The Legislature hereby finds and declares the following:
a. That it is the policy of this State to manage all forms of wildlife to insure their continued participation in the ecosystem;
b. That species or subspecies of wildlife indigenous to the State which may be found to be endangered should be accorded special protection in order to maintain and to the extent possible enhance their numbers; and
c. That the State should assist in the protection of species or subspecies of wildlife which are deemed to be endangered elsewhere by regulating the taking, possession, transportation, importation, exportation, processing, sale or offer for sale, or shipment within this State of species or subspecies of wildlife including those on any federal endangered species list.
Citation: N.J.S.A. 23:2A-2.
The Legislature finds and declares that plant species have medicinal, genetic, ecological, educational and aesthetic value to the citizens of New Jersey; that the perpetuation of many plant species native to New Jersey or the United States is in jeopardy; and that a definitive, officially recognized State list of endangered plant species is needed to eliminate the confusion resulting from various existing unofficial lists which are inconsistent and is a necessary precondition to more effectively and efficiently incorporate the preservation of our State's natural diversity into government planning functions.
Citation: N.J.S.A. 13:1B-15.152.