ORV Management In Sensitive Areas Of Wharton

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,678
2,593
60
millville nj
www.youtube.com
The abuse goes much deeper then ORV use in the pines. In todays throw away society people pretty much abuse everything and when it breaks get a new one. That that general lack of respect includes the pines. ORV's just happen to be one of the most noticeable culprits. In some of these closures I've picked up more trash from kayakers then from 4x4's. We stopped at Weymouth for a small picnic over 4th of July weekend. We wound up just people watching. In the hour or so that we were there we saw a girl passed out in a canoe to a man floating in a tube with a floating cooler in tow sipping on a beer. All the while a ranger was right there. When a man stepped foot on shore with a beer the ranger yelled to come over here. The man turned around and simply floated away in the slowest getaway ever seen. There seemed almost a steady flow of drunk people. I am sure that these people are not picking up after themselves.
As more people make the pines their destination and treat it with little or no respect and just go home. The worse everything is going to get. Closing roads is simply putting a band aid on a much larger problem.
If I was a ranger He wouldn't have got away. I can swim and would.
 

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,144
Coastal NJ
We wound up just people watching. In the hour or so that we were there we saw a girl passed out in a canoe to a man floating in a tube with a floating cooler in tow sipping on a beer. All the while a ranger was right there. When a man stepped foot on shore with a beer the ranger yelled to come over here. The man turned around and simply floated away in the slowest getaway ever seen. There seemed almost a steady flow of drunk people. I am sure that these people are not picking up after themselves.
As more people make the pines their destination and treat it with little or no respect and just go home. The worse everything is going to get. Closing roads is simply putting a band aid on a much larger problem.

I wonder if that was a PPA Pinelands Adventure trip? :D Closing roads will just crowd folks onto what is open, doing damage in new places that would not have happened otherwise. And the ignorant ones will still be doing what they will on the closed roads.
 
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manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,678
2,593
60
millville nj
www.youtube.com
I have seen them try and I"ve known a couple that have drowned trying. Thats a good idea. Then I could perform a rescue instead of a murder,then an arrest.I"d be a double hero! You know I really don't care that people get toasted while floating the rivers but I really do get pissed about where they inevitably throw their cans and bottles.
 

SuperChooch

Explorer
Aug 26, 2011
394
429
48
Nope, not a thing. Checked the PPA, DEP, Parks & Forests, Park Police sites, a general search and nothing. Maybe it didn't happen. I'm going to call District 1 tomorrow and see if they know anything; they should.
Did you ever wind up talking to District 1? I'm curious what they have to say about this. Have they been give updated regulations that give them the ability to enforce this or are they currently "suggestions". Given we know the "maps" aren't complete, I wonder how they know what to enforce?
 

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,144
Coastal NJ
Left a message, no call back yet. They are probably too busy writing out summonses. :ninja:

BTW, sending letters to fed rep's will probably just get you a return form letter from a clerk saying you should contact your state rep.
 
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ecampbell

Piney
Jan 2, 2003
2,893
1,036
From the PPA site, they want support from the state level.
Enduro Policy

Download Enduro Policy
Enduro Policy - 206.2KB
DEP policy for Enduro Events.


The State Park Service plans to apply this model to the other state forests throughout New Jersey.

Now, the State needs to hear from the public. Tell DEP that you support this plan to manage motorized recreation in the state forest because it protects natural resources and helps to minimize the staff time it takes to oversee these events.

This approach is a significant improvement over the last 30 years of costly, ineffective management. Wharton State Forest Superintendent, Robert Auermuller, is to be applauded and supported for this extensive effort.

If you have additional time, contact your state assemblyperson and senator to share your support for the State Park Service plan. You can find your legislator email and phone number by visiting http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/legsearch.asp .

http://www.pinelandsalliance.org/protection/hotissues/ecological/offroadvehicles/
 

Boyd

Administrator
Staff member
Site Administrator
Jul 31, 2004
9,836
3,016
Ben's Branch, Stephen Creek

Take a look at the "Street Legal Vehicles" section at that link and this policy: http://www.pinelandsalliance.org/downloads/pinelandsalliance_576.pdf

Note that it is dated January 2011 - four and a half years ago - and it sounds like this is exactly what they have done in Wharton.

6. The state lands authorities should post “No Motorized Vehicles” signs at points where people
are habitually gaining access to damaged areas.

7. The state lands authorities should shut off access to damaged areas and close roads when
conditions, such as inundation, contribute to the risk that such roads will continue to be damaged by specially equipped vehicles, making it impossible for the general public to travel these roads.

12. Volunteer programs need to be created to help provide resources for marking trails, posting off limit areas, and patrolling the parks.
 

popeofthepines

Explorer
Mar 8, 2006
206
73
Atco
From the PPA site, they want support from the state level.
Enduro Policy

Download Enduro Policy
Enduro Policy - 206.2KB
DEP policy for Enduro Events.


The State Park Service plans to apply this model to the other state forests throughout New Jersey.

Now, the State needs to hear from the public. Tell DEP that you support this plan to manage motorized recreation in the state forest because it protects natural resources and helps to minimize the staff time it takes to oversee these events.

This approach is a significant improvement over the last 30 years of costly, ineffective management. Wharton State Forest Superintendent, Robert Auermuller, is to be applauded and supported for this extensive effort.

If you have additional time, contact your state assemblyperson and senator to share your support for the State Park Service plan. You can find your legislator email and phone number by visiting http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/legsearch.asp .

http://www.pinelandsalliance.org/protection/hotissues/ecological/offroadvehicles/


In looking at the map of damaged and areas with trash, I found 3 different ones where the same photo was used for 2 different sites but maybe that was a mistake I made. I am just unsure why every picture is labeled ORV, truck, damage, even ones that are just trash. Am I to guess it is because a truck mostly was used to bring the trash out there?
 

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,144
Coastal NJ
Take a look at the "Street Legal Vehicles" section at that link and this policy: http://www.pinelandsalliance.org/downloads/pinelandsalliance_576.pdf

Note that it is dated January 2011 - four and a half years ago - and it sounds like this is exactly what they have done in Wharton.

6. The state lands authorities should post “No Motorized Vehicles” signs at points where people
are habitually gaining access to damaged areas.

7. The state lands authorities should shut off access to damaged areas and close roads when
conditions, such as inundation, contribute to the risk that such roads will continue to be damaged by specially equipped vehicles, making it impossible for the general public to travel these roads.

12. Volunteer programs need to be created to help provide resources for marking trails, posting off limit areas, and patrolling the parks.

Yep, I posted the same earlier in this thread; makes you wonder who's running Wharton doesn't it?

These are the people of the PPA; some familiar names.

http://www.pinelandsalliance.org/support/about/staff/

And the latest financial statement, posted in another thread;

http://www.pinelandsalliance.org/downloads/pinelandsalliance_1222.pdf
 
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