Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ANDREA KATZ
District 8 (Atlantic and Burlington)
Assemblyman CLINTON CALABRESE
District 36 (Bergen and Passaic)
Assemblyman BALVIR SINGH
District 7 (Burlington)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblymen Hutchison and Miller
SYNOPSIS
Urges DEP, Pinelands Commission, and Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council to engage in alternative forest management practices during periods of drought when prescribed burning is unsafe.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution urging the Department of Environmental Protection, Pinelands Commission, and Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council to engage in alternative forest management practices during periods of drought when prescribed burning is unsafe.
Whereas, Forest lands cover 40 percent of the State and are critical to the environmental welfare of the State; and
Whereas, Forest lands help clean and refresh the air by filtering dust and particulates, absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, helping to reduce global warming, and clean and protect the waters of the State; and
Whereas, Forest lands promote replenishment of aquifers, stabilize soils, provide shade, and provide habitat essential to sustaining New Jersey’s native biodiversity, including habitat critical for endangered and threatened species and species of special concern; and
Whereas, Forest lands are critical to the social welfare of the State and are a necessary and important part of community and urban environments; and
Whereas, Forest lands afford outdoor recreational opportunities and irreplaceable aesthetic benefits while promoting the health of New Jersey residents by contributing to the availability of clean air and water; and
Whereas, Forest lands contribute to the economic wellbeing of the State through ecotourism, business opportunities, and forest products; and
Whereas, Forest lands require proper management, conservation, and stewardship in order to be able to continue to provide environmental, social, recreational, and economic benefits; and
Whereas, Prescribed burning is an effective forest management tool that reduces the hazardous accumulation of forest fuels, prevents future wildfires, and reduces the intensity of wildfires; and
Whereas, Prescribed burning also has many secondary benefits including wildlife habitat management, site management for forestry activities, ecological plant and animal management, forest disease and pest control, nutrient recycling, grassland management, improved accessibility, and enhanced appearances; and
Whereas, Climate change has made weather in New Jersey less predictable and has resulted in warmer, drier conditions that last into later months of the year; New Jersey’s wildfire season continued into October and November of 2024 and drought conditions spread throughout the State; and
Whereas, In 2024, New Jersey had 1,380 wildfires, burning more than 10,000 acres, with 12 “major” wildfires that burned over 100 acres; and
Whereas, Drought presents several challenges to the use of prescribed burning, such as lack of fuels, dangerous conditions, and burn bans; and
Whereas, During times of drought where prescribed burning is determined to be unsafe, ineffective, or not possible in managing forest lands, alternate forest management practices, such as ecological thinning, are required to keep New Jersey’s forests healthy and reduce the risk of wildfires within the State; and
Whereas, Given the importance of forest lands and the increased risk of climate change in the State, which presents challenges to the use of prescribed burning as a forest management tool, it is imperative for the Department of Environmental Protection, the Pinelands Commission, and the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council to engage in alternative forest management practices to ensure the continued health of New Jersey forest lands and protection of the State’s residents; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House urges the Department of Environmental Protection, Pinelands Commission, and Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council to engage in alternative forest management practices during periods of drought when prescribed burning is unsafe.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection, the Chairman of the Pinelands Commission, and the Chairperson of the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges the Department of Environmental Protection, Pinelands Commission, and Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council to engage in alternative forest management practices during periods of drought when prescribed burning is unsafe.
Forest lands cover 40 percent of the State and are critical to the environmental, social, and economic welfare of the State. Forest lands require proper management, conservation, and stewardship in order to remain healthy and continue to provide benefits to the State and its residents. Prescribed burning is an effective forest management tool that reduces the hazardous accumulation of forest fuels, prevents future wildfires, and reduces the intensity of wildfires.
Climate change has made weather in New Jersey less predictable and has resulted in warmer, drier conditions that last into later months of the year. In 2024, New Jersey’s wildfire season continued into October and November and during this time, drought conditions spread throughout the State resulting in 1,380 wildfires, burning more than 10,000 acres. Drought presents several challenges to the use of prescribed burning, such as lack of fuels, dangerous conditions, and burn bans. During times of drought where prescribed burning is determined to be unsafe, ineffective, or not possible in managing forest lands, alternate forest management practices, such as ecological thinning, are required to keep New Jersey’s forests healthy and reduce the risk of wildfires within the State.