LAND USE CHANGES IN NEW JERSEY

FROM 1986 TO 2012

Tim Larigan
Environmental Issues
Tait Chirenje
Stockton University
Spring 2015

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LAND USE CHANGES IN NEW JERSEY, ESSEX

COUNTY, NJ, AND THE TOWNSHIP OF NUTLEY, NJ
FROM 1986 TO 2012
Table of Contents

ABSTRACT... 3
1.0 Introduction.. 3
2.0 Objectives. 4
3.0 Results.. 4
3.1 Land Use Change in New Jersey. 4
3.2 Land Use Change in Essex County, New Jersey. 5
4.0 Discussion 7
4.1 New Jersey Urbanization leading to loss of Forest and Farmland... 10
4.2 Land Use Trends in Essex County, NJ........ 10
4.3 Land Use Change in Nutley, Essex County, New Jersey 11
5.0 Conclusion... 12
6.0 References 13
APPENDICES
I.

Tables..... 14

II.

Figures... 19

III.

Aerial Photographs.... 26

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ABSTRACT
In 1986, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP)
initiated a detailed study of New Jerseys development trends, creating comprehensive
data of all land use and land cover (LULC) statewide. This study uses said data, including
aerial photography and satellite imagery, from 1986,1995, 2002, 2007 and 2012 to
compare and discuss land use changes in New Jersey, Essex County, NJ, and select
regions in the Township of Nutley, NJ, and the impact of land use change on the
environment. From 1986 to 2007, the state of New Jersey has seen an increase of almost
325,000 acres of development. According to the NJDEP Land Use Land Cover Level I
Data Analysis (2010), urban land has increase by 80,287 acres and areas associated with
water have increased by 6,930 acres from 2002 to 2007, while forest area has decreased
by 42,442 acres, agricultural areas decreased by 28,554 acres, and wetland areas
decreased by 8,760 acres. The largest decreases in forested area occurred in Ocean
County, and the largest decreases in agricultural land occurred in Gloucester County. In
Essex County, New Jersey, NJDEP LULC data showed that urban land increased 831
acres from 1995 to 2007, while wetland areas decreased by 571 acres, forest decreased by
1,337 acres and water areas decreased by 8,556 acres. Increases in urbanization in Essex
County have encroached on wetland areas, negatively impacting sensitive natural
habitats. Aerial Orthoquad photographs of select regions of the Township of Nutley,
located in Essex County, New Jersey from years 1995, 2002, 2007 and 2012 were
analyzed to determine whether significant development has taken place since 1995.
Overall, the areas studied did not show significant signs of development, except for
locations next to main highways, which changed small patches of forested area to urban
development. In New Jersey and Essex County, the main trends seen were decreasing
forested area and agricultural land and increasing urban development. As a result,
increases in urban development are directly and indirectly impacting the environment in
negative ways. Forest fragmentation, habitat loss, and degradation in water and air
quality are all problems associated with urban development and land use change.
Development plans such as the New Jersey State Plan and the NJ Pinelands
Comprehensive Management Plan are currently being implemented throughout the state
in an attempt to reduce adverse environmental impacts.
1.0 INTRODUCTION

