Timber law encompasses many laws, regulations and case law that affect owners and users of timber. It touches on all areas of natural resource law including oil and gas leasing,mining,land use management,environmental compliance,conservation easements and even hydroelectric power generation. It also encompasses the application of various aspects of tax, employment,insurance,business entity and estate planning laws to the unique fact patterns associated with timber production and forestland ownership.
There are certain threats to the value of timber holdings:
•Regulatory Threats -Restrictions on land use,harvesting practices,environmental
protection regulations,prohibitive
tax structures.
•Biotic Threats -Native and foreign insects and diseases,and the resulting
quarantines and embargoes.
•Criminal Threats -Timber theft or timber trespass,vandalism,unlawful
protests.
•Ownership Threats -Adverse possession, boundary line disputes,partition
actions.
