New Jersey Highlands CouncilForests provide essential ecosystem functions, including surface water and air filtration, carbon sequestration, groundwater recharge, and provide habitat to a wide range of animal and plant species. While forested areas typically provide these or other ecosystem functions, relatively undisturbed core forest areas are particularly valuable. Highlands forests function as surface water filtration systems, protecting the integrity of vital water supplies for the Highlands Region. The positive correlation between forest cover and surface water quality is well documented in scientific literature. Larger forest tracts forming the core of the Highlands protect natural communities by reducing anthropogenic effects and protecting area-sensitive wildlife species. As part of the NJ Highlands Council's efforts to protect forests a Total Forest Layer was generated from Land-Use/Land-Cover Data. The forested areas characterized in this dataset are derived from NJDEP Land-Use/Land-Cover data and updated land-use information collected by the NJ Highlands Council.ArcGIS FeatureLayerhttps://hub.arcgis.com/datasets/029f3a549cc243358b8fae979dfea39e_1engNew Jersey Geographic Information Network (NJGIN) Open Data PortalPublicTotal Forest Area [New Jersey]Web servicesNew JerseyLast Modified: 2021-03-12