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{"id":4041,"date":"2025-10-27T10:49:34","date_gmt":"2025-10-27T14:49:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/parksandforests\/?page_id=4041"},"modified":"2025-12-02T13:33:39","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T18:33:39","slug":"forests-climate","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/parksandforests\/conservation\/forests-climate\/","title":{"rendered":"Forests &amp; Climate"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row_content_no_spaces&#8221;][vc_column]                    <div class=\"custom-fullwidth-innerhero-section\" style=\"background-image: url('https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/parksandforests\/\/databaseheader.jpg');\"><\/div>\r\n                            <div class=\"breadcrumbs w-full\"><div class=\"contentholder\"><ul id=\"breadcrumbs\" class=\"breadcrumbs underfull\"><li class=\"item-home\"><a class=\"bread-link bread-home\" href=\"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/parksandforests\" title=\"Home\"><strong>Home<\/strong><\/a><\/li><li class=\"separator separator-home\"> &nbsp;&nbsp;\/&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\r\n    \r\n    <style>\r\n        .custom-fullwidth-depthero-section {\r\n            position: relative;\r\n            background-size: cover;\r\n            background-position: center;\r\n            background-repeat: no-repeat;\r\n            overflow: hidden;\r\n        }\r\n\r\n        .custom-fullwidth-depthero-section .bg-video {\r\n            position: absolute;\r\n            top: 0;\r\n            left: 0;\r\n            width: 100%;\r\n            height: 100%;\r\n            object-fit: cover;\r\n            z-index: 0;\r\n        }\r\n\r\n        .custom-fullwidth-depthero-section .custom-overlay {\r\n            position: relative;\r\n            z-index: 1;\r\n        }\r\n\r\n        @media screen and (max-width: 768px) {\r\n            .custom-fullwidth-depthero-section .bg-video {\r\n                display: none;\r\n            }\r\n        }\r\n    <\/style>\r\n\r\n    [\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row_content_no_spaces&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1746641164914{padding-top: 30px !important;}&#8221; el_class=&#8221;contentholder&#8221;][vc_column]   \r\n    <div class=\"custom-text_heading-section\">    \r\n        <div class=\"contentholder\">\r\n                            <div>\r\n                                            <h2 class=\"fivezero blue\">New Jersey Forest Service Forest Climate &amp; Carbon Program<\/h2>\r\n                                                                <p><strong>New Jersey\u2019s forests play a key role in keeping the air clean and the climate healthy.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n                                        <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Forest Carbon &amp; Climate Program studies how climate change affects forests and how forests, in turn, help mitigate climate change by continuously absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it as carbon. By removing carbon dioxide from the air and storing carbon in trees, forests help reduce the buildup of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>\ud83c\udf3f<\/b><b> Did You Know?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\ud83c\udf33<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Forests cover approximately 40<\/span><b>% of New Jersey\u2019s land area<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u269b\ufe0f<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Trees and soils in New Jersey store nearly <\/span><b>200 million metric tons of carbon<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\ud83d\ude97<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> That\u2019s like offsetting the emissions from driving <\/span><b>1.82 trillion miles<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in a gas-powered car &#8211; the equivalent of driving from Cape May Point to High Point State Park over nine billion times!<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Learn more about the importance of carbon in our New Jersey forests:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\ud83c\udfa5 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Check out our video <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/DchobTrvwk4?si=5qWmDc5lZBSiSA-b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cWhat\u2019s Carbon Got To Do With It?\u201d<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\ud83d\udce7or email us directly a <\/span><a href=\"mailto:askaforester@deptest.nj.gov?subject=carbon%20and%20climate%20website%20questiom\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">askaforester@deptest.nj.gov<\/span><\/a>                <\/div>\r\n                    <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    [vc_tta_accordion active_section=&#8221;999&#8243; collapsible_all=&#8221;true&#8221;][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;About the Program&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1748458238560-f5391aa8-f3ba&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Forest Climate &amp; Carbon Program helps monitor, manage, protect and and strengthen New Jersey\u2019s forests. The program focuses on how forests store carbon, how climate change and forest disturbances affect that storage, and how we can manage forests to keep them healthy and resilient.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Disturbances like wildfires, storms, insect outbreaks and diseases can cause forests to release carbon back into the atmosphere. Actions can be taken to reduce those risks by promoting <\/span><b>forest diversity, regeneration and adaptive management<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. This means making sure that forests can <\/span><b>recover from stress, continue to grow, and keep absorbing carbon for decades to come.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Examples of the work that is underway include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Measuring how much carbon New Jersey\u2019s forests store and absorb each year.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b style=\"font-style: inherit\">Developing science-based forest management practices<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that keep forests healthy, diverse, resilient and productive.