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. The Highlands Council created the Forest Resource Area (FRA) in the Highlands Region to identify critical forest areas that are important for the protection of water quality and quantity. The FRA was developed through the application of landscape metrics on a forest patch basis to identify those forests that include criteria most suited to support ecological processes. The indicators used to create this datset are: contiguous patches of forest that are greater than or equal to 500 acres, core forest areas that are greater than or equal to 250 acres, and areas that account for 45% or greater proportion of total forest cover. The forested areas characterized in this dataset are derived from NJDEP Land-Use/Land-Cover data (2007) and updated land-use information collected by the NJ Highlands Council.ArcGIS FeatureLayerhttps://hub.arcgis.com/datasets/7010f9589b444c46b98e47a05623871a_1engNew Jersey Geographic Information Network (NJGIN) Open Data PortalPublicForest Resource Area [New Jersey]Web servicesNew JerseyLast Modified: 2008-07-01