New Friendship Gate

[Jon Holcombe]

This gate looks just like the one that Guy posted about on June 9.

I do not think it is the same gate although in the same general Carranza Rd. area. If someone mentioned this, I missed it. It looks brand new, and the road is legal (but now blocked) under the 1997 USGS Topo map adopted by the Pinelands Commission. I remember checking this specific road after the ruling by the PC.

The dirt around the posts look freshly dug, the wood seems brand new. The a$$holes who drive into wetlands are responsible for this. I blame the PPA second, but in fairness, they are trying to do the right thing. However much I disagree with them.

To hike from that spot adds an additional 15 minutes and almost one mile, 1-1/2 hours before sunrise for me to get to my location along the dike. It definitely adds to the difficulty factor.

https://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.76618711900751&lng=-74.60548002214188&z=15&type=topo&gpx=

 

[Broke Jeep Joe]

I cant say this makes me happy.... I think we are seeing the systematic closure of roads to effectively create a "MAP"

 

[mowergod]

I cant say this makes me happy.... I think we are seeing the systematic closure of roads to effectively create a "MAP"

I agree.

 

[Teegate]

That was not blocked a few weeks ago. I was emailed by someone who went there and checked on it for me and it was open. The reason that is closed is because of Pickering Morning Glory. That is another location it is located at. It is a favorite plants of the Superintendent and Emile Deveto from the NJCF. I suspect that since there has been a move forward to block this road they have blocked another one nearby. So at this point two roads have been blocked along Carranza for this plant, one has signs blocking a road that the plant is near, and one road I will have to check on next week.

 

[popeofthepines]

So the 'pickering' gates will number 3 by the time this area is done? I believe the state's post before mentioned 4 areas that they have found this plant.

 

[eblightning]

This approach of road closure is alarming and in effect perverting the authority of our trusted state officials that had agreed to communicate such closures when the MAP opposition was at it's highest decibel. Upon marinating on the reasoning of these closures. I thought to myself, when sensitive vegetation needs protecting, they don't close the beach but rather protect the sensitive growth by other methods. The morning glory is vulnerable to many threats, including deer. Closing the road is a veiled attempt to prevent access and access only. See attached link for several university references.

Are Morning Glories Deer Resistant?

Morning glories (Ipomoea purpurea) are related to common bindweed, but they're much...

homeguides.sfgate.com

 

[Broke Jeep Joe]

Below is a link to an article by Michele Byers, NJCF. I find the way they are handling the raising of the Pickering interesting, in a controlled fenced area as suggested above in reference to the dunes, not closing roads and blocking acreages of pinelands. I do realize the areas in Wharton are all walkable and FPP is non motorized, now these areas in WSF are only accessible to the fortunate folks that can walk great distances. I think that preserving the plant and controlling the area with their own idea is a better solution. It may also prevent the plants from being eaten.

Article
https://www.njconservation.org/saving-rare-pickerings-morning-glories/

From the article:
Last fall, 44 tiny plants were transplanted from the Duke Farms greenhouse into a fenced experimental plot at New Jersey Conservation Foundation’s Franklin Parker Preserve in the Pine Barrens.

From the article, I also found this interesting, mouse in charge of the cheese sort of thought for me:

Now that new Pickering’s morning glory seedlings are appearing, the nonprofit Pinelands Preservation Alliance is assisting by coordinating a census of all known populations.

 

[Jon Holcombe]

Aside from Morning Glory protection, the video (link below) is about snakes and features Emile Devito.

I agree with 99% of what Emile DeVito stands for. But when discussing the MAP plan he says around 9:20 mark: "The whole plan was scuttled by Gov. Christie... and we have no idea why, other than to cater to the motor vehicle lobby which is basically a bunch of environmental criminals that should all be in jail".

He seems like a driven environmental scientist who is doing the right thing, but my ability to access roads that have been open in Wharton for many decades if not centuries, is being denied because a$$hole mudders would rather tear up the forest instead of hiking through it in a respectful way. I am not a mudder. I drive legally and I hike into abandoned bogs.

Can someone explain how driving legally down the now closed road to Friendship will destroy Pickerings Morning Glory?

My point is DeVito, PPA, DEP and Wharton are looking for any reason at all to close roads, using any pretext.

