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  1. J

    Wharton State Forest 1966 Visitor Map nearly identical to 2024 draft Visitor Map

    I am part of the effort to increase funding for the parks and WMAs, however getting money out of Trenton essentially for rural areas is not easy. Budgets were cut in 2007 and never restored fully, but It is slightly better now than it was during the Christie administration. If the atsion...
  2. J

    Wharton State Forest 1966 Visitor Map nearly identical to 2024 draft Visitor Map

    If the police can't/wont drive on it because of the terrible condition and risk to public safety and equipment, it should not be listed as a public road in my opinion.
  3. J

    Wharton State Forest 1966 Visitor Map nearly identical to 2024 draft Visitor Map

    In my opinion, enforceable routes should be the number 1 criteria for establishing any designated motor vehicle pathways in any park. If they can't be patrolled, they shouldn't be available for motorized usage. Otherwise you have essentially defacto lawless areas which has led to the damage we...
  4. J

    Wharton State Forest 1966 Visitor Map nearly identical to 2024 draft Visitor Map

    This is a link to recent citation data from jan1-2023-jan1 2024 for those interested. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lJ98DFzoSf58_D8825lCraUFE9mE7ahH/view?usp=drive_link The question presented by the lack of enforcement of rampant illegal activity is: how can we help law enforcement more...
  5. J

    Wharton State Forest 1966 Visitor Map nearly identical to 2024 draft Visitor Map

    “ by applying common sense and my experience “ Your points make complete sense to me when It comes to you and people with similar ethics and experience. Unfortunately, there are thousands of people unlike you who are attempting to turn our State Parks into defacto off-road vehicle parks. As...
  6. J

    Wharton State Forest 1966 Visitor Map nearly identical to 2024 draft Visitor Map

    Here is a question. Who gets to decide what is a motorized vehicle route within a State Park? What criteria should be applied to determine whether or not a particular route should be available for use by (the entire) public?
  7. J

    Wharton State Forest 1966 Visitor Map nearly identical to 2024 draft Visitor Map

    The routes you are referring to have never been included on a State Park Map in New Jersey. “With regard to the 1997 USGS quads, this was strictly photo-revision. I sincerely doubt any attempt was made to search for or apply local regulation with regard to land access or applicable state law on...
  8. J

    Wharton State Forest 1966 Visitor Map nearly identical to 2024 draft Visitor Map

    This is a direct comparison of the 1966 Wharton State Forest Visitor Map, which was published with the same basic form until modern standards for EMS and navigation made it obsolete and the new 2024 visitor map. The routes depicted in the new map are nearly identical to the old map, except for...
  9. J

    DEP Announces Virtual Public Meeting to Launch Wharton State Forest Visitor and Vehicle Use Survey

    From personal communications with Roger Barlow of the USGS, the later maps (publication ending in 1997) were photo revisions for structures only , not field observation. Field observation for occurred in the mid 1950s by employees on bicycles going throughout SJ. Meaning the route information...
  10. J

    DEP Announces Virtual Public Meeting to Launch Wharton State Forest Visitor and Vehicle Use Survey

    I could probably fill you in atleast on some of those Tulp paths, if you are not fully aware of what’s going on out there. But in any case, I understand not everyone here can follow these things as closely as I am able to. In 2017, I helped Pinelands advocates propose and pass a resolution to...
  11. J

    DEP Announces Virtual Public Meeting to Launch Wharton State Forest Visitor and Vehicle Use Survey

    I should also mention that I am taking recommendations to potentially be included in the next round of comments to the Park Service, that include either subtractions or additions to the current draft. So if you have a specific area that you think should be included or excluded, and want to...
  12. J

    DEP Announces Virtual Public Meeting to Launch Wharton State Forest Visitor and Vehicle Use Survey

    Mr. Ruset is fully informed on this I believe he can explain. You would probably trust it more coming from him, given I don't even know your real name.
  13. J

    DEP Announces Virtual Public Meeting to Launch Wharton State Forest Visitor and Vehicle Use Survey

    I agree with you. That's why I am asking for suggestions on how to describe the opposition to the visitor map in a comprehensive fashion, but also not too long winded to be distracting to the overall message.
  14. J

    DEP Announces Virtual Public Meeting to Launch Wharton State Forest Visitor and Vehicle Use Survey

    Please write me your suggestions on how to frame the opposition to the visitor map. Believe it or not (the certain other interests), was trying to acknowledge that there are other interests besides ORV use. The "directed by anti-conservation corporate lobbyists" is a stone cold fact, but I grant...
  15. J

    The History of the Pinelands Protection Movement

    It has become apparent to me that many people are not familiar with the full history of the movement to protect the Pine Barrens. I hope many people here, especially people like Ted Gordon who were present during that time(and who I procured this document from), can add valuable details, but...
  16. J

    DEP Announces Virtual Public Meeting to Launch Wharton State Forest Visitor and Vehicle Use Survey

    The Pinelands Commission, at the urging of Pinelands Advocates over the need for a Visitor Map, adopted the USGS topographic mapped double lined routes 1954-997 as the maximum baseline for motor vehicle usage in Wharton, barring endangered species or other issues like Natural Areas, campsites...
  17. J

    DEP Announces Virtual Public Meeting to Launch Wharton State Forest Visitor and Vehicle Use Survey

    If this map is adopted as proposed, there will be no point in Wharton State Forest(125k acres of 600k+ acres of public land in the Pinelands National Reserve) greater than approximately 1.1 miles from a mapped motorized route. This compares with over 1.5 miles away in Acadia National Park (47k...
  18. J

    All-Terrain Vehicle Problem

    While I was not involved in the effort at Chatsworth, what I am told from those within NJCF who established the area was that It was an abject failure. While there were those who you describe that wanted to use the property and follow the rules, they could not stop the militant ORV users who...
  19. J

    All-Terrain Vehicle Problem

    Bob, your thoughtful approach deserves thoughtful conversation and consideration. I don’t think this is the place that is most suitable for that, however. I would certainly be willing to have conversation with others in the realm who are also persuing practical solutions and will be willing to...
  20. J

    DEP Announces Virtual Public Meeting to Launch Wharton State Forest Visitor and Vehicle Use Survey

    That area specifically was a forestry project in the 90s that created a path into a spung. The spung was subsequently torn up by ORVs and is still getting worse because parks staff in Trenton refused an offer to install vehicle barriers. The text comments on the public file are pretty thin...
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