Changes in land use, from natural land to a developed or disturbed condition has
been a growing issue in the state of New Jersey for several decades. In response to this
issue, the proper monitoring of land use changes has been deemed necessary in order to
both manage any future land use or development problems, and for the protection of New
Jerseys valuable natural and economic resources.
Due to the unique and diverse landscapes, resources and opportunities available in
New Jersey, the state has been experiencing increases in population size for quite some
time. As a result, new urbanized land in the form of urban sprawl has been altering land
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use from its original intended purpose in order to adapt to the steadily increasing
population (The Race for Open Space, 2004). For several decades, new development has
been consuming large amounts of land, while accommodating comparatively small
numbers of people (Lathrop, et al. 2006). If this development trend is left unmanaged,
issues such as build out in towns in New Jersey could occur within the next 50 years (The
Race for Open Space, 2004).
Poorly planned development, such as urban sprawl, not only leads to problems
related to open space but it also causes a number adverse effects, both direct and indirect,
on the environment. Studies have shown that changes in land use lead to a number of
problems including habitat loss, fragmentation, the introduction of invasive species, and
degradation of air and water quality, especially in areas where large development has
taken place. Over twenty years of research has linked changes in hydrology and
biodiversity of aquatic systems to the increase in impervious surfaces caused by
development (Land Use and Land Cover, 2013). Sudden changes in ecosystems such as
this can lead to unpredictable conditions that could negatively impact New Jerseys
native species. Additionally, uncontrolled development is encroaching on habitats critical
to ecological diversity, such a wetlands, the Pine Barrens and the Highlands of New
Jersey.
In an attempt to minimize the negative impacts of development, New Jersey has
been using aerial photography, satellite data and several other resources to monitor land
use changes statewide. Beginning in 1986, the New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection (NJDEP) initiated a detailed study of New Jerseys development trends,
creating comprehensive data of all land use and land cover (LULC) statewide, providing
aerial imagery and photo-interpretation for the years: 1995, 2002, 2007 and 2012, which
is currently still in progress (Land Use and Land Cover, 2013). Using this data, it is
possible to understand land use trends within the state and answer a number of different
questions related to how land use has changed over the years on both a statewide and
local level.
2.0 OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this study were to (1) use NJDEP Land Use Land-Cover data to
determine how different types of land use, including Urban, Forests, Agricultural, Water
and Wetlands have changed over time on a statewide, county and local level. (2) Use
aerial photography and satellite data to analyze and interpret how changes in acreage
from varying years (1995-2007) correlated to the increasing urban development and the
loss of forest, agricultural, and wetland ecosystems across all 21 counties in New Jersey
and more specifically, in Essex County, NJ. (3) Use digital Orthoquad aerial photos to
visually compare how development has changed in Nutley, Essex County, NJ from the
years 1995, 2002, 2007, and 2012. Ultimately, the objective was use the data to
understand trends taking place across New Jersey, helping us understand the impacts of
land use change on the environment.

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3.0 RESULTS
3.1 Land Use Change in New Jersey
From 1986 to 2007, the state of New Jersey has seen an increase of almost
325,000 acres of development, including land with houses, building and pavement,
barren land related to construction, and other areas that are impervious to infiltration of
rainfall (Land Use and Land Cover, 2013). According to the NJDEP Land Use Land
Cover Level I Data Analysis (2010), urban land has increase by 80,287 acres and areas
associated with water have increased by 6,930 acres from 2002 to 2007, while forest area
has decreased by 42,442 acres, agricultural areas decreased by 28, 554 acres, and wetland
areas decreased by 8,760 acres. Table 1, seen below, shows the net change in land use for
all types of land use in New Jersey from 2002 to 2007.

Statewide Land Use Change 2002 to 2007
2002
2007
Net Change
Land Use Type (acres)
594,599
566,045
-28,554
Agriculture
51,678
-7,460
Barren Land 59,138
1,568,809
1,526,367
-42,442
Forest
1,452,077
1,532,364
80,287
Urban Land
803,611
810,541
6,930
Water
1,005,735
996,675
-8,760
Wetlands
Table 1. NJDEPs Land Use Land Cover Level 1 Data Analysis shows the net change in land use type
(acres) for agriculture land, barren land, forest area, urban land, water, and wetlands areas in New Jersey
from 2002-2007.

Since 2002, forested area has decreased significantly in New Jersey. NJDEP Land Use
Land Cover Level I Data Analysis (2010) shows that the largest decreases in forested
area occur primarily in Ocean County, in the southern part of New Jersey. Ocean County
experienced a decrease of 7,077 acres from 2002 to 2007. In comparison, counties such
as Hudson, located in northeast New Jersey, Mercer, located in central New Jersey, and
Salem, located in southern part of New Jersey, have experienced the least decrease in
forest area, with a total of approximately 300 500 acres of forest lost from 2002-2007.
Land use change for forest areas in New Jersey are graphically represented below in
Figure 1.

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Fig 1. NJDEPs Land Use Land Cover Level 1 Data Analysis shows the net change in land use type (acres)
using graduated symbols for forest area in all 21 counties in New Jersey from 2002 to 2007.

Similarly to forested area, New Jersey has also experienced a significant decrease in
agricultural area from 2002 to 2007. The largest decreases in agricultural area occur
primarily in Gloucester County, located in the southwest portion of New Jersey.
Gloucester County has experienced a decrease of 6,129 acres from 2002 to 2007. In
comparison, counties such as Passaic, Bergen, Essex and Union, all located in the
northeastern part of New Jersey have experienced the least decrease in agricultural area,
with less than 20 acres of agricultural land lost from 2002-2007. Land use change for
agricultural areas in New Jersey are graphically represented below in Figure 2. Maps
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showing land use changes of all land use types from 2002 to 2007 can be found in
Appendix I.

