The problem of retrospectively valuating site quality and yield. A disputable question when privatizing expropriated forest land
1997
Brabaender, H.D.
The property rights of forest land expropriated after the last World War in former East Germany were transferred to the Federal Republic of Germany following unification. The State is now required by law to privatize this expropriated forest land. The former owners (and other parties with legal claims) are, to a certain extent, entitled to buy back the forest land. Price calculation is to be based on triple the official 1935 tax value. The applicable tax value for forest enterprises is an expectation value, which is derived by capitalizing the estimated annual net income. It is an officially fixed value and is the calculation basis for several types of taxes. Since the old tax value documents are for the most part no longer available, the tax values must be replaced by a new calculation based on the relevant economic figures for 1935, i.e., reconstructing the 1935 site quality and yield data for each individual forest stand. One of the chief problems involved is correctly estimating the site quality (yield class) of these forest stands. - By example, this problem was analyzed using a large forested area of pine located in Brandenburg. Research revealed a significant discrepancy between the assumed 1935 average valuation results, which corresponded to yield class III, and the current yield class I,8 which is of a much higher estimated value. The law stipulates that valuation be calculated by the current state of the stand. Stand yield was wrongly integrated into these site data. In actual fact, to calculate the yield value of younger stands, it is necessary to estimate future yield development by referring to the yield tables of comparable mature stands. By applying this "dynamic" method of site quality andyield valuation, discrepancies in calculating values can be almost eliminated. If yield tables for the corresponding age classes are consulted, it can be shown that the "static" yield of young stands according to age and mean height will lead to incorrect results. A steady reduction in site quality and yield by more than one yield class can be observed when analyzing the development from a young to a mature stand. Therefore, the yield of younger stands should be estimated in accordance with the documented growth development of mature stands.
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