USFWS Expanding Supawna Meadows Wildlife Refuge

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is looking at acquiring an additional 182 acres next to the Supawna Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Salem County, NJ. The land is currently privately owned and consists of undeveloped wetlands and marsh. The Supawna Meadows National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1974 and contains over 3,000 acres of wildlife habitat.

“In a win for open space and preserving wildlife habitat, the federal government is looking at buying 182 more acres to expand the Supawna Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. Expanding this wildlife refuge is critical. It is a brackish tidal marsh that is critical for all kinds of birds, including ospreys and bald eagles and a variety of ducks. This area is also a breeding ground for fish and helps protect against flooding and storm surges,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “This shows the change from the previous administration. This was in the works for years, but was held up by Trump. Now the Biden administration is moving things forward to preserve more open space for wildlife and protect it from damaging sprawl projects.”

In 2006, Wal-Mart Realty applied to build a 220,000 square foot superstore within the 4,600-acre boundary of the Supawna Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. The project would have added 22 acres of impervious surface and increased stormwater runoff. The developer withdrew the application in 2008 after facing opposition from the NJ Sierra Club and other local and environmental groups and instead the 77 acres of land was added to the wildlife refuge.

“It is important that the Biden Administration is working to protect and expand our public lands. Adding more land to the Supawna Meadows National Refuge will protect open space while discouraging harmful developments. This move will help protect more habitats and ecosystems. It will benefit threatened and endangered species like short-eared owls, barn owls, and northern harriers,” said Tittel. “Fifteen years ago, we fought a big battle to stop a Walmart Supercenter from being built next to the Supawna Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. After a long battle, that land was added to the refuge. This 182 acres is another good addition to keep expanding the refuge.”

New Jersey has 5 National Wildlife Refuges, including the Supawna Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. The other refuges include the Cape May National Wildlife Refuge, the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, and the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge.

“The Biden Administration is taking steps to preserve wildlife habitat and expand protected open space in New Jersey. This is one of the first steps as President Biden begins to undo all of the environmental damage that Trump did. Not only does he need to overturn Donald Trump’s horrible anti-environmental legacy, but he needs to enact stronger protections and regulations. We need to put the enforcement back into our National Wildlife Refuges to prevent poaching and more damage to these important public lands,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “We thank President Biden for being a leader in protecting our environment in New Jersey and across the country.”