N.J. Admin. Code § 7:5A-1.13

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 24, December 18, 2024

Section 7:5A-1.13 - Natural Areas System

(a) The designated components of the Natural Areas System are as follows:

1. Absegami Natural Area:

i. Location: Bass River State Forest, Bass River Township, Burlington County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of Atlantic white cedar and pine/oak communities, southern swamp habitat, and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Bass River State Forest;

2. Allamuchy Natural Area:

i. Location: Allamuchy State Park, Allamuchy Township, Warren County, and Byram Township, Sussex County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of a hardwood forest of significant size and successional fields and protection of a rare plant community;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Hopatcong State Park;

3. Batsto Natural Area:

i. Location: Wharton State Forest, Mullica Township and Hammonton Town, Atlantic County, and Washington and Shamong Townships, Burlington County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of pitch pine lowland, Atlantic white cedar swamp, Pine Barrens bog, mixed pine-shrub oak barrens, savanna and other habitats, and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Wharton State Forest;

4. Bearfort Mountain Natural Area:

i. Location: Wawayanda State Park, West Milford Township, Passaic County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of scrub oak and hardwood swamp forests, and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Wawayanda State Park;

5. Bear Swamp East Natural Area:

i. Location: Downe Township, Cumberland County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of ecological communities and relationships, management of bald eagle nesting site and other known and potential endangered species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: ecological reserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Fish and Wildlife, through Millville Wildlife Management Area;

6. Bennett Bogs Natural Area:

i. Location: Lower Township, Cape May County;

ii. Management Objective: Preservation of a rare coastal plain intermittent pond ecological community which provides habitat for numerous rare plant and animal species;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: New Jersey Natural Lands Trust;

7. Black River Natural Area:

i. Location: Black River Wildlife Management Area, Chester and Washington Townships, Morris County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of mesic, marsh, floodplain habitat, and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Fish and Wildlife, through Whittingham Wildlife Management Area;

8. Bull's Island Natural Area:

i. Location: Bull's Island Recreation Area, Delaware Township, Hunterdon County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of a northern floodplain habitat, and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park;

9. Bursch Sugar Maple Natural Area:

i. Location: Hope and Knowlton Townships, Warren County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of a northeastern hardwoods forest, and sugar maple/mixed hardwood community;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Jenny Jump State Forest;

10. Cape May Point Natural Area:

i. Location: Cape May Point State Park, Cape May Point Borough and Lower Township, Cape May County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of freshwater marsh behind a coastal dune, habitat diversity for migratory birds, and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Cape May Point State Park;

11. Cape May Wetlands Natural Area:

i. Location: Avalon Borough, Dennis and Middle Townships, Cape May County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of tidal salt marsh ecosystem and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: ecological reserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Fish and Wildlife, through Cape May Coastal Wetlands Wildlife Management Area;

12. Cedar Swamp Natural Area:

i. Location: Brendan T. Byrne State Forest, Woodland Township, Burlington County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of southern swamp and floodplain habitat, Atlantic white cedar, red maple and pine/oak forest communities, and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Brendan T. Byrne State Forest;

13. Cheesequake Natural Area:

i. Location: Cheesequake State Park, Old Bridge Township, Middlesex County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of habitat diversity including hardwood forest, cedar swamp, mature white pine stand, freshwater swamp, Pine Barren outlier and salt marsh, and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Cheesequake State Park;

14. Cook Natural Area:

i. Location: South Brunswick Township, Middlesex County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of freshwater nontidal flood plain forest habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park;

15. Dryden Kuser Natural Area:

i. Location: High Point State Park, Montague and Wantage Townships, Sussex County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of an inland high elevation Atlantic white cedar swamp, chestnut oak forest and associated forest communities, and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through High Point State Park;

16. Dunnfield Creek Natural Area:

i. Location: Worthington State Forest, Pahaquarry Township, Warren County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of a hemlock ravine, chestnut oak forest, and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Worthington State Forest;

17. East Plains Natural Area:

i. Location: Stafford Forge Wildlife Management Area, Little Egg Harbor, Stafford and Eagleswood Townships, Ocean County;

ii. Management Objective: Preservation and management of a globally rare dwarf pine plains community in the East Plains, a large occurrence of the state endangered broom crowberry, as well as other rare plant and animal species;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Fish and Wildlife, through Stafford Forge Wildlife Management Area;

18. Farny Natural Area:

i. Location: Farny State Park, Rockaway Township, Morris County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of northern mixed oak-hardwood forest, hardwood swamp forest, and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Ringwood State Park;

19. Great Bay Natural Area:

i. Location: Little Egg Harbor Township, Ocean County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of tidal salt marsh ecosystem and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: ecological reserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Fish and Wildlife, through Assunpink Wildlife Management Area;

20. Hacklebarney Natural Area:

i. Location: Hacklebarney State Park, Chester and Washington Townships, Morris County, Tewksbury Township, Hunterdon County and Bedminster Township, Somerset County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of a river ravine and northern hemlock/mixed hardwood forest, and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Spruce Run Recreation Area;