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Supporting New Jersey\u2019s greenhouse gas reduction goals<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> by helping forests remove and store more carbon over time.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Communicating to New Jersey\u2019s public the importance of our state\u2019s forest carbon resources<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none\"><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;\ud83d\udcd1Carbon &amp; Climate Resources&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1748458238560-2884c256-3d34&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<b>How New Jersey Is Taking Climate Action<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">New Jersey has made strong commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for a changing climate. The Forest Climate &amp; Carbon Program supports these statewide goals by managing forests that store carbon and by helping natural areas stay healthy and resilient.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Some of the key state actions include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Global Warming Response Act (2006, updated 2019):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Sets the goal to cut New Jersey\u2019s greenhouse gas emissions by <\/span><b>80% below 2006 levels by 2050.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Executive Order No. 274 (2021):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Adds an important milestone\u2014cut emissions <\/span><b>50% by 2030.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Executive Orders No. 7 and No. 89:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Rejoined the <\/span><b>Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and created an <\/span><b>Interagency Council on Climate Resilience<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to coordinate statewide climate planning.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">These laws and policies guide how New Jersey manages forests, wetlands, and open spaces to capture and store more carbon.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><b>State Plans and Reports<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Learn more about how New Jersey is addressing climate change:<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Here are key resources you can explore:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-4048\" src=\"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/parksandforests\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/actionplan.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"100\" height=\"124\" \/>State Forest Action Plan (2020, update in 2025):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Describes forest health and management priorities statewide.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/parksandforests\/conservation\/forest-action-plan\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">View the Plan \u2192<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4049 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/parksandforests\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/strat1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"100\" height=\"124\" \/> New Jersey Natural and Working Lands Strategy (2024):<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Outlines how forests, farms, and wetlands can help reduce emissions, increase carbon absorption, and build resilience.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/climatechange\/mitigation\/nwls\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Read the Strategy \u2192<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-4050\" src=\"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/parksandforests\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/climatechange-220x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"100\" height=\"136\" srcset=\"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/parksandforests\/climatechange-220x300.png 220w, https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/parksandforests\/climatechange.png 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px\" \/>New Jersey Scientific Report on Climate Change (2020, update in 2025):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Summarizes how climate change is affecting New Jersey\u2019s environment, including forests.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/climatechange\/science\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Read the Report \u2192<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4047 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/parksandforests\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/priority.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"100\" height=\"125\" \/>New Jersey Priority Climate Action Plan (2024):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Highlights the State\u2019s top strategies to meet the 2030 emissions goal.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/climatechange\/mitigation\/cprg\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Read the Plan \u2192<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><b>Additional Resources<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/climate.rutgers.edu\/stateclim\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/njclimateresourcecenter.rutgers.edu\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Rutgers University Climate Resource Center<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.climatehubs.usda.gov\/hubs\/northern-forests-0\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.psu.edu\/focce\/resources\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Penn State Extension \u2013 Forest Carbon Series<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][\/vc_tta_accordion][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row_content_no_spaces&#8221;][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row_content_no_spaces&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1746641164914{padding-top: 30px !important;}&#8221; el_class=&#8221;contentholder&#8221;][vc_column][vc_tta_accordion active_section=&#8221;999&#8243; collapsible_all=&#8221;true&#8221;][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;About the Program&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1748458238560-f5391aa8-f3ba&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]The Forest Climate &amp; Carbon Program helps 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