The Natural Resources Conservation Service in New Jersey works in partnership with other federal, state, and local governments, as well as universities and non-governmental organizations to provide technical assistance to private non-industrial forest land owners.
With over 40% of the state covered by forests, promoting forestry through technical assistance to private landowners is an important part of the NRCS mission.
Some of the assistance NRCS provides includes:
- Planting trees and shrubs for erosion control and wildlife habitat improvement
- Tree planting to create riparian forest buffers to improve water quality
- Tree planting for windbreaks to reduce wind erosion and to conserve energy
Forestry Resources
National Forestry Handbook
The National Forestry Handbook (NFH) provides informational material to assist NRCS personnel in the planning and application of forestry and agroforestry practices on nonfederal forestland throughout the United States.
National Forestry Manual
The National Forestry Manual (NFM) describes forest policy within the Natural Resources Conservation Service and complements the General Manual.
Plant Materials Program Publications & Resources
Helpful Links
Federal
National Agroforestry Center (NAC)
Partnership of the USDA Forest Service, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Works to accelerate the development and application of agroforestry technologies to achieve more economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable land-use systems.
Environmental Protection Agency
Primarily a regulatory agency responsible for enforcing the environmental laws of the United States. Contains a search engine particularly useful for retrieving data about regulations pertaining to forestry.
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's mission is to conserve, protect, and enhance fish and wildlife and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. This site provides a search engine relating forestry to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's mission.
USDA Forest Service
Federal agency responsible for managing all national forests in the United States. As set forth in the law, the mission of the Forest Service is to achieve quality land management under the sustainable multiple-use management concept to meet the diverse needs of the people.
State
New Jersey Forest Service State agency that is the steward of all forests and trees across New Jersey. Through sustainable science-based management and conservation practices, the New Jersey Forest Service promotes the resilience of New Jersey’s forests and their interdependent natural systems in the face of societal needs and a climate crisis that demands urgent and decisive action.
New Jersey Forest Fire Service The state agency responsible for protecting life, property, as well as the state's natural resources from wildfire.
Sustaining Agroforestry Systems for Farms and Ranches
An introduction to using tree and shrub practices in sustained agricultural systems.