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Everyone Please Share this information. Landowner or not. Got this email from my forestor this morning. Please read this as many I’ve asked with different forestors are not aware. It applies to any and all portion of lands (farms included) that have some form of forestry program implemented. It’s copy and pasted from my email. “Friends, I don't ever want to sound like an alarmist. And I respect your time and don't want to waste it. BUT, as your consulting forester and a fellow landowner, I feel it is my responsibility to provide you with my thoughts on a very dire situation. The NJ Highlands Council is working to adopt what are being referred to as “BMPs” – so-called “Best management practices for forestry and wetlands.” These RESTRICTIONS will impact more than 90% of all forest properties in the Highlands Region. FYI, below I’ve included a list of the townships within the Highlands Region; if your land occurs in one of these townships, you will be affected. While BMPs already exist at the state level, the restrictions and impacts in these ‘new’ BMPs go far beyond anything you could imagine. The restrictions will impact forest and non-forest properties – in both the Highlands “preservation” and the Highlands “planning” areas. With respect to forest properties, the restrictions of the ‘new’ BMPs will eliminate virtually all active forest management in the Highlands Region. A few of the items being proposed - require landowners to pay for a monitor programing to count deer on the property require landowners to reduce the number of deer on their property through hunting, fencing, and other means severely limit landowners from building woodland trails through their property require landowners to pay for expensive soil testing if any forestry activity will disturb soil require landowners to control invasive species on their property severely limit landowners from harvesting firewood and other forest products from their property severely limit landowners from using heavy equipment (tractor, skid steer, side by side, ATV) on their property require landowners to pay for application to the Highlands Council before executing most traditional forestry activities I have produced maps for several of our clients who own land within the Highlands Region, and on average, more than 93% of their land will be affected by these new restrictions. Property values, already severely impacted by the Highlands Act, will no doubt be further diminished by the ‘new’ BMPs. The distance restrictions of the ‘new’ BMPs will impact the majority of the Highlands Region and potentially restrict all forms of land use, including land uses permitted under most, if not all, of the exemptions to the Highlands Act. There are seventeen express and hard-fought exemptions included in the Highlands Act. While these ‘new’ BMPs will impact other exemptions, I draw your attention to Exemption 7, exempting activity under state-approved Woodland Management and Stewardship Plans, as well as normal harvesting approved by the NJ State Forester. Those plans are already subject to approval by the NJDEP and there have been processes in place to apply Exemption 7 for many years. These ‘new’ BMPs effectively render Exemption 7 void and eliminate virtually all active forest management in the Highlands Region. In addition to the long-term detrimental effects upon our forests, this will restrict landowners’ ability to conduct the required forestry activities, forcing them into non-compliance with their NJDEP approved plan. That combined with the inability to generate the required income under the Farmland Assessment Act, will likely subject them to the loss of farmland assessment and possible roll-back taxes. To make matters worse, the Highlands Council is trying to push this through before the public and landowners fully understand the ramifications of these regulations. The best course of action is to attend the next Highlands Council meeting on Thursday, December 14 at 4pm in order to voice your displeasure with the direction they are taking (location listed below). During the public comment period of the meeting, you will be afforded three minutes to speak. If you have any questions, or need further information, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I created these links to a few documents which will help to better inform you about the situation (they're included as attachments below as well). Highlands Council Draft BMPs NJ Forestry Association Letter to Highlands Council Regarding BMPs Your friend, Andy Bennett Highlands Council Meeting – Thursday, December 14, 4pm Location - https://maps.app.goo.gl/gmt7QLjFDCRfAGFa8 Highlands Council Office 100 North Road Chester, NJ 07930 Townships occurring within Highlands Region (in whole or in part): Hunterdon County Alexandria Township Bethlehem Township Bloomsbury Borough Califon Borough Town of Clinton Clinton Township Glen Gardner Borough Hampton Borough High Bridge Borough Holland Township Lebanon Borough Lebanon Township Milford Borough Tewksbury Township Union Township Morris County Town of Boonton Boonton Township Butler Borough Chester Borough Chester Township Denville Township Town of Dover Hanover Township Harding Township Jefferson Township Kinnelon Borough Mendham Borough Mendham Township Mine Hill Township Montville Township Morris Plains Borough Morris Township Town of Morristown Mount Arlington Borough Mount Olive Township Mountain Lakes Borough Netcong Borough Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Pequannock Township Randolph Township Riverdale Borough Rockaway Borough Rockaway Township Roxbury Township Victory Gardens Borough Washington Township Wharton Borough Passaic County Bloomingdale Borough Pompton Lakes Borough Ringwood Borough Wanaque Borough West Milford Township Sussex County Byram Township Franklin Borough Green Township Hamburg Borough Hardyston Township Hopatcong Borough Ogdensburg Borough Sparta Township Stanhope Borough Vernon Township Warren County Allamuchy Township Alpha Borough Town of Belvidere Franklin Township Frelinghuysen Township Greenwich Township Town of Hackettstown Harmony Township Hope Township Independence Township Liberty Township Lopatcong Township Mansfield Township Oxford Township Town of Phillipsburg Pohatcong Township Washington Borough Washington Township White Township”

Hunterdon County semi-wild hunting club is looking for a safety oriented bird hunter. The club releases 500 birds over 17 stocking dates on our 143 acre property. We maintain a small roster of 16 members and requires a few work days each spring and summer to cut wood, help groom trails and post the property. We are looking for an enthusiastic person that loves bird hunting, enjoys camaraderie with a great bunch of guys and most of all is a safe hunter. It is preferable that you have your own bird dog. Dues are $850 annually. Please send email to walnutbrookprotassoc@gmail.com or message me if interested and outline what your experience is and contact information.

Hunterdon County semi-wild hunting club is looking for a safety oriented bird hunter. The club releases 500 birds over 17 stocking dates on our 143 acre property. We maintain a small roster of 16 members and requires a few work days each spring and summer to cut wood, help groom trails and post the property. We are looking for an enthusiastic person that loves bird hunting, enjoys camaraderie with a great bunch of guys and most of all is a safe hunter. It is preferable that you have your own bird dog. Dues are $850 annually. Please send email to walnutbrookprotassoc@gmail.com or message me if interested and outline what your experience is and contact information.