Illinois Forestry Association
The Voice for Illinois Forests


HB 4549 continues to languish in the legislature despite the bill never having received a NO vote either in Committee or on the floor of either chamber. Contact your legislators and request they do whatever is necessary to get this bill to the Governor for his signature.


The Illinois Forestry Association is committed to keeping its membership abreast of state and federal legislative issues that affect the citizens and landowners of Illinois. Below is a current summary of key legislative issues facing landowners, citizens, and forestry in Illinois:

Woodland Tax Assessment Issue

In the fall of 2006, IFA identified escalating woodland taxes as a major issue facing Illinois forest landowners. IFA, along with other partners, worked to influence and pass SB 0017 which was signed into law by the Governor in August 2007. Public Act 095-0633 amends the Property Tax Code and creates the Conservation Stewardship Program. This new program offers property tax relief for forest landowners not already enrolled in the Forestry Development Act program or whose woodlands are not part of a farm. In addition, unimproved acres such as wetlands, prairies and other types of grassland are also included.

IFA is proud to have had a hand in helping prevent potentially negative consequences to the state's forest resources through:

  • Forest land conversion
  • fragmenting woodlands into smaller or disconnected units
  • forest land management decisions that would threaten the long term sustainability of our forests
Forest landowners need to take the time to investigate this new program and the potential consequences and benefits from enrolling their lands into this new program. Several sources of information are available on line or by calling the IL Department of Natural Resources (217-785-5506).
Statutory Transfer of the 4% Timber Harvest Fee out of the Forestry Development Fund

Since 1983, monies collected by the mandatory 4% timber harvest fee have been deposited into the 'earmarked' Forestry Development Fund that is administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). The purpose of this money was to fund the activities of the Illinois Forestry Development Council and to establish a forest landowner cost-share program that would encourage forest stewardship on 4.2 million acres of private forest land. However, since 2004, with the initiation of Public Act 094-0091, over $2.9 million dollars had been authorized for statutory transfer out of the Illinois Forestry Development Fund (Fund 905) into the General Revenue Fund for uses other than those intended by passage of the Illinois Forestry Development Act (525 ILCS 15). To date, $1.7 million dollars have actually been transferred.

The original language of the Forestry Development Act was clear in its intent on how these funds were to be used. The FDA law did not allow for the use of funds generated by the 4% timber harvest fee to be used for agency operations or to cover state budget shortfalls. The sweeping of these funds by the current Administration, as authorized in the legislative budget language, has resulted in these funds being used inappropriately. Over the past 4 fiscal years, nearly $4 million dollars have been collected in 4% harvest fee revenues while only $2.1 million dollars have been spent as directed by the FDA law. It is clear that IDNR has been using these dedicated funds to cover operating budget shortfalls beyond the General Revenue transfers by the current administration. This has caused much anguish and concern among Illinois forest landowners and natural resource professionals throughout the state. Opportunities to establish, maintain, and improve forested habitats are being lost because of this continuing action.

In an effort to reverse these administrative transfers, HB 3669 was introduced. This bill never made it out of Committee and for all practical purposes it is a dead bill. In light of current state budget shortfalls, there is renewed interest by the Governor in revisiting special funds transfers into the General Revenue Fund. IFA is monitoring the legislative process and will take the appropriate action to avoid such "sweeps" from the Forestry Development Fund. Discussions with IDNR to emphasize Forestry staffing needs and to prioritize existing resources in meeting these severe shortfalls will continue.
Massive Budget Cuts Hamper the Services Provided by IDNR - Division of Forest Resources Staff

Early retirements in 2002 and subsequent budget cuts in the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) over the past several years have reduced the Division of Forest Resources' professional, technical, and clerical staff by 39%, 67%, and 86%, respectively. The critical shortage of personnel in the Division of Forest Resources continues to seriously compromise the ability of IDNR to achieve an essential part of its mission. The people, communities, and forests that benefit from the services and programs of professional foresters are seriously jeopardized. The lack of personnel, financial resources, and inadequate response times to requests by the public put the health, productivity, and sheer existence of these forests are at risk. Ironically, while forestry staffing is at its lowest level, demand for forestry services by the public is at its highest.

Copyright 2007 Illinois Forestry Association. All Rights Reserved.