Terms Used In Montana Code 77-5-218

• Appraisal: A determination of property value.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Contract harvesting: means a timber harvest or timber sale occurring on state trust lands by which:

  (a)the department solicits bids and contracts with a firm or individual awarded the bid to:

  (i)perform all necessary work to harvest and process trees into merchantable forest products;

  (ii)sort trees pursuant to contract specifications and department use standards; and

  (iii)transport and deliver the products to forest product purchasers; and

  (b)the department sells the forest products to one or more forest product purchasers through the competitive bidding process pursuant to 77-5-201(1) and (2). See Montana Code 77-5-215

• Forest health concerns: means issues that can be addressed through management or harvest of merchantable or nonmerchantable trees and includes:

  (a)forested lands that are overcrowded or stagnant and that are showing declining annual growth;

  (b)wildland-urban interface areas where timber harvest or forest management is necessary to prevent catastrophic or other damage to forested lands, livestock, buildings, or other infrastructure;

  (c)fire fuel buildup and treatment on forested lands;

  (d)forested lands susceptible to imminent or repeated insect or disease attack and timber degradation;

  (e)forested lands that are in a high state of decline or decay or are rapidly deteriorating;

  (f)forested lands with high recreational use and high degradation risk; and

  (g)forested lands under drought stress. See Montana Code 77-5-215

• Forest products: means any product produced from the forest that the department can sell through competitive bid or direct negotiation. See Montana Code 77-5-215