As more and more habitat is lost, people are beginning to appreciate the need to maintain land in its natural state. For example, we now know that wetlands are critical for recharging aquifers, lessening the damage from flooding and naturally breaking down contaminants in the environment. Forests and grasslands protect the quality of our drinking water, help purify the air we breathe and provide important areas for outdoor recreation. Collectively these habitats are of critical importance to the diverse assemblage of wildlife found in New Jersey, including more than 60 species classified as threatened or endangered. Some of the consequences of this rapid suburbanization are the loss and degradation of critically important wildlife habitats and the fragmentation and isolation of habitats that remain.
Many rare species require large contiguous blocks of habitat to survive.
Small patches of fields, forests and wetlands interspersed with development provide habitat for some common species but don't provide the necessary habitat for most of our rare wildlife. We need to protect large, contiguous blocks of forest, grasslands and wetlands to assure the survival of rare species over the long-term. Protecting large expanses of fields, forests and wetlands helps to ensure that rare species will remain a part of New Jersey's future. In addition to providing habitat for the conservation of rare species, protecting important wildlife habitat will result in more open space for outdoor recreation. Open spaces provide places where people can escape the confines of urban and suburban living.