Landscape Project Version 3.1 - State of New Jersey

4 | Landscape Project Version 3.1 | CONSERVING IMPERILED WILDLIFE OF NEW JERSEYCHAPTER 1A Tool for Strategic Wildlife Habitat ProtectionAlthough New Jersey is one of the smallest states in the nation,it is home to a diverse assemblage of natural landscapes.From the ridgetops and extensive forests of the Highlands inthe northwest, to the waterways of the Delaware River Basin,to the Atlantic and Delaware Bay coastal beaches and saltmarshes, to the unique ecosystem of the Pinelands, New Jerseyis composed of a remarkable assortment of habitats. Peoplehave begun to appreciate the benefits and necessity ofprotecting these natural areas. For example, we know thatwetlands play a critical role in lessening the severity of floodsand naturally breaking down contaminants in the environment.Forests and grasslands protect the quality of our drinkingwater, improve the quality of the air we breathe andprovide important areas for outdoor recreation. Collectively,these habitats are of critical importance to the diverse array ofwildlife found in New Jersey, including endangered, threatenedand special concern species.Meanwhile, wildlife populations, particularly imperiledwildlife, face an array of inter-related pressures that impedetheir ability to maintain themselves in the state. ese includeinvasive species, chemical contaminants, road mortality,human disturbance, and, most importantly, habitat loss, fragmentationand degradation resulting from poorly planned developmentpatterns. ese and other stressors are all occurringin the context of the developing impacts of climate changethat will likely exacerbate the existing threats to wildlifespecies and habitats.Originating high atop the Kittatinny Ridge in Stokes StateForest, small, clean, flowing streams provide critical habitatfor a variety of imperiled and special concern species.Habitat loss due to large lotlow-density residential development.