TRENTON, N.J. — A bill aimed at protecting privately owned woodlands from development pressures advanced Thursday after receiving approval from the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
The legislation, S699/A682, sponsored by Assembly members Sean Kean and Dawn Fantasia, would establish a Woodlands Protection Fund to acquire development easements on privately owned forest land. The fund would be administered by the state Department of Environmental Protection and supported through federal funding, private donations and legislative appropriations.
Under the bill, eligible properties must consist of at least five contiguous acres and be managed by the landowner in accordance with state law. Participation would be voluntary, and landowners would not be required to open their properties to the public.
“This bill does two things: it protects these natural spaces and respects property owners’ rights,” Kean said. “With owners facing pressure to sell and build, the state needs to proactively preserve these areas to safeguard these ecosystems and protect private owners from those pressures.”
State data show that approximately 950,000 acres of forest land in New Jersey are privately owned, with about 40% owned by people age 65 or older. Public entities, including the state, counties, municipalities and the federal government, own roughly 1.037 million acres of forested land.
Supporters of the bill say preserving woodlands helps protect native species, improve air quality and safeguard watersheds, while also contributing to the state’s economy through tourism and forestry.
“This is personal for me. I live where I live because of the open space, the trees, and the rural landscape. When I’m not working, I’m outdoors, and I can’t imagine northwest New Jersey without those things,” Fantasia said. “I want to protect our great outdoors from overdevelopment so that future generations can experience the beauty our state has to offer.”
