Kittatinny Ridge

Conservation Area:

• Kittatinny Ridge

Total Acreage:

• 113,409 acres(177 square miles; 45,895 hectares)

Portfolio Summary:

• Portfolio Sites-16
• Aquatic Systems -1(FlatbrookWatershed)
• Matrix Blocks-2(portionsofSwartswoodandKittatinnyblocks)Targets-16
• Target occurrences-25 

Accepted                                                            

• High Alleghany Plateau

Target:

• Bog turtle ( Clemmys muh/enbergi1) – G3S2 Dwarf wedgemussel (A/asmidonta heterodon ) – G1G2S1
• Cobblestone tiger beetle (Cincindela marginipennis ) – G2G3S 1S2 New England bluet ( Enal/agma /atera/e ) – G3S1S2
• Hammond’s yellow spring beauty ( Claytonia virginica var . hammondiae ) – G5T1S1.1
• Hawthorn ( Crataegus pennsylvanica ) – G3?QS1 Small whorled pogonia (lsotria medeoloides ) – G2S1
• Spreading globeflower ( Trollius /axus ssp . /axus) – G4T3S1 Black spruce swamp community – G4S1
• Calcareous riverside outcrop community – G3?S1S2 Calcareous riverside seep commun ity – G3?S1
• Glacial bog community – G4?S1
• Inland acidic seep community – G3?S1 Inland Atlantic white cedar swamp community – G3?S1
• Leatherleaf – Sphagnum Boreal Dwarf-Shrubland community –
• G4?S1 Talus slope community – G4?S2S3

County/State:

• Sussex and Warren Counties , New Jersey

Municipalities:

• Sussex County – Frankford Township, Hampton Township, Montague Township, Sandyston Township, Stillwater Township, Walpack Township, Wantage Township

Planning Team:

• Michael Van Clef, The Nature Conservancy of New Jersey
• Paul Brangs, The Nature Conservancy of New Jersey
• Albert Joerger, The Nature Conservancy of New Jersey
• Angela Shoemaker, The Nature Conservancy of New Jersey
• Keri VanSchaften, The Nature Conservancy of New Jersey

Executive Summary

Conservation Value

The Kittatinny Ridge Conservation Area encompasses 113,409 acres (45,895 hectares) in Warren and Sussex Counties , New Jersey. This unique area is characterized by the northeast southwest oriented Kittatinny-Shawangunk Ridge and is bordered by the Delaware River to the west. The area is extremely important due to accepted occurrences of sixteen High Allegheny Plateau primary ecoregional targets (bog turtle, dwarf wedgemussel, cobblestone tiger beetle, New England bluet, Hammond’s yellow spring beauty, a rare Hawthorn species, small whorled pogonia, spreading globeflower, black spruce swamp community, calcareous riverside outcrop community, calcareous rivers ide seep community , glacial bog community , inland acidic seep commun ity, inland Atlantic white cedar swamp community, leatherleaf-sphagnum boreal dwarf shrubland community, talus slope community) . The conservat ion area contains the Flatbrook watershed aquatic system (42,385 acres) and portions of the Swartswood (32,000 of 71,200 total acres) and Kittatinny (21,900 of 28,100 acres) matrix forest blocks. Both the Kittatinny Ridge and Delaware River are important migratory bird routes. The overall Site Biodiversity Health Rank is “Good”.

The Kittatinny Ridge is home to 143 breeding bird species, 55 fish species, 49 species of amphibians/reptiles, 83 butterflies, 78 dragonfly/damselfly species, 292 woody plants, 19 plant communities, and 33 mammals including black bear, red fox, gray fox, bobcat, and coyote. A large number of state rare species (19 vertebrate animals, 15 invertebrate animals, 28 plant species, and 12 communities are also found within the Kittatinny Ridge. There are a total of 382 occurrences of rare species and communities. At least one occurrence of rare species/communities can be found in 77 percent of the 360-acre grids used by the New Jersey Natural Heritage Program.

The Challenge

The most critical threat to the Kittatinny Ridge Conservation Area is invasive species. It is estimated that the threat from invasive species is 4 – 6 times greater than other threats including poaching, dam construction, crop production practices and exist ing primary development. The threat from new primary home development is critical in only a portion of the Kittatinny Ridge because most target occurrences are located on protected lands owned by Federal and State government. However, development is a critical threat at several portfolio sites and in portions of the Flatbrook watershed. Land use analysis indicates that unprotected portions of the Kittatinny Ridge are experiencing rapid conversion of farmland into residential development. The demand for housing in this area is primarily from young families looking for affordable housing. This development pressure is expected to persist as long as the rise in land values continues to outpace the economic benefits of farming in New Jersey.

The Solution

The Nature Conservancy of New Jersey , along with various stakeholders, has made progress by protecting 1,162 acres of priority habitat through the creation of four preserves within the Kittatinny Ridge. In total, 64% of the Kittatinny Ridge has been permanently protected through a variety of arrangements, including 33,506 acres in a National Recreation Area, 37,033 acres in State Park, Forest and Wildlife Management areas and an additional 1,000 acres in municipal parks, other non-profit preserves and conservat ion easements. It will be important over the next 10 years to work with all stakeholders in the Kittatinny Ridge to cont inue to monitor and abate the critical threat of invasive species . Also, given the pressures of suburban sprawl it will be essential to act swiftly over the next 10 years to increase the boundaries of the Conservancy’s preserves, support farmland preservation while promoting environmentally compatible farming practices and work with all levels of government to ensure the long-term viability of this significant area.