New Jersey is blessed with a wealth of breathtaking and highly valuable natural resources. Our beaches, forests, wetlands and other natural resources provide countless benefits to the public. In order to make wise policy, planning, and regulatory decisions, it is important to understand the worth of these resources. This report summarizes the results of a two-year study that aims to quantify the value of these resources. As a way of expressing the value, it estimates the dollar value of the services and goods produced by New Jersey’s natural capital. Natural capital consists of components of the natural environment that provide long-term benefits to society. Many of the benefits provided by natural capital come from ecological systems or ecosystems, a dynamic complex of plant, animal, and microorganism communities and their nonliving environment, all interacting as a functional unit. Forests, wetlands, and lakes are examples of ecosystems.

This report is divided into three main parts. Part I presents essential background information, summarizes the detailed findings of Parts II and III and their limitations, and explores in a preliminary way the policy implications of the natural capital project and the future research needs in this area. Part II focuses on ecosystem services and Part III deals with ecosystem goods.

For more information regarding this report, please contact William Mates.