December 14, 2023
50th Anniversary of New Jersey Endangered and Nongame Species Conservation Act!
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette today joined with DEP staff and conservationists across the state to mark the 50th anniversary of the New Jersey Endangered and Nongame Species Conservation Act.
This landmark legislation protects hundreds of wildlife species, including raptors such as bald eagles and ospreys, threatened shorebirds such as the piping plover and red knot, rare amphibians and reptiles such as the Eastern tiger salamander and timber rattlesnake, even butterflies and freshwater mussels.
The Commissioner credited the law and the dedication of the professionals, partners and volunteers for preserving New Jersey wildlife diversity for future generations to enjoy.
Governor William T. Cahill signed the New Jersey Endangered and Nongame Species Conservation Act into law on Dec. 14, 1973, two weeks before President Richard M. Nixon signed the federal Endangered Species Act. The state law established NJDEP Fish & Wildlife’s Endangered and Nongame Species Program (ENSP), a small, highly dedicated team supported by hundreds of volunteers throughout the state.
ENSP’s mission is to actively conserve New Jersey’s biological diversity by maintaining and enhancing endangered, threatened and nongame wildlife populations within healthy ecosystems. Today, ENSP is responsible for the protection and management of more than 500 wildlife species, including 83 currently listed as threatened or endangered. Watch the exciting work done by ENSP.
Successes made possible by the Act include:
DEP’s wildlife conservation efforts are funded by donations received through the Wildlife Habitat Supporter Program, the New Jersey Endangered Wildlife Fund and sales of its popular Conserve Wildlife license plates. Additional funding comes from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Wildlife and Sportfish Restoration Program.
Official Site of The State of New Jersey
