N.J. Stat. § 4:1C-37a

1. a. As used in this section: "Local government unit" means the same as that term is defined in section 3 of P.L.1999, c.152 (C.13:8C-3). "Qualifying tax-exempt nonprofit organization" means the same as that term is defined in section 3 of P.L.1999, c.152 (C.13:8C-3). "Woodland" means a defined and continuous area of land that lies wholly within a property and has at least 10 percent canopy cover. b. The State Agriculture Development Committee shall establish a program for the acquisition, by the State, a local government unit, or a qualifying tax-exempt nonprofit organization, of a development easement restricting, in perpetuity, the development of a privately owned woodland. The purpose of the program shall be to promote the preservation and stewardship of lands for agricultural, silvicultural, and horticultural use and production, and to protect the State's forested lands. c. To be eligible for the acquisition of development rights under the program, a woodland shall: (1) be at least 20 acres in size; (2) be devoted, in whole or in part, to either agricultural production or the production for sale of tree or forest products; and (3) for those areas not in agricultural production, be managed by the landowner in accordance with a forest stewardship plan approved pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2009, c.256 (C.13:1L-31), a woodland management plan approved pursuant to section 3 of the "Farmland Assessment Act of 1964," P.L.1964, c.48 (C.54:4-23.3), or a plan approved pursuant to the federal Forest Stewardship Program administered by the United States Forest Service. d. The appraisal process for development easements under the program shall be the same as that for farmland under the provisions of subsection e. of section 8 of P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-50). e. The State Agriculture Development Committee may use constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax revenues in the "Preserve New Jersey Farmland Preservation Fund" established by section 8 of P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-50) in order to fund the acquisition of development easements under the program, or any other funds appropriated to the committee for farmland preservation purposes, provided that the use of the funds is consistent with the provisions of the "Preserve New Jersey Act," P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-43 et seq.) and the State Constitution. f. The State Agriculture Development Committee shall coordinate with the United States Forest Service and any other applicable State or federal agency in order to pursue any federal, State, local, and private funding, which may be available to fund the program established pursuant to this section, including funding made available through the federal "Forest Legacy Program," administered by the United States Forest Service, and through the federal "Health Forests Reserve Program," administered by the United States Natural Resources Conservation Service. g. No later than one year after the effective date of this section, the State Agriculture Development Committee shall adopt rules and regulations, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), for the establishment and implementation of the program, including, but not limited to, application procedures and criteria and policies for the evaluation and priority ranking of projects. h. Any development easement permanently restricting, in perpetuity, development on privately owned woodlands acquired pursuant to this section shall be filed with the municipal tax assessor and recorded with the county clerk in the same manner as a deed. L.2025, c.287, s.1.