Use this as an owner planning worksheet. Formal stewardship, tax, cost-share, certification, or harvest plans may require specific state standards, maps, signatures, or preparation by a qualified professional.

Section 1

Property & ownership overview

Property / tract name

Owner / manager

Plan date

Total acres

County

State

Property description / access notes

Section 2

Landowner goals

Good management starts with what you want the property to provide over time. Goals can overlap and may change.

Describe your top goals and what success would look like

Section 3

Maps, boundaries & sensitive features

Property boundary mapped / verified Roads and trails mapped Streams, ponds, wetlands mapped Forest stands / cover types mapped Structures / utilities mapped Sensitive sites / special features mapped

Boundary, water, access, easement, or special-site notes

Section 4

Stand descriptions

Divide the property into meaningful forest stands or management units where conditions differ. Add the most useful information you have now; refine it after inventory work.

Stand / unit	Acres	Forest type / dominant species	Size / age class	Condition / regeneration	Priority

Need measurements? Use the Forest Inventory Tool, DBH Converter, and Basal Area Calculator.

Section 5

Inventory summary

Inventory / sampling method

Inventory date

Estimated trees per acre

Estimated basal area per acre (ft²)

Species composition / size classes

Regeneration

Invasives / pests / forest health

Section 6

Management actions & schedule

Write actions as specific projects tied to a stand, goal, and approximate timing. Professional review is especially important for timber sales, herbicide use, roads, stream crossings, tax programs, and regulated work.

Priority	Management action	Stand / location	Target timing	Professional / permit / contractor needs

Section 7

Monitoring & records

What should be checked regularly?

Completed work / observations / updates

Questions for a consulting forester or other professional

What belongs in a plan?

Why this template is structured this way

Woodland stewardship plans commonly combine an aerial or property map, descriptions of forest cover types or plant communities, landowner objectives, current conditions, and specific management recommendations. The exact requirements vary by program and location.

University of Minnesota Extension — Woodland Stewardship Overview of typical stewardship-plan components and working with professional foresters.USDA Forest Service — Small-Parcel Forest Management Handbook A step-by-step landowner handbook built around assessment, management decisions, and planning worksheets.