21. Hirst Ponds Natural Area:

i. Location: Galloway Township, Atlantic County;

ii. Management Objective: Preservation of rare coastal plain intermittent pond ecological community which includes occurrences of the globally critically imperiled and State endangered plant Hirst Brothers' panic grass and numerous other rare plant and animal species;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: New Jersey Natural Lands Trust;

22. Island Beach Northern Natural Area:

i. Location: Island Beach State Park, Berkeley Township, Ocean County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of barrier island dune system, plant community associations, and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: ecological reserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Island Beach State Park;

23. Island Beach Southern Natural Area:

i. Location: Island Beach State Park, Ocean and Berkeley Townships, Ocean County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of barrier island dune system, saltwater marsh, freshwater bogs, and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Island Beach State Park;

24. Johnsonburg Natural Area:

i. Location: Frelinghuysen Township, Warren County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of a mixed hardwood forest;

iii. Interim Classification: ecological reserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Jenny Jump State Forest;

25. Ken Lockwood Gorge Natural Area:

i. Location: Ken Lockwood Gorge Wildlife Management Area, Lebanon Township, Hunterdon County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of hemlock mixed hardwood forest with highly varied understory, and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Fish and Wildlife, through Whittingham Wildlife Management Area;

26. Manahawkin Natural Area:

i. Location: Manahawkin Wildlife Management Area, Stafford Township, Ocean County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of a mature bottomland hardwood forest, and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: ecological reserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Fish and Wildlife, through Assunpink Wildlife Management Area;

27. North Brigantine Natural Area:

i. Location: City of Brigantine, Atlantic County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of salt marsh habitat, coastal dune, and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Bass River State Forest;

28. Osmun Forest Natural Area:

i. Location: Knowlton Township, Warren County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of a northeastern mixed hardwood forest;

iii. Interim Classification: ecological reserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Jenny Jump State Forest;

29. Oswego River Natural Area:

i. Location: Wharton State Forest, Washington and Bass River Townships, Burlington County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of hardwood swamp, pitch pine lowland, pine-oak, Atlantic white cedar, and bog communities, which serve as rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: ecological reserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Wharton State Forest;

30. Parvin Natural Area:

i. Location: Parvin State Park, Pittsgrove Township, Salem County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of mixed oak and pine forest on the Pine Barrens fringe with a diversity of plant and animal species, and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Parvin State Park;

31. Ramapo Lake Natural Area:

i. Location: Ramapo Mountain State Forest, Wanaque and Ringwood Boroughs, Passaic County, and Oakland Borough, Bergen County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of northern upland habitats and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Ringwood State Park;

32. Rancocas Natural Area:

i. Location: Rancocas State Park, Westampton Township, Burlington County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of freshwater marsh and southern floodplain habitat, including one of the largest stands of wild rice in the State;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Brendan T. Byrne State Forest;

33. Readington Natural Area:

i. Location: Readington Township, Hunterdon County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of mixed hardwood forest, floodplain habitat and early stages of secondary field succession;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: New Jersey Natural Lands Trust;

34. Richard J. Sullivan Natural Area:

i. Location: Liberty State Park, Jersey City, Hudson County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of a salt marsh in upper New York Bay and created uplands;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Liberty State Park;

35. Strathmere Natural Area:

i. Location: Corson's Inlet State Park, Upper Township, Cape May County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of a dune habitat, plant community associations, and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Belleplain State Forest;

36. Sunfish Pond Natural Area:

i. Location: Worthington State Forest, Pahaquarry Township, Warren County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of a lake of glacial origin surrounded by a hardwood forest, and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: ecological reserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Worthington State Forest;

37. Swan Point Natural Area:

i. Location: Brick Township, Ocean County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of tidal salt marsh ecosystem and Atlantic white cedar swamp;

iii. Interim Classification: ecological reserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Island Beach State Park;

38. Swartswood Natural Area:

i. Location: Swartswood State Park, Stillwater and Hampton Townships, Sussex County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of rare species and plant communities in sinkhole pond ecosystems;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Swartswood State Park.

39. Swimming River Natural Area:

i. Location: Borough of Tinton Falls, Monmouth County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of habitat diversity including freshwater marsh, saltwater marsh, woodlands, fields and estuary;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Allaire State Park;

40. Tillman Ravine Natural Area:

i. Location: Stokes State Forest, Walpack and Sandyston Townships, Sussex County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of a hemlock ravine and associated geologic forms, and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Stokes State Forest;

41. Troy Meadows Natural Area:

i. Location: East Hanover and Parsippany-Troy Hills Townships, Morris County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of freshwater marsh habitat northern swamp and floodplain habitat, and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Ringwood State Park;

42. Washington Crossing Natural Area:

i. Location: Washington Crossing State Park, Hopewell Township, Mercer County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of natural succession and mixed hardwood forests, and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Washington Crossing State Park;

43. Wawayanda Hemlock Ravine Natural Area:

i. Location: Wawayanda State Park, Vernon Township, Sussex County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of hemlock/mixed hardwood forest and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Wawayanda State Park;

