on the basis of the potential of the land to produce future income according to its use and productive potential. Potential future net income is discounted to its present value utilizing a discounted cash flow; this is the appraised value. The ability of a stand of timber to produce wood products for sale or use depends primarily on the quality of the soil and certain topographic and climatic features which can be expressed as a site index. Site index is the principal criterion influencing the appraised value of managed timberland. These factors shall be reviewed annually by the Tax Commissioner for necessary updating of the method described in order to properly reflect future changes in the values of managed timberland.

2.2. The appraised value of timberland (woodland/wasteland) shall be determined on the basis of market comparable derived through analysis of sales prices of comparable timberland (forested) properties. Timberland appraisal value shall always be more than the appraised value of equivalent grades of properties being classified as managed timberland in the county. The appraised value of timberland shall be determined by the county assessor based upon the Timberland Classification Schedule found in Appendix 1 of this rule.

2.3. The county assessor shall collect and analyze market data, including sales of timberland, segregated into the classes contained in the previously referenced classification schedule. Based upon this market analysis, the county assessor shall select the value for each class of timberland that best reflects the market value of the property if exposed to the market for sale as timberland. The values by class thus selected shall be entered, by the assessor, into the respective county land pricing tables and shall be used by the assessor to estimate the appraised value of timberland for property tax purposes.