Fig 2. NJDEPs Land Use Land Cover Level 1 Data Analysis shows the net change in land use type (acres)
using graduated symbols for forest area in all 21 counties in New Jersey from 2002 to 2007.

3.2 Land Use Change in Essex County, New Jersey

Essex County, located in the northeast corner of New Jersey consists of primarily
urban and suburban land. Based on NJDEP LULC data from 1995, urban land increased
831 acres from 1995 to 2007, while wetland areas decreased by 571 acres, forest
decreased by 1,337 acres and water areas decreased by 8,556 acres. Table 2, seen below,
shows the net change the land use types: wetland, forest, water and urban in New Jersey
from 2002 to 2007.
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Land Use Change in Essex County from 1995 to 2007

Land Use Type (acres)
Wetland
Forest
Water
Urban

1995
7008
11049
11798
66723

2007
6437
9712
3242
67554

Net Change
-571
-1337
-8556
831

Table 2. NJDEPs LULC data shows the net change in land use type (acres) for wetland, forest area, urban
land, and water in New Jersey from 1995-2007.

Changes in wetland, water and forest areas in relation to urban growth can be compared
graphically in figures 3 and 4 below. The most significant changes can be seen in the
southeast corner of Essex County, where water resources are noticeably smaller in 2007
than in 1995.

Fig 3. NJDEPs LULC data shows the land use type (acres) for wetland, forest area, urban land, and water
in New Jersey in 1995.

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Fig 4. NJDEPs LULC data shows the land use type (acres) for wetland, forest area, urban land, and water
in New Jersey in 2007.

During this study, 1995 and 2007 NJDEPs LULC data was analyzed and interpreted in
ArcMap 10.2.2 and saved as shapesfiles rather than as a geodatabase, leading to slight
errors when calculating total acres of land in Essex County. Knowing this, NJDEP Land
Use Land Cover Level I Data Analysis (2010) was used to compare the same changes in
land use for wetland, forest, water and urban areas in Essex County. Table 3, seen below,
shows the net change these 4 land use types in New Jersey from 2002 to 2007.

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Land Use Change in Essex County from 2002 to 2007

Land Use Type
(acres)
Wetland
Forest
Water
Urban

2002

2007

Net Change

6509
10291
2626
62831

6399
9621
2693
63667

-110
-670
67
836

Table 3. Land Use Land Cover Level 1 Data Analysis data shows the net change in land use type (acres)
for wetland, forest area, urban land, and water in New Jersey from 2002-2007.

Compared to the LULC data, where areas associated with water decrease significantly
from 2002 to 2007, Land Use Land Cover Level I Data Analysis data shows areas
associated with water to be increasing from 2002 to 2007.
4.0 DISCUSSION
4.1 New Jersey Urbanization leading to loss of Forest and Farmland
The State of New Jersey has seen a considerable amount of land use change over
the past 30 years. Based on the results of this study, it is clear that the majority of land
use change across the state is being altered from forest and agricultural land to urban
development. Land Use Land Cover Level I Data Analysis data comparing 1995 and
2002 to 2007 both show that the largest land use changes from forest to urban
development are taking place in the northwest portion of New Jersey, associated with the
NY-NJ highlands, and the southern portion of New Jersey, associated with the NJ Pine
Barrens. This is problematic because these areas contain valuable ecological resources
that are sensitive to urban development. The increase of development in these parts of the
state can directly impact the ecosystem by creating forest fragmentation and habitat loss
leading to decreases in biodiversity and increasing endangered species (Land Use and
Land Cover, 2013).
The same data also show that the smallest decreases in agricultural land occur in
the northeast section of New Jersey, mainly because it acts as a suburb to New York City
and has almost no farmland, while the largest decreases in agricultural land occur in
central and western New Jersey. Development in these agricultural areas often takes form
as urban sprawl. Aside from the environmental impacts of urban sprawl, this type of
uncontrolled land development, in both agricultural and non-agricultural areas, has the
tendency to take up large amounts of land, while only accommodating comparatively
small numbers of people. This becomes problematic because it encourages the use of
private cars rather than public transportation or walking, and wastes valuable space,
which could eventually lead to build out in a New Jersey towns.
Development plans such as the New Jersey State Plan and the NJ Pinelands
Comprehensive Management Plan that use smart growth ideals are currently being
implemented throughout the state in an attempt to reduce negative impacts on the
environment and resolve land use issues.

