On January 20, 2026, Governor Phil Murphy signed the New Jersey Invasive Species Management Act into law. The new law establishes a comprehensive framework and creates a permanent New Jersey Invasive Species Council to guide science-based policy, education, and management statewide. It restricts the unregulated sale, distribution, import, export, and propagation of designated invasive species while giving nurseries, growers, land managers, and municipalities realistic timelines to comply.
Twenty-two years in the making, grassroots advocates, scientists, and industry professionals changed New Jersey law. This legislation represents years of the tireless dedication of boots-on-the-groundwork by people who understood that New Jersey’s forests, waterways, and farmland were being systematically degraded by invasive species.
The Long Road: 2004 to Today
2004-2010: Council Creation and Disbanding
In 2004, Governor Jon Corzine established the New Jersey Invasive Species Council. The Council produced a 2009 Strategic Management Plan documenting a $290 million annual economic impact on agriculture and finding that 30% of the state’s flora were nonnative species. Governor Chris Christie disbanded the Council in 2010.
During this period, environmental advocates and land stewards documented invasive species including Callery or Bradford pear (Pyrus calleryana), Norway Maple (Acer platanoides), Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii), winged euonymus (Euonymus alatus), tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima), and autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellate). These are a small sample of the 31initial invasive plants listed in the bill, displacing native plants and threatening ecosystems statewide.
2011-2015: Building the Evidence
Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space’s Invasive Species Strike Team conducted systematic field surveys documenting invasive species distribution and ecological impact. Nursery and landscape professionals began transitioning to native plant alternatives, demonstrating viable ecological business models.
2016-2019: Early Legislative Attempts
Senator Linda R. Greenstein sponsored invasive species legislation in 2018, which failed to advance. Stakeholder organizations including NJNLA, Native Plant Society of New Jersey, and NJ Forestry Association provided testimony on proposed legislation.
2020-2023: Collaborative Legislative Development
Senator Linda R. Greenstein and Senator Bob Smith sponsored invasive species legislation, working with DEP Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette and Agriculture Secretary Ed Wengryn. S-2186/A-3677 was introduced in the 2022-2023 legislative session. The Senate Environment and Energy Committee advanced the bill in December 2022. Governor Murphy vetoed S-2186 in January 2024, citing concerns about regulatory coordination with DEP. S-1029 was subsequently introduced in the 2024-2025 session with revised provisions.
2024-2025: Final Passage
The bill advanced through two legislative sessions with bipartisan support. Public testimony demonstrated broad coalition support from conservationists, nursery operators, landscape professionals, and municipal officials. The legislation passed both chambers with strong majorities.
January 20, 2026: Today
Governor Murphy’s signing validates a collaborative, science-based approach to environmental policy that respects both ecological necessity and economic reality.
“Invasive plant species pose a real danger to New Jersey’s agricultural industry and the wider ecosystem… We are one of the only states that does not have a list of prohibited species… These invasive plants have wreaked havoc on native species for decades, and we must take action to mitigate the threat before irreparable damage is done.” — Senator Linda R. Greenstein (D-Mercer/Middlesex) on S-1029, reported in January 2025
“Many invasive species have proven to be extremely aggressive, forcibly taking over the habitats of New Jersey’s native plants by competing for resources. On top of this, they often provide a home for invasive insects, such as the spotted lanternfly, which has allowed for the exponential growth of the pests throughout our State.” — Senator Bob Smith (D-Middlesex/Somerset) at the Senate Environment and Energy Committee meeting advancing S-1029 in Trenton on January 13, 2025
What the Law Does
The New Jersey Invasive Species Management Act:
- Prohibits unregulated sale, distribution, import, export, and propagation of listed invasive species
- Establishes the NJ Invasive Species Council to guide policy, research, and education
- The New Jersey Invasive Species Council shall make recommendations to the Commissioner of Environmental Protection and the Secretary of Agriculture regarding invasive species
- Provides technical assistance and educational resources for industry transition
- Creates mechanisms for ongoing species assessment and permit applications
The framework balances environmental protection with workable industry timelines.
Why This Matters in the Real World
Ecological Reality
Invasive species are a major threat to biodiversity worldwide, second only to habitat loss. In New Jersey, invasive plants have displaced native vegetation that pollinators and wildlife depend on, degraded soils and forest regeneration, choked waterways and wetlands, and created monocultures that increase wildfire risk while reducing ecosystem resilience.
Economic Reality
Invasive species cost New Jersey hundreds of millions of dollars annually through agricultural losses, increased pest management costs, reduced property values, municipal management spending, lost ecosystem services, and reduced tourism revenue.
Industry Opportunity
This legislation accelerates market demand for native plant alternatives, positions New Jersey companies as environmental leaders, creates specialty markets for ecological restoration services, and supports business models built on long-term ecosystem health.
What Happens Next
DEP and NJDA will begin formal rulemaking and convene the New Jersey Invasive Species Council no later than 60 days after the Act’s effective date. Within 12 months, DEP, in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, will adopt the administrative procedures, rules, and regulations needed to implement the law statewide. Once appointed, the New Jersey Invasive Species Council will create the Council’s rules of order, operating procedures, and priorities to guide coordination and implementation.
Within 36 months of the effective date, and every three years thereafter, DEP will review the latest scientific recommendations from the Council and update the list of regulated and prohibited invasive species as appropriate.
Prepared by:
Richard A. McCoy | Richard A. McCoy Regenerative Land Care Consulting LLC. | Northeast Representative, American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA)
—New Jersey Nursery & Landscape Association
