Welcome to the Sourlands
The Sourland Mountain may be the best kept secret in New Jersey. Nestled in the heart of the most densely populated state in the nation, the Mountain hosts a large unbroken forest. Its mosaic of habitats is home to an incredibly rich diversity of animal and plant species, many rare or endangered.
Geology
The Sourland region is defined by its unique geology.
Round, smooth boulders look like they were carried here by moving ice, but no glacier ever came within fifty miles of the Sourlands.
Many credit the rocky terrain for saving the forest as much of the area is unsuitable for farming or housing.
Ecology
Biological diversity is a reflection of the health of an ecosystem. Our forests, meadows and wetlands host a wide variety of plant and animal species.
Many Sourland region species rely on both the quantity and the quality of the forest and understory.
One of three major areas of unbroken habitat in the state, midway between the Highlands and the Pinelands.
A critical stopover point for birds migrating along the Atlantic flyway and is one of New Jersey’s top fall migration stopover sites.
Especially important as a breeding area for migratory songbirds, particularly those who nest only in large wooded areas.
Water
Streams form headwaters that feed rivers that supply drinking water to millions.
Residents of New Jersey and Pennsylvania whose water comes from the Delaware and Raritan Rivers are using, in part, water that began its journey at the top of the Mountain.
Contiguous forests, wetlands, floodplains and vernal pools protect the Mountain’s water quality and quantity.
Forested riparian areas protect water quality by buffering streams from surrounding land uses and by reducing water temperature, stabilizing stream banks, filtering pollutants from runoff and providing habitat for stream life.
Water is a precious resource here and must be actively protected.