TRENTON, N.J. – The New Jersey Legislature on Monday passed a bill that protects privately owned woodlands from creeping overdevelopment.

     The bill (S699/A682), sponsored by Assembly members Sean Kean and Dawn Fantasia and supported by various state environmental groups, establishes a woodlands protection fund to acquire development easements on privately-owned woodlands.

Passed by both the Senate and the Assembly, the measure now awaits Gov. Phil Murphy’s signature or veto.

     That fund, operated by the state Department of Environmental Protection, will use federal money, private donations and appropriations from the state Legislature to purchase easements. To qualify, woodlands must be at least five contiguous acres in size and be managed by the landowner according to state statute. Landowners are not required to open those woodlands to the public.

     “This bill does two things: it protects these natural spaces and respects property owners’ rights,” Kean (R-Monmouth) 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.”

     About 950,000 acres of forest are privately owned, with 40% held by people ages 65 and older. The state, local municipalities, counties, and the federal government own the remaining 1.037 million acres of forested land.

     Preserving forested land helps protect native species, air quality, and vital watersheds and other waterways. Economically, woodlands generate billions annually through tourism and forestry.

     “Northwest New Jersey is defined by its privately owned woodlands, and once those acres are fragmented and developed, they’re gone for good. This bill creates a voluntary path for landowners to conserve working forests, protecting habitat and water resources while respecting private property rights,” Fantasia (R-Sussex) said.