The Virginia Riparian Buffer Tax Credit law was enacted by the 2000 Virginia General Assembly and offers financial incentives to landowners for leaving trees in riparian areas. Landowners can now receive a state tax credit for a timber sale completed on or after January 1, 2000 if the sale includes a qualifying Streamside Management Zone (SMZ).  Please see the Virginia Department of Forestry's (VA-DOF) website for complete information on this new law and the credit application procedure.

Foresters Incorporated supports this new tax credit, and we feel it provides an exciting opportunity for both landowners and consulting foresters.   It is an important step toward keeping state waters clean and aquatic life healthy.   We have developed a financial analysis and determined that the tax credit provides substantial economic rewards to landowners.

If you feel your company does not conduct enough timber sales to justify the time and expense of purchasing and learning GPS, you can still help your clients take advantage of the new law.  To let you submit the application for your client, we offer GPS field services throughout the state and can easily provide you with the GPS data you need for any job.  Instead of foregoing a tax break for you client, or losing business to a competitor, call our office and let us worry about the GPS requirements of the Riparian Buffer Credit for you.