ORV Management In Sensitive Areas Of Wharton

Teegate

Teegate

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Sep 17, 2002
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All,

The ORV management of vehicle traffic has begun. I was riding down Carranza Road today and ran into the Superintendent of Wharton and three volunteers and decided to stop. The volunteers were placing "road closed to motor vehicles" signs in the middle of various roads. I was able to view the master map of ORV management and was told quite a bit of information concerning it. I will attempt to tell you somewhat what I have learned and hopefully get it correct.

The basic boundary they worked on today was along Moores Meadow Road, Carranza Road and beyond. He showed me exactly on the map but I was trying to take it all in and can't tell you the exact boundary they worked on. They will continue to move from area to area placing signs. All road that are considered non essential or roads that go to dead ends will be off limits to motor vehicles and if you are caught driving on them you will be fined. For example, this dirt road by the Skit Branch is now closed to motor vehicles.

http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.785302700107835&lng=-74.65680990021707&z=20&type=hybrid&gpx=



As well as the next one along Carranza and so forth


http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.78354246318945&lng=-74.65114540658955&z=17&type=hybrid&gpx=


There is going to be a meeting of specific groups concerning this in the future at the auditorium in Batsto. I believe they already have the groups picked out because he told me they did not have a surveyor type group included. :bang: :D


As for the repairs that are going on such as at High Crossing, the state was able to get a grant from the federal government which allowed them to hire the FFS to repair quite a few roads that we have discussed previously. With these repairs there is hope that other roads can be opened. He also mentioned that because of the repairs of Tuckerton Road which even cars can now travel down, roads such as parallel roads by Jemima Mount most likely will not be repaired.



http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.711722023792035&lng=-74.61059007447244&z=15&type=topo&gpx=


There were other things we discussed and when Jessica and I can remember it all I will pass it along.

Guy
 
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smoke_jumper

smoke_jumper

Piney
Mar 5, 2012
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Yep. I knew this was going to happen. They can't keep people out of the areas already posted how are they going to police all the new ones. All it's going to do is keep the law abiding people out. :bang:
 
SuperChooch

SuperChooch

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Aug 26, 2011
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Yep, only those of us who follow the rules and respect the forest will be punished. What a sad, sad, day.
 
bobpbx

bobpbx

Piney
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Oct 25, 2002
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That dirt road by the Skit was used by PBX to park on two different trips over the years. In my experience the ATV's do not normally make new roads, or if they do, they are usually unsuccessful as they are short and they quickly grow over. It is simply a good place to park without the hassle of trying to park on the side of the main road.
 
Gibby

Gibby

Piney
Apr 4, 2011
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Trenton
Every road from the Skit to the tracks is closed with the exception of the road for the camp ground. They also closed off the road that is the back way in to Sandy Ridge. The roads in from the backside of Parker Preserve are closed too. The state locked down that entire area.

It makes no sense to me why that area was closed off to traffic. I have never seen anyone doing nothing more than cruising the sand roads in that area. There must be another reason.
 
woodjin

woodjin

Piney
Nov 8, 2004
4,342
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Near Mt. Misery
Yes, it appears access to many of the rivers we kayak and canoe are now blocked. Especially the less traveled tributaries. Most of the south side of the mullica is blocked off. Many of the roads have no ORV damage so I am not sure of the logic. The PPA has a map of areas identified as areas that have been compromised by ORV use but the road closings go way beyond that. The road signs are only enough to keep the law abiding out.

I guess I will be carrying my kayak a half mile to get to my fishing holes now. How does the song go...... "sign, sign, everywhere a sign. Blocking out the scenery breaking my mind"
 
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SuperChooch

SuperChooch

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Aug 26, 2011
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The more I think about it, the more angry I get. Can the forest make such a signifant change to the status quo without any public input? We find out the use of our state resource is fundamentally altered when we see the signs appear? Any ideas of what can be done? Would anyone be interested in organizing on this topic?
 
smoke_jumper

smoke_jumper

Piney
Mar 5, 2012
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Atco, NJ
manumuskin said:
By the way does this ban include state vehicles? Need I even ask?
Click to expand...
I'm sure state vehicles can. But you keep hearing about volunteers posting the signs for the state. What about them? Is it still open to "volunteers"? So they can "protect" our pines. Patrolling sensitive areas of the forest is one thing. Shutting it off to everyone is another.
 
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Teegate

Teegate

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I met the volunteers and they are ordinary citizens just like the rest of us who must abide by the rules unless asked by the powers to be to go there. So we really should not go down that road I would think.
 
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46er

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
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Coastal NJ
woodjin said:
I guess I will be carrying my kayak a half mile to get to my fishing holes now. How does the song go...... "sign, sign, everywhere a sign. Blocking out the scenery breaking my mind"
Click to expand...

This is what my Hornbeck was designed for, long walks in. It weighs just 15 lbs, paddle like a kayak, but lots more room. I may be selling it shortly if your interested? Walking is good exercise.

boats_trad_10_p.jpg


and that song only applied to "long haired, creepy people..." ;)

 
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