 

[Broke Jeep Joe]

Completely agree Jon

 

[mowergod]

Completely agree Jon

I second that as they also have the gobs office, and the Wharton superintendent on there pocket. Unless we as a community stand up and voice our opinion and the such were screwed and we'll be looking at the pines from behind glass un lea we kiss the PPAs butt

 

[popeofthepines]

Below is a link to an article by Michele Byers, NJCF. I find the way they are handling the raising of the Pickering interesting, in a controlled fenced area as suggested above in reference to the dunes, not closing roads and blocking acreages of pinelands. I do realize the areas in Wharton are all walkable and FPP is non motorized, now these areas in WSF are only accessible to the fortunate folks that can walk great distances. I think that preserving the plant and controlling the area with their own idea is a better solution. It may also prevent the plants from being eaten.

Article
https://www.njconservation.org/saving-rare-pickerings-morning-glories/

From the article:
Last fall, 44 tiny plants were transplanted from the Duke Farms greenhouse into a fenced experimental plot at New Jersey Conservation Foundation’s Franklin Parker Preserve in the Pine Barrens.

From the article, I also found this interesting, mouse in charge of the cheese sort of thought for me:

Now that new Pickering’s morning glory seedlings are appearing, the nonprofit Pinelands Preservation Alliance is assisting by coordinating a census of all known populations.

I agree with the conservation of these plants and the controlled fence area seems best. I wonder when they do the census how many will show in areas where the Pinelands Adventure canoes are dropped off or picked up? Or will they find them in areas where the competing canoe rentals go? Hmm.

I would be on their side if they fought this hard against the continued construction of new housing developments in the pines because I cannot imagine how much damage is done when those are built. The displacement of so many creature's habitats and the amount of new asphalt etc. I know the builders have to do conservation studies and such but they also have lawyers to help their cause.

I am against 'muddin' and driving through streams and wetlands. I can drive out there all day and not feel the need to drive off the road and into the wetlands. And I know there are many like me but then there are the ones that need to prove something and record it and then put it on youtube or something for all the world to see. And the cycle continues.
I was told a long time ago by a ranger that you need to stay on the established roadway. That was after I pulled off the road half the distance of my truck in a sandy area on the road below Apple Pie Hill and then was pulled over and received a ticket for 'off roading' and not staying on the established roadway. I did not think i was off the road and had just stopped to review directions with my passenger. I did not attempt to drive up the side of it but you would have thought I tried based upon his attitude towards me. I did not argue and went about my day and paid my fine.
Enforcement worked for me and will work for others.

 

[Jon Holcombe]

Pope, it makes me wonder what the enforcement policy is on established go-arounds?

The go-arounds exist because the roads aren't maintained (perhaps due to budget constraints). Deep holes, ruts, blowdowns, create situations where the round-about has been created by cars just trying to drive down the road. Every sand road in the pine barrens has them, but in the scheme of things they comprise a tiny percentage of the forest. I suppose it's just easier to throw up a gate.

I suppose the forest is for Morning Glory, Pine Snakes and Swamp Pink, and the environmentalists that study them.

I'd like to extend an invitation to Mr. DeVito to join me at 3:30 am on the next misty winter's morning to bushwack into Friendship and wait for the sunrise.

 

[Broke Jeep Joe]

Enforcement on an existing go around should be nil in my opinion as I know the SPP and state employees use them. Same as when you come bumper to bumper with someone on the trail, one of you needs to move, or back up a long way! just make sure you have your seat belt on! Jon, let me know if you get an RSVP on your invite!

 

[eblightning]

Aside from Morning Glory protection, the video (link below) is about snakes and features Emile Devito.

I agree with 99% of what Emile DeVito stands for. But when discussing the MAP plan he says around 9:20 mark: "The whole plan was scuttled by Gov. Christie... and we have no idea why, other than to cater to the motor vehicle lobby which is basically a bunch of environmental criminals that should all be in jail".

He seems like a driven environmental scientist who is doing the right thing, but my ability to access roads that have been open in Wharton for many decades if not centuries, is being denied because a$$hole mudders would rather tear up the forest instead of hiking through it in a respectful way. I am not a mudder. I drive legally and I hike into abandoned bogs.

