ORV Management In Sensitive Areas Of Wharton

TheePackRat

Scout
Mar 27, 2014
33
26
Atco
Select some anecdotes, add wide sweeping generalisations and offer a solution in such a way as to marginalize anyone who disagrees with it. Yack

I spent 5 hours in the Waterford area of Wharton yesterday. I saw a couple in a canoe at Goshen and two enduro riders on Sandy Causeway. Actually kinda quiet for a Saturday. While riding on the connecting jeep trails between the main roads, I couldn't find any intentional or careless destruction. There very well may be vast areas of devastation but I can't find it. The worst places are the main roads. Most of the members here know this but I have to question the supporters of this plan. How much time do you spend in the woods and what do you do to make it better? Restricting access to others doesn't count.
 

tsqurd

Explorer
Jul 29, 2015
180
137
South Jersey
Was thinking about having some magnets made up. Anyone care to offer an opinion on which one? Other suggestions?
Slide1.jpgSlide2.jpg
 
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SuperChooch

Explorer
Aug 26, 2011
391
428
47
Hi all,

I had a busy weekend this weekend. I know my way around Google Earth a bit so I brought the "MAP" into google earth as an overlay and plotted all the open and closed roads and measured them all. Then I overlaid a Topo and picked up all those pesky roads that DEP seemed to forget about when creating the MAP. The result: 274 miles of roads are closed, while only 202 are open. That is a whopping 58% of the roads now closed to motor vehicles.

Feel free to share this info and graphic with whomever you see fit. If you run into any doubters along the way, I will gladly share a KMZ or KML export with the details.

guhpHPv.jpg
 

Broke Jeep Joe

Explorer
Mar 8, 2006
779
475
Waterford Twp
The amazing thing is 95% of the closures still have the regular Wharton rules and regs signs, No signs at all or no mention of closing, no "no motorized vehicles" signage or the ever popular tree branch blockage courtesy of the PPA minions, so unless you have a copy of the map plastered to your windshield some will never know if they are legal or not, some will think they are and some will not care!
 
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JeepWagoneer

Scout
Jul 31, 2015
37
18
Medford NJ
Unless you know the woods real well it's easy to turn onto a closed road that's not posted... I don't see how the I was alone and lost excuse won't hold up in court...
 

Broke Jeep Joe

Explorer
Mar 8, 2006
779
475
Waterford Twp
Unless you know the woods real well it's easy to turn onto a closed road that's not posted... I don't see how the I was alone and lost excuse won't hold up in court...

I think I read somewhere, maybe this thread that now that the map is published it is up to the public to determine the legality of the trail they choose to take with a motor vehicle?
 

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,143
Coastal NJ
Unless you know the woods real well it's easy to turn onto a closed road that's not posted... I don't see how the I was alone and lost excuse won't hold up in court...

To my knowledge, any sign on public road must conform to Title 39-Motor Vehicles and Traffic Regulation, and contain on its face, the statute, regulation or order number to be legal. If it does not, it cannot be used as evidence for a citation. My knowledge is personal experience ;) But I am not a lawyer, your use may vary :)

Title 39
http://lis.njleg.state.nj.us/cgi-bi...tes.nfo&record={EA23}&softpage=Doc_Frame_PG42
 
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SuperChooch

Explorer
Aug 26, 2011
391
428
47
My understanding from other sources is that the FAQ is legit, but don't think it has been officially released. Also, just a heads up, I spoke directly to the Lt. at District 1 and he confirmed that the current MAP is not being enforced. He basically told me that they are not concerned with where you are but rather what you are doing, so if you are respecting the forest, you are ok.
 

SuperChooch

Explorer
Aug 26, 2011
391
428
47
BTW- I don't want to imply that they are not enforcing the previous closures (such as quarter mile), but those closures went through whatever process is required to get them closed, the MAP has not, as far as the Lt. was concerned.
 
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