A Natural Resource Management Guide for the County of Morris A ...

Threatened, Endangered, And Rare Species’ Macrosites
Morris County hosts rare and endangered species, potential habitat for same, and natural communities. The
Natural Heritage Program has designated these as priority sites, or macrosites. "If these areas are allowed to
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be degraded or destroyed, we may lose some of the unique components of our natural heritage." The
following section briefly describes and delineates specific communities, as well as provides a listing of species
considered to be of conservation concern. A specific rating scale is applied to the priority sites, and evaluates
the degree of biological diversity. A listing of threatened, endangered, and special plants and their rankings,
as well as code explanations can be found in Appendix A.
Macrosite Basic Record Code Explanation
BIODIVERSITY SIGNIFICANCE
B1: Outstanding significance - generally of a "last of the least" type, such as only known occurrence of any
element (species or natural community), the best or an excellent (A-ranked) occurrence of a G1 element, or
a concentration (4+) (A or B ranked) occurrences of G1 or G2 elements. Site should be viable and defensible
for elements and ecological processes contained.
B2: Very high significance - such as the most outstanding occurrence of any community element, regardless
of its element rank. Also includes areas containing any other (B, C, D ranked) occurrence of a G1 element,
a good (A or B ranked) occurrence of a G2 element, an excellent (A ranked) occurrence of a G3 element, or
a concentration (r+) of B ranked G3 or C ranked G2 elements.
B3: High significance - such as any other(C or D ranked) occurrence of a G2 element, a B ranked occurrence
of a G3 element, an A ranked occurrence of any community, or a concentration (4+) of A or B ranked
occurrences of G4 or G5 S1 elements.
B4: Moderate significance - such as a C-ranked occurrence of a G3 element, a B ranked occurrence of any
community, an A or B ranked or only state (but at least C ranked) occurrence of a (G 4 or G5) S1 element,
an A ranked occurrence of an S2 element, or a concentration (4+) of good (B ranked) S2 or excellent (A
ranked) S3 elements.
B5: Of general biodiversity or open space interest
Source: NJ DEP, Natural Lands Management, Natural Heritage Site Report, 1991.
“In our every deliberation we must consider the
impact of our decisions on the next seven generation.”
The Great Law of the
Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy
* Early Buttercup
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NJ DEP, Natural Heritage Priority Site Maps, 1995.
A Natural Resource Management Guide
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