Can someone explain how driving legally down the now closed road to Friendship will destroy Pickerings Morning Glory?

My point is DeVito, PPA, DEP and Wharton are looking for any reason at all to close roads, using any pretext.

My sentiments exactly Jon!

 

[Teegate]

If needed, everyone uses go arounds. Everyone! So getting a ticket for that is lame as is someone using that as an excuse to try to close roads. Joe is correct that this issue should be nil.

You can be sure that the people checking on the Morning Glory down the roads that are blocked are not walking to view them. As I mentioned before when Ben, Gabe and I met with Rob at Island Beach State Park he told me they would be closing the road I questioned him on that leads to Morning Glory. He told me that those individuals who needed to get down the road would still have access but I would not.

 

[Teegate]

I agree with the conservation of these plants and the controlled fence area seems best. I wonder when they do the census how many will show in areas where the Pinelands Adventure canoes are dropped off or picked up? Or will they find them in areas where the competing canoe rentals go? Hmm.

They could have put a fence around the plants down the road that is gated off of Tuckerton. They chose not to most likely because they wanted the road closed so nobody would go down to Quarter Mile. The plants down the road at the new gate would be much tougher to individually block. The one gate made it easy and cheeper for them.

This plant only grows in sporadic locations. I don't believe there are locations where they drop off water craft.

 

[Teegate]

One

Can someone explain how driving legally down the now closed road to Friendship will destroy Pickerings Morning Glory?

My point is DeVito, PPA, DEP and Wharton are looking for any reason at all to close roads, using any pretext.

Each time you went down that road you drove right past Morning Glory. If you stayed on the road for the most part you most likely did not run them over. However, if you wander off the road into the sandy area nearby you would run it over. They put logs around them years back but they have disinigrated for the most part.

I am not an expert on this plant; however, I have been visiting each location I know of every year. They grow best in disturbed sandy soil, and when they are blocked from traffic the ground becomes hard and other plants move in. The plant then struggles.

Jessica is beginning to believe that someone is planting seeds at the location we found and I reported. Recently, I learned someone else discovered the location and I found that they are trimming the path in, and for the first time ever there are new plants growing where they did not grow before.

Jessica firmly believes they would plant them just to close a road if need be.

 

[Jon Holcombe]

Jessica firmly believes they would plant them just to close a road if need be.

There are many reasons to close a legally drivable road. Emile Devito is very persuasive. I am sure when he is speaking to the PPA faithful, many whom I bet do not explore remote areas, there are a lot of hands in the air and shouting "Amen".

This will create a major hurdle for people who want to see a beautiful and remote area that was hard to access before the gate was installed. And especially for fanatics like me who want to be there at sunrise.

 

[popeofthepines]

i agree that the enforcement should be nil but i

Pope, it makes me wonder what the enforcement policy is on established go-arounds?

The go-arounds exist because the roads aren't maintained (perhaps due to budget constraints). Deep holes, ruts, blowdowns, create situations where the round-about has been created by cars just trying to drive down the road. Every sand road in the pine barrens has them, but in the scheme of things they comprise a tiny percentage of the forest. I suppose it's just easier to throw up a gate.

I suppose the forest is for Morning Glory, Pine Snakes and Swamp Pink, and the environmentalists that study them.

I'd like to extend an invitation to Mr. DeVito to join me at 3:30 am on the next misty winter's morning to bushwack into Friendship and wait for the sunrise.

Yeah I would like to believe they are nil as Broke Jeep Joe and Teegate said because they are used by everyone. I recall Rob Aurmueller saying at one of the town hall meeting for the last MAP debate, that in the wet season he had to use them to get around certain puddles. I agree the constitute a small percentage off all the roads in the Pines.
But we can see the state does not like to be consistent, so if Rob does it, it does not mean you can.

 

[popeofthepines]

Jessica is beginning to believe that someone is planting seeds at the location we found and I reported. Recently, I learned someone else discovered the location and I found that they are trimming the path in, and for the first time ever there are new plants growing where they did not grow before.

Jessica firmly believes they would plant them just to close a road if need be.
[/QUOTE]

That is what i was leaning towards with my post. Are they using the plant to pick off areas to close to protect them?? Rhetorical and i am not trying to sound like a guy with a foil helmet, but this PPA group is something else wit their tactics.