Species of Special Concern

According to the National Wetlands inventory, the rezoning would include wetlands. The southern portion of the property is in the CHANJ Core which means the land is one of the state's "most advantageous places to implement conservation actions for wildlife connectivity".  The lots in question should be preserved as open space for habitat protection, restoration, and management as they have high biological value/opportunity/need according to NJDEP and the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife. According to Cornell University's E-bird lists, species listed on the NJ Endangered and Nongame Species Program Special Concern bird species are found in the area in question.  This includes Eastern Whip-poor-wills, Blackburnian Warblers, Brown Thrashers, Cooper's Hawks, Nashville Warblers, Northern Parulas, Red-shouldered Hawks, Sharp-shinned Hawks, Spotted Sandpipers, Veerys, Winter Wrens, Woodthrushes.  At the very least, the township should not make any zoning changes until a wetlands survey and species survey are completed for the lots in question.  When the land was surveyed by a land surveyor last year we were told by that company that there were no wetlands in the area; that's not true, so it's clear the seller/owner is not doing their due diligence for the environment.