New jersey bill to protect private woodlands from future development advances

TRENTON, NJ — A bill that would help preserve privately owned woodlands in New Jersey by restricting development has passed the Senate Budget Committee, Senator Robert Singer (R-30) announced Monday.

The legislation, S-699, directs the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) to create a program allowing landowners with at least 20 acres to place permanent conservation easements on their property.

The land must be managed under a forest stewardship plan or similar program to qualify.

“Protecting our woodlands is important for both the environment and the quality of life of New Jersey residents,” Singer said. “This bill ensures that these natural spaces remain safe from development while respecting the rights of property owners.”

Under the bill, the SADC would use constitutionally dedicated corporate business tax (CBT) funds to acquire development easements, covering up to 80% of costs for local governments or nonprofits purchasing easements. The program aims to support agricultural, silvicultural, and horticultural land use while maintaining forested areas.

The measure now moves forward for further legislative consideration.

Key Points:

The bill, S-699, establishes a program for landowners to place permanent conservation easements on private woodlands.
Eligible properties must be at least 20 acres and managed under an approved forest stewardship plan.
The program would use dedicated tax revenues to fund easement acquisitions, covering up to 80% of costs.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.