44. Wawayanda Swamp Natural Area:

i. Location: Wawayanda State Park, Vernon Township, Sussex County, and West Milford Township, Passaic County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of extensive northern swamp and forest habitats, glacially formed, spring-fed pond, and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Wawayanda State Park;

45. West Branch Wading River Natural Area:

i. Location: Washington Township, Burlington County;

ii. Management Objective: Protection and management of globally rare pine barrens riverside savanna community, and large occurrences of the globally rare and State endangered plant bog asphodel, as well as other rare plant and animal species;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Wharton State Forest;

46. West Plains Natural Area:

i. Location: Bass River State Forest, Woodland Township, Burlington County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of globally rare ecological communities within the West Plains Fireshed, including dwarf pine plains, pitch pine-shrub oak barrens, pitch pine-reedgrass savanna and hydric pine plains, as well as numerous rare plant and animal species;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Parks and Forestry, through Bass River State Forest; and

47. Whittingham Natural Area:

i. Location: Whittingham Wildlife Management Area, Fredon and Green Townships, Sussex County;

ii. Management Objective: preservation of a northern swamp and floodplain forest on a limestone cliff, rare and exemplary natural communities, and rare species habitat;

iii. Interim Classification: conservation preserve;

iv. Administering Agency: Division of Fish and Wildlife, through Whittingham Wildlife Management Area.

N.J. Admin. Code § 7:5A-1.13

Amended by R.1989 d.566, effective 11/6/1989.
See: 21 N.J.R. 1480(b), 21 N.J.R. 3482(b).
New (c)41, West Pine Plains Natural Area, added; old (c)41 renumbered as 42 with no change in text.
Amended by R.1992 d.77, effective 2/18/1992.
See: 23 N.J.R. 1985(b), 24 N.J.R. 581(b).
Recodified from N.J.A.C. 7:5A-1.12; deleted (a) and (b), recodified (c) as (a); certain designations changed.
Public Notice: Management Plan and Boundary Revision for Cedar Swamp Natural Area.
See: 25 N.J.R. 601(b).
Amended by R.1993 d.350, effective 7/19/1993.
See: 25 N.J.R. 1350(a), 25 N.J.R. 3150(a).
Public Notice: Oswego River Natural Area boundary change.
See: 26 N.J.R. 1540(b).
Public Notice: Farny Natural Area management plan and boundary revision.
See: 26 N.J.R. 2480(a).
Public Notice: Washington Crossing Natural Area management plan and boundary revision.
See: 26 N.J.R. 2481(a).
Public Notice: Dryden Kuser Natural Area management plan and boundary revision.
See: 27 N.J.R. 388(c).
Public Notice: Oswego River Natural Area management plan.
See: 27 N.J.R. 2488(b).
Public Notice: Amendment to Dryden Kuser Natural Area Management Plan.
See: 27 N.J.R. 4014(a).
Public Notice: Parvin Natural Area management plan.
See: 27 N.J.R. 4917(a).
Public Notice: Batsto Natural Area boundary revision.
See: 28 N.J.R. 5500(a).
Public Notice: Cape May Point Natural Area Management plan revision.
See: 29 N.J.R. 1402(c).
Public Notice: Wawayanda Hemlock Ravine Natural Area Management plan and boundary revision.
See: 29 N.J.R. 1404(a).
Amended by R.1998 d.308, effective 6/15/1998.
See: 30 N.J.R. 897(a), 30 N.J.R. 2207(a).
In (a), changed management objectives and administering agencies throughout, and inserted references to Hammonton Town and Shamong Township in 3i.
Public Notice: Ranococas Natural Area management plan.
See: 30 N.J.R. 3335(a).
Public Notice: Allamuchy Natural Area management plan.
See: 33 N.J.R. 3692(b).
Public Notice: Whittingham Natural Area boundary change.
See: 34 N.J.R. 3989(b).
Amended by R.2003 d.45, effective 1/21/2003.
See: 34 N.J.R. 73(a), 35 N.J.R. 416(b).
In (a), inserted a new 35 and recodified former 35 through 42 as 36 through 43.
Amended by R.2004 d.463, effective 12/20/2004.
See: 36 N.J.R. 3008(a), 36 N.J.R. 3463(a), 36 N.J.R. 5670(a).
Rewrote the section.
Amended by R.2010 d.093, effective 6/21/2010.
See: 41 N.J.R. 4154(a), 42 N.J.R. 642(a), 42 N.J.R. 1167(a).
In (a)5iv and (a)10iv, substituted "Fish and Wildlife" for "Parks and Forestry"; in (a)5iv, substituted "Millville Wildlife Management Area" for "Belleplain State Forest"; in (a)10iv, substituted "Coastal Wetlands Wildlife Management Area" for "Point State Park"; in (a)19iv, substituted "Spruce Run Recreation Area" for "Voorhees State Park"; deleted former (a)24; recodified former (a)25 through (a)32 as (a)24 through (a)31; and added new (a)32.

Administrative Change, 55 N.J.R. 1325(a), effective 6/1/2023