While the Sourland region will probably not be subject to the major subdivision developments taking place in the surrounding region, the area is nevertheless threatened by the development surge. Creating a “moat” (as has been proposed by one municipality) to block development from the mountain area is a futile, if not naïve attempt to stop this spreading wave.

The Sourlands is characterized by contiguous forest, perched wetlands (sitting atop impervious rock, headwater streams and diabase geology. This combination of features creates conditions, which must be taken into account when planning the future of the region.

v This contiguous forest tract, the last remaining in central New Jersey, is home to a number of threatened and endangered species, which require this large unbroken forest tract to survive. It also provides an important stopover point for migratory birds on their north and southbound journeys. The area acts as a “source”, a kind of biological recharge area for animals whose habitats have been too greatly fragmented in other areas for them to survive and repopulate. In addition, fragmentation allows invasive species to invade the area, making sensitive interior forest species more vulnerable to disruption of their natural life processes.

v The perched wetlands sitting atop the Sourlands are extremely important, serving several functions for the region. These areas act like sponges, absorbing and filtering rainwater, which then can slowly percolate into the ground. As well as helping to prevent flooding, these critical wetlands release water into headwater streams during times of low flow conditions. They also provide valuable habitat for a number of plant and animal species requiring this specialized habitat for their survival.

v Perched wetlands often provide the source for headwaters streams, flowing into three major regional watershed basins. Protection of these headwater areas, located along the Sourlands Ridge, is of critical importance to the health and stability of the Sourlands, and areas downstream. Any degradation of these areas due to clearing and increase of impervious cover becomes magnified in a cumulative manner as one moves down the watershed.

v Installation of septics and wells in the region is difficult due to geological conditions, and increased development means an increase of concerns associated with their installation. The hard rock geology and lack of permeability means that septic systems are bound to malfunction, with effluent potentially contaminating surface and groundwater. Wells in the region are notorious for their low yields, again due to the regions geology.

v Increased impervious cover associated with development, along with soil erosion due to disturbance of the natural forest conditions, add to non point source pollution of the waterways, and decrease water quality. Impervious cover increases flooding potential and decreases ground water infiltration. As well as causing flooding during major storm events, little water is left available during low flow conditions caused by drought. This causes concentration of contaminates due to lack of dilution, which helps modify the negative impact of nitrates and other septic and non point source related discharge.

v It is quite evident that development in environmentally sensitive areas such as the Sourlands Ridge produces a broad range of detrimental environmental, and public health related impacts. Fragmentation of the forest occurs in an insidious manner with each new lot chopped out of the protective forest cover. This forest cover provides a vast array of invaluable services, which are only noticed and appreciated when they can no longer be provided by the natural ecosystem. As a result, we suffer the inevitable consequences of our unwise and improperly planned actions. By protection of the green infrastructure (wetlands, forests and headwater steams) of the Sourlands, we make an investment in the health and well being of the entire region for the present and the future.