Contact a Forester and get a Management Plan

This checklist outlines what your management plan will need to have to qualify you for 480-a.

NYS Cooperating Foresters are those listed with the states Department of Environmental Conservation. This statewide list shows where foresters work by numbered regions. Use the link below to determine which region your land is in.

Use this map from the DEC to determine which region your land is in.

This advice from Cornell Cooperative Extension discusses what to look for in a forester, including education, experience, and referrals. It also lists questions you can ask a forester before hiring them.

Watershed Qualified Foresters have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in forestry and have received additional training in water quality protection from the New York City Watershed Agricultural Council. Most of these foresters focus on woodlands in southeastern New York.