Ownership 101

I just bought some land. What’s next?

It can be hard to know where to get started after buying a piece of property. Here are the answers to five questions that new woodland owners commonly have.

I’m worried about trespassing. How do I know where my property begins and ends?

Trespass is a near-universal concern of landowners and relatively frequent in all of its forms. Having confidence in your property boundaries can help you settle disputes and prevent trespassing in the first place. Read more

What if someone gets hurt on my land?

Are you liable for damages if someone gets hurt on your property? It depends. Wisconsin state statute was written to cover some – but not all – personal liability for injury or death of recreationists on your land. Read more

Are funding and experts available to landowners?

As a rural landowner, you don’t have to go it alone. County, state, and federal agencies all invest in the health of private lands by providing expertise and grants to fight invasive species, curb erosion, write forest plans, and more. Read more

Rural neighbors: Why do I need to know them?

It’s been said that six or fewer “friend of a friend” connections link everyone on the planet. Fewer connections may link everyone in rural areas. As a woodland owner, connecting with the right people can make all the difference. Read more

I just got my tax bill. Help!

Your land may qualify as “agricultural forest,” a classification that reduces the tax on those acres by 50 percent! In this section, we cover the Wisconsin statute on agricultural forest and what it means for you. Read more