15-44-102. Definitions. - Montana Statutes

     15-44-102. Definitions. For the purposes of this part, unless the context requires otherwise, the following definitions apply:
     (1) "Culmination of mean annual increment" means the point of optimum net wood production on an acre of forest land.
     (2) "Cultivated Christmas trees" means Christmas trees that are grown on land prepared by intensive cultivation and tilling, such as by plowing or turning over the soil, and on which all unwanted plant growth is controlled for the exclusive purpose of raising Christmas trees.
     (3) "Department" means the department of revenue.
     (4) "Forest" means forest land and the timber on the land.
     (5) "Forest land" means contiguous land of 15 acres or more in one ownership that is capable of producing timber that can be harvested in commercial quantity and is producing timber unless the trees have been removed through harvest, including clearcuts, or by natural disaster, including but not limited to fire. Forest land includes land:
     (a) that has not been converted to another use; and
     (b) on which the annual net wood production equals or exceeds 25 cubic feet an acre at the culmination of mean annual increment.
     (6) "Forest productivity value" means the value of forest land for assessment purposes, which value is determined only on the basis of its potential to produce timber, other forest products, and associated agricultural products through an income approach provided for in 15-44-103.
     (7) "Harvest" means an activity related to the cutting or removal of timber for use or sale as a forest product.
     (8) "Landowner" means an individual, corporation, association, company, firm, joint venture, syndicate, or trust.
     (9) "Mean annual net wood production" means the average net usable volume of wood that 1 acre of forest land will grow in 1 year under average current and actual forest conditions and under current and reasonable management practices for each forest valuation zone established under 15-44-103.
     (10) "Stumpage value" means the amount that timber would sell for under an arm's-length transaction made in the ordinary course of business, expressed in terms of dollars per unit of measure.
     (11) (a) "Timber" means all wood growth on privately owned land, mature or immature, alive or dead, standing or down, that is capable of furnishing raw material used in the manufacture of lumber or other forest products.
     (b) The term does not include cultivated Christmas trees.

     History: En. Sec. 2, Ch. 783, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 297, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 182, Ch. 56, L. 2009.