(a)  Whenever there shall have been planted one or more acres of land worth not more than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per acre, in this state, to trees of any of the following kinds: chestnut, hickory, oak, maple, larch, pine, ash, catalpa, locust, basswood, beech, hemlock, spruce, tulip tree, cedar, sycamore, and walnut, in numbers not less than five hundred (500) to the acre, the owner of the plantation of trees may file with the tax assessors, in any city or town in which the plantation may be located, an affidavit showing that the owner has complied with the requirements of this chapter. Upon that proof, the plantation, including the trees and land on which they are growing in good condition, shall be exempted from all taxation whatsoever for a period of fifteen (15) years, the period of exemption to be counted from the time the land shall have been planted as stated in this subsection, or from the time it may have been necessary to replant the land, by reason of destruction by fire, if the land shall be replanted within one year after the destruction; provided, that the land is planted or replanted, as the case may be, and managed under a forest working plan approved by the head of the division of forest environment during the period of exemption from taxation.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 44-3-8

  • Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
  • person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
  • town: may be construed to include city; the words "town council" include city council; the words "town clerk" include city clerk; the words "ward clerk" include clerk of election district; the words "town treasurer" include city treasurer; and the words "town sergeant" include city sergeant. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-9

(b)  The provisions of this chapter shall not be construed so as to exempt from taxation more than three hundred (300) acres owned by any one person, corporation, limited partnership, or association.

History of Section.
G.L. 1896, ch. 44, § 3; P.L. 1908, ch. 1581, § 1; G.L. 1909, ch. 56, § 3; G.L. 1923, ch. 58, § 3; G.L. 1938, ch. 29, § 3; impl. am. P.L. 1952, ch. 2973, § 4; G.L. 1956, § 44-3-8.