News

Save Nature and Lower Your Taxes

Qualified Illinois landowners who manage their property as natural habitat will pay less in real estate taxes with the passage of Senate Bill 17, the Conservation Stewardship Act, signed into law by Governor Blagojevich on October 1, 2007.

The legislation came about as landowners across the state faced property reassessments based on fair-market rates. Retirees, some whose families have owned their land for generations, saw their tax bill go from several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars per acre. This caused concern at the state level that landowners would clear-cut and bulldoze their forested acres and convert them to farmland to qualify for a much lower assessment.

Land approved for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is assessed at 5 percent of fair market value for tax purposes, considerably lower than the standard 33.3 percent rate. In addition to providing tax relief, the program aims to address the problem of dwindling habitat by requiring that landowners manage their property for wildlife.

“These incentives help us retain woods, grasslands, and wetlands that help control soil erosion, improve air and water quality, and enhance the quality of life for all of us,” said Sam Flood, acting director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

To qualify, property must include five or more adjacent acres of unimproved land (outside of Cook County) that is not being used for Commercial purposes; the land must not be assessed as farmland; and the landowner must submit a conservation management plan to the Illinois DNR.

By early February, the DNR had received 700 applications, representing over 24,000 natural acres. Interested landowners should talk to their county assessor to determine how their property was assessed in 2006. If assessed at fair market value, and if it includes natural areas, this program may be for you.

All eligibility requirements, an online application, and land management resources can be found online with the IDNR.

— Alison Carney Brown