SB 178

Under this bill, the prohibition on a fence that prevents the free and open

movement of wild animals across managed forest land (MFL) does not apply if the

fence is used for dog training on closed MFL owned by a nonprofit organization that

holds a dog club training license.

Under current law, certain forested land may be designated as MFL under a

program administered by the Department of Natural Resources. Under this

program, the owner of land designated as MFL makes an annual acreage share

payment that is lower than, and in lieu of, the property taxes that normally would

be payable. In exchange, the owner must comply with certain forestry practices and

have a management plan prepared for the land. The owner must also open the MFL

to the public for certain recreational activities, but may designate up to a certain

number of acres as being closed to the public. For MFL that is designated as closed,

the owner must make an additional payment per acre.

Under current law, a parcel containing a building or an improvement

associated with a building is ineligible for designation as MFL. A fence is not

considered an improvement unless the fence prevents the free and open movement

of wild animals across any portion of the parcel.