Editing Cape May County, New Jersey (section)

===Flora and fauna===
[[File:Charadrius melodus -Cape May, New Jersey, USA -parent and chick-8 (1).jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|[[Piping plover]]s in [[Cape May, New Jersey|Cape May]]]]
The uplands, wetlands, and open waters of the county support one of the largest concentrations of migratory birds in North America. Nearly 900,000 migratory birds were observed in 1995 in Avalon. Along the Delaware Bay, 800,000 to 1.5 million birds pass through the area each spring.<ref name="fws"/> In 1947, the [[Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary]] was established, which was designated as a [[National Natural Landmark]] in 1965.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Sanctuary's History|publisher=Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary|access-date=April 23, 2018|url=http://stoneharborbirdsanctuary.com/history/|archive-date=April 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180424135607/http://stoneharborbirdsanctuary.com/history/|url-status=live}}</ref> In addition to the 151 species of birds that frequent the county, there are two species of whales, the [[loggerhead sea turtle]], the [[Pituophis melanoleucus|northern pine snake]], two species of treefrog, and the [[tiger salamander]] that inhabit the waters of Cape May County. Eight species of fish and four species of shellfish populate the coastal waters.<ref name="fws"/>

About 30% of the county is covered by forests that runs the length of the Cape May peninsula and connects with the Pinelands.<ref name="proposed"/><ref name="fws"/> The largely unfragmented forest provides breeding grounds for the [[barred owl]], [[red-shouldered hawk]], and [[wood thrush]], and also provides habitat for insects and migratory birds. In the county's [[swamp]]y interior, there are over 20 species of trees and 40 species of shrubs. About 42% of the county consists of wetlands. The marshes between the mainland and the barrier island are dominated by the [[Phragmites|common reed]], [[Typha angustifolia|narrow-leaved cattail]], [[Scirpus|bulrushes]], and [[Spartina alterniflora|smooth cordgrass]]. Along the beach, the [[Ammophila breviligulata|American beachgrass]] predominantly make up dune systems, along with other plant species.<ref name="fws"/>

The county utilizes five underground [[aquifer]]s, including two that derive from the [[Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer]]. Severe storms resulted in [[saltwater intrusion]] of the county's freshwater supply.<ref>{{cite report|page=162|title=Compendium of New Jersey Pine Barrens Literature|author=Kenneth Buchhoiz|author2=Ralph E. Good|date=July 1982|publisher=Center for Coastal and Environmental Studies|access-date=May 7, 2018|url=http://www.state.nj.us/pinelands/infor/online/pdf%20reports/24%20Compendium%20of%20New%20Jersey%20Pine%20Barrens%20Literature%201982.pdf|archive-date=October 13, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151013032057/http://www.state.nj.us/pinelands/infor/online/pdf%20reports/24%20Compendium%20of%20New%20Jersey%20Pine%20Barrens%20Literature%201982.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> The suitable growing conditions led to West Cape May considering itself the "[[lima bean]] capital of the world", until Guatemala surpassed it in the 1990s. The city still hosts an annual lima bean festival.<ref>{{cite magazine|author=Eric Levin|url=http://njmonthly.com/articles/lifestyle/happy-harvests.html|title=Happy Harvests|magazine=[[New Jersey Monthly]]|date=September 14, 2009|access-date=May 7, 2018|archive-date=July 4, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140704235249/http://njmonthly.com/articles/lifestyle/happy-harvests.html|url-status=live}}</ref>