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4.2 Land Use Trends in Essex County, NJ

Due to the fact that Essex County, New Jersey is primarily an urban and suburban
area, there is much less forest and farmland to create new developments on, compared to
other part of New Jersey like Ocean County. The low density of forest and agricultural
land forces the county to practice redevelopment and revitalization of neighborhoods,
which is positive, but even so, decreases in forested areas and wetland areas are still
being seen within the county. The increases in urban development in Essex County are
directly related to the loss of wetland area and forested area seen in the comparison from
1995 to 2007. Even though the decreases in forest and wetlands are not as large as other
counties in New Jersey, significant environmental impacts are still taking place. Because
of Essex Countys high density of urban area, there is greater risk of water and air
pollution. Pollution from both point and non-point sources can enter air and watersheds,
degrading air and water quality, leading to adverse health effect for those who are
exposed to such pollution. The ever-increasing population in this area of New Jersey
encourages new development and land use change to take place. As a result, wetland
areas are being developed, causing loss of prime wildlife habitat (Land Use and Land
Cover, 2013) for species that rely on the natural resources that the wetlands of Essex
County have to offer.
4.3 Land Use Change in Nutley, Essex County, New Jersey
Aerial Orthoquads of select regions of the Township of Nutley, located in Essex
County, New Jersey from years 1995, 2002, 2007 and 2012 were analyzed to determine
whether significant development has taken place over the course of 26 years. Based on
the aerial photos, no significant development has taken place in the areas that were
studied. Images from 1995 through 2012 show that the layout of the neighborhood has
not been altered since prior to 1995 and resources such as open area, parks, and water
have remained essentially the same. This area of New Jersey is urban/suburban and is
primarily residential, so it makes sense that no new communities are seen being
developed. If any development changes are occurring, they are most likely
redevelopment of older properties. In varying orthoquad photographs, you are able to
distinguish larger buildings such as schools and businesses that have experienced
redevelopment, but those buildings do not represent any significant land use change.
Areas located near Route 3 and the Garden State Parkway are the only areas that show
any kind land use change. The following aerial photos show a small patch of forest
located north east of Route 3 that was developed sometime from 2002 to 2007.

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Fig 5. The aerial photo on the left shows a patch of open forest northeast of the Route 3 in 2002, compared
to the aerial photo on the right, which shows that same area developed into a strip mall.

5.0 CONCLUSION
Monitoring land use changes through aerial photography and satellite data is a
crucial step in understanding common trends that have formed over the course of New
Jerseys history. Since 1986, development from agricultural land and forested area to
urban land increased significantly. As a result, sensitive natural areas, such as the NJ
Pinelands and the NY-NJ Highlands are experiencing fragmentation, habitat loss and an
increase in endangered species. Additionally, careless development, such as sprawl,
consumes open area and could potentially lead to build out in towns. In Essex County,
dense urban and suburban communities are increasing the risk of air and water pollution
as well as encroaching on natural wetland ecosystems. Areas like Nutley, NJ tends to see
less new development compared to other areas, and more redevelopment and
revitalization of old buildings. The major land use changes are taking place adjacent to
major highways. A trend that is consistent throughout all regions of New Jersey is that
open areas, such as forests and agricultural land, are experiencing land use changes to
foster new development. In an attempt to address many of these development problems,
New Jersey has initiated plans such as the State Plan and the NJ Pinelands
Comprehensive Management Plan to offer solutions for issues related to land use that
have negative impacts on the environment.

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6.0 REFERENCES
2004, February,13. The Race for Open Space.
https://bbweb.stockton.edu/webapps/blackboard/execute/displayIndividualConten
t?course_id=_41794_1&content_id=_696980_1&mode=reset
Environmental Trend Reports NJDEP (2013). Land Use and Land Cover. Retrieved
February 12, 2015 from http://www.state.nj.us/dep/dsr/trends/
Hatfield, C., Lathrop, R. G., & Tulloch, D. L. (2006). Consequences of land use change
in New York-New Jersey Highlands, USA: Landscape indicators of forest and
watershed integrity. Landscape and Open Planning, 79, 150-159.
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (2010). Land Use /Land Cover
Level I Data Analysis, 2002-2007. Retrieved February 12, 2015 from
http://www.nj.gov/dep/gis/digidownload/metadata/lulc07/lulc2007stattablescount
y.htm
Solecki, W.D. & Walker, R. T. (1999). Managing Land Use and Land-Cover Change:
The New Jersey Pinelands Biosphere Reserve. Annals of the Association of
American Geographers, 89, 220-237.

