Official Site of The State of New Jersey
Disturbed Forest – The Forsaken Science of Healthy Forests – (Ruffed Grouse Society Video)
Habitat is the key to wildlife’s survival, whether in the rain forests of South America or here in New Jersey. Quality habitat provides appropriate and sufficient food, water, shelter (or cover) and sufficient space for wildlife species.
New Jersey Fish and Wildlife works to protect and enhance wildlife habitat on state lands. Projects such as mowing, plantings, tree harvests and other activities on state Wildlife Management Areas manipulate and enhance habitat to favor various species, often ones which are in decline (such as bobwhite quail).
The Division also often works with many partners to protect and improve habitat, whether on state lands or properties in private ownership. Several programs are available for financial and/or technical assistance to private landowners who want to improve habitat on their properties.
Wildlife Management Area Habitat Projects
- Assunpink WMA: American Woodcock Early Successional Habitat Project
- Assunpink WMA Habitat Project: Tree Plantings
- Assunpink WMA Wildlife Passage System
- Maintaining Young Forest Habitat at Flatbrook WMA
- Great Bay WMA Terrapin Habitat Project – November 2019
- Manasquan WMA: Wildlife Food Plots
- Sparta Mountain WMA Forest Stewardship Plan Implementation
- Stafford Forge WMA: Field Creation for Early Successional Habitat
- Winslow WMA – Field Habitat Creation
Wildlife Management Area Habitat Restoration Projects
- Cape May Coastal Wetlands WMA – Beneficial Use of Dredge Materials at Scotch Bonnet Island – Updated August, 2024
- Capoolong Creek WMA Streambank Restoration – Completed September, 2017
- Kenco (Pequest WMA) Wetland Restoration and Enhancement Project – Updated October 2018
- Paulinskill River WMA Hyper Humus Restoration – Updated February, 2019
- Pequest Wetland Restoration Assessment Project
- Pond Creek Marsh (Higbee Beach WMA) Restoration – Updated June 25, 2021
- South Branch WMA Habitat Restoration
- South Branch WMA (Merck Tract) Habitat Management Project
- Sparta Mountain WMA Forest Management Updates and Upcoming Activities
- Stafford Forge WMA, East Plains Natural Area: Broom Crowberry Habitat Restoration
- Aerial Seeding Operations at Tuckahoe Wildlife Management Area
Tuckahoe WMA Impoundment Restoration Project Video - Whiting Natural Resource Stewardship Plan
Stewardship Plans
- Sparta Mountain WMA Forest Stewardship Homepage
- Greenwood Forest WMA Forest Stewardship Plan
- Whiting WMA Natural Resource Stewardship Plan
- Weldon Brook WMA Forest Stewardship Plan
Bobwhite Quail Habitat Management
- New Jersey Northern Bobwhite Action Plan
2012 Quail Action Plan Landowner Survey Results (pdf, 230kb)
Bobwhite Basics Brochure (pdf, 1.0mb)
Northern Bobwhite Restoration Initiative (NJAS)
National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative (NBCI site)
‘Bobwhites on the Brink’ Examines Decline, Restoration Effort for Iconic Native Bird (NBCI site)
Northern Bobwhite Projects (USDA/NRCS site)
2013 New Jersey Quail Calendar (pdf, 9.5mb)
Related Pages
- Habitat Management for Grassland Birds (2008)
- Managing Grasslands, Shrublands, and Young Forest Habitats for Wildlife
- Jersey-Friendly Yards (developed by the Barnegat Bay Partnership with a grant from the NJ DEP)
- NJ Wildlife Action Plan
- Landscape Project
- NRCS Conservation Programs (USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Site)
Wetland Reserve Easements
Wetland Reserve Enhancement Parternship
Restoring America’s Wetlands: A Private Lands Conservation Success Story (pdf, 2.5mb) - Troy Meadows Wetland & Forest Enhancement (YouTube video from Wildlife Preserves, Inc.)
- Establishing Native Warm Season Grasses in New Jersey (pdf, 220kb)
User’s Guide to the Truax™ Flex II No-Till Seed Drill (pdf, 170kb)
Herbicide Guide for Establishing NWSG Stands (pdf, 57kb) - Partners for Fish & Wildlife (US Fish and Wildlife Service)
