The Qualified Forest Program
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The purpose of the Qualified Forest Program (QFP) is to encourage private forestland property owners to harvest timber in a sustainable fashion based on a forest management plan constructed with the landowner's goals in mind.  The management plan must be created by a Forestry Professional.

There are two benefits from QFP enrollment available to forest landowners.
  1. An exemption from the school operating tax, which is usually 18 mills.
  2. An exemption from an uncapping, or "pop-up", of taxable value when the property is transferred.

To meet QFP qualifications
  • The property must be productive forest which is defined as, "being able to produce forest products of at least 20 cubic feet per acre per year", which is about ¼ of a cord of wood per year.
  • Parcels of more than 20 acres, but less than 40 acres, must be at least 80% stocked in productive forest.
  • Properties of 40 acres or more must be at least 50% stocked in productive forest.
  • A forest management plan must be written for the enrolled acres by a forester qualified under QFP.

The District Forester provides free on-site assistance to help forest landowners in Alpena and Montmorency Counties decide whether QFP is a good option for them and to connect landowners with the Qualified Foresters that write management plans. Call Dr. Greg Corace, 989-356-3596, ext. 102 or email: greg.corace@macd.org

How QFP became a part of your local Conservation District

On June 6, 2013, Governor Snyder signed into law Public Act 42 of 2013. PA 42 (in addition to eight other Public Acts) changed the manner in which the 2006 Qualified Forest Program (QFP) is administered and moved the program jurisdiction from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD).  MDARD oversees the Michigan Association of Conservation Districts (MACD), therefore putting QFP in the hands of county-wide Conservation Districts across Michigan.