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Appendix I: Tables

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Statewide Land Use Change 2002 to 2007
2002
2007
Net Change
Land Use Type (acres)
594,599
566,045
-28,554
Agriculture
51,678
-7,460
Barren Land 59,138
1,568,809
1,526,367
-42,442
Forest
1,452,077
1,532,364
80,287
Urban Land
803,611
810,541
6,930
Water
1,005,735
996,675
-8,760
Wetlands
Table 1. NJDEPs Land Use Land Cover Level 1 Data Analysis shows the net change in land use type
(acres) for agriculture land, barren land, forest area, urban land, water, and wetlands areas in New Jersey
from 2002-2007.

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Land Use Change in Essex County from 1995 to 2007

Land Use Type (acres)
Wetland
Forest
Water
Urban

1995
7008
11049
11798
66723

2007
6437
9712
3242
67554

Net Change
-571
-1337
-8556
831

Table 2. NJDEPs LULC data shows the net change in land use type (acres) for wetland, forest area, urban
land, and water in New Jersey from 1995-2007.

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Land Use Change in Essex County from 2002 to 2007

Land Use Type
(acres)
Wetland
Forest
Water
Urban

2002

2007

Net Change

6509
10291
2626
62831

6399
9621
2693
63667

-110
-670
67
836

Table 3. Land Use Land Cover Level 1 Data Analysis data shows the net change in land use type (acres)
for wetland, forest area, urban land, and water in New Jersey from 2002-2007.

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LAND USE CHANGES FOR 21 COUNTIES IN NEW JERSEY 2002-2007

County
Agriculture Barren Land
Forest
Urban Land
Water
Wetlands
ATLANTIC
-583
-1147
-4276
5514
1056
-571
BERGEN
-82
419
-1591
1418
53
-214
BURLINGTON
-2989
455
-3006
7066
535
-1151
CAMDEN
-697
-1
-2080
2869
156
-249
CAPE MAY
-652
-411
-1091
1755
579
-135
CUMBERLAND
-1234
315
-1873
2626
242
-77
ESSEX
-17
-107
-670
836
67
-110
GLOUCESTER
-6129
673
-2109
7652
606
-692
HUDSON
0
62
-469
450
52
-94
HUNTERDON
-2253
-477
-1835
4799
88
-320
MERCER
-2215
-427
-479
3460
16
-356
MIDDLESEX
-2418
-259
-1984
5644
123
-1105
MONMOUTH
-2909
-2224
-3215
8769
797
-1216
MORRIS
-612
-528
-3434
4649
13
-349
OCEAN
-493
-1228
-7077
7835
1511
-549
PASSAIC
-1
-152
-792
954
71
-84
SALEM
-1062
-237
-301
1633
489
-522
SOMERSET
-1715
-788
-1559
4539
91
-569
SUSSEX
-1308
-211
-2913
4370
452
-390
UNION
-14
-33
-234
295
13
-29
WARREN
-1164
-574
-1451
3151
271
-141
Table 4. NJDEPs Land Use Land Cover Level 1 Data Analysis shows the net change in all land use types
(acres) using graduated symbols for forest area in all 21 counties in New Jersey from 2002 to 2007

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Appendix II: Figures

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Fig 1. NJDEPs Land Use Land Cover Level 1 Data Analysis shows the net change in forest land use type
(acres) using graduated symbols for forest area in all 21 counties in New Jersey from 2002 to 2007.

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Fig 2. NJDEPs Land Use Land Cover Level 1 Data Analysis shows the net change in agricultural land use
type (acres) using graduated symbols for forest area in all 21 counties in New Jersey from 2002 to 2007.

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Fig 3. NJDEPs Land Use Land Cover Level 1 Data Analysis shows the net change in barren land use type
(acres) using graduated symbols for forest area in all 21 counties in New Jersey from 2002 to 2007.

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Fig 4. NJDEPs Land Use Land Cover Level 1 Data Analysis shows the net change in urban land use type
(acres) using graduated symbols for forest area in all 21 counties in New Jersey from 2002 to 2007.

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Fig 5. NJDEPs Land Use Land Cover Level 1 Data Analysis shows the net change in water land use type
(acres) using graduated symbols for forest area in all 21 counties in New Jersey from 2002 to 2007.

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Fig 6. NJDEPs Land Use Land Cover Level 1 Data Analysis shows the net change in Wetland land use
type (acres) using graduated symbols for forest area in all 21 counties in New Jersey from 2002 to 2007.

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Appendix III: Aerial Photos

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