New York – New Jersey Highlands regional study: 2002 update

The purpose of this study update is to… 1. Reassess the condition of natural resources in the Highlands region; 2. Analyze land cover change and potential land use; 3. Identify significant areas to be conserved and protected; and 4. Develop strategies to protect the long-term integrity of the region. This updated study report builds on the foundation established by the 1992 study. It focuses on the location and priority of regional natural resources that are most critical, and on strategies that can be implemented by public and private sectors in the stewardship of the Highlands.This update was guided by the 1992 study in regard to the vision and goals for the Highlands region. The resource assessment and subsequent analyses were expanded, however, taking advantage of the availability of spatial data and improved analytical techniques using Geographic Information System (GIS) technology. The study team adopted the Highlands study area boundaries from the 1992 study and expanded them from the Hudson River eastward to the New York–Connecticut border using topography and geology as key determinants. The current study area encompasses approximately 1.5 million acres of Appalachian ridges and valleys and stretches from the Lower Hudson River Valley in New York to the Delaware River in New Jersey.The report number is NA-TP-02-03