Remember, if you give them an inch they will take a mile. That is my take on this.
I had a hard time between these two also. The wording is a little confusing to me. Choice three says areas. I don’t feel any “road” should be closed even if it passes through an area of possible T&E spiecies. 1/4 mile is an area that should be closed but High Crossing Road should not be in my opinion. Another example would be Sandy Causeway. There are several vernal pools on either side of it. I’m sure there’s some T&E species in them. The areas should be off limits to motor vehicles but the road itself should not.Despite some of my friends actually voting in the bottom row, I think that is just a needless anger vote and a touch of temporary insanity if you voted there. I'm in the top one.
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But when the radical conservationists with money got involved, we old-timers with a real connection to the land, who know intuitively when to back the vehicle up to avoid damaging our woods, were put in the same basket as those who charge ahead without any thought.
I'll be one of those old timers with a "real connection" to the Pines perusing The Map tonight.Yup, sadly I agree. Not sure when/how so many people with historical ties to the Pine Barrens were pushed aside, but in the last decade a lot of people with big opinions about the Pine Barrens and loud voices showed up and they sure seemed to come out of nowhere. It's kind of ironic that, despite having a real connection to the Pine Barrens and a real understanding of its ecology, those people (the old timers that you mentioned) feel voiceless. Their contributions would probably be the most valuable.
They have the road to the Forks open. I think that was closed on the last version of the MAP.They have West Mill road shown open. This looks like the old MAP.
They have West Mill road shown open. This looks like the old MAP.
Edit: Is there talk of permanently closing West Mill Rd?
This map is nuts.
So if you were to park on any of the countless high, dry, safe, accessible roads that are are not appearling on the map to hike, hunt or fish, should you expect a ticket when you get back to your car?
NJDEP | Wharton State Forest Visiting Vehicle Use Map| New Jersey State Park Service
NJDEP - Wharton State Forest Visiting Vehicle Use Mapwww.nj.gov
Map 8 shows the proposed closures
I was curious about that too. Are they planning on repairing it and was that gate on the west side the Millers gate? Is that gate legal?I was quite surprised by this. It was the first thing I checked.
We really will need a map showing what this proposal would close rather than what it keeps open. I may try to throw that together, if I have some time soon.
West Mill is blocked by Miller's gate from the 206 end, and by the collapsed bridge behind the church at the Pleasant Mills end. So even though it is listed as a driveable road here, currently it's effectively closed to all public vehicular access. I plan to bring this up this evening.