It's troubling that the PPA was specifically mentioned in that reply. Apparently our elected officials are more interested in speaking with a special interest group rather than the majority of the forest users.
ORV Management In Sensitive Areas Of Wharton
- Thread starter Teegate
- Start date
It's troubling that the PPA was specifically mentioned in that reply. Apparently our elected officials are more interested in speaking with a special interest group rather than the majority of the forest users.
Waterford township is tonight also and the MAP is on the adenda.
I cannot make it, mandatory OT at work...
Hopefully it is as well attended as the others in waterford
I'm concerned with "response" vs. "opposition"
Resolution #2015-237 RESOLUTION OF THE TOWNSHIP OF WATERFORD IN RESPONSE TO THE WHARTON STATE FOREST MOTORIZED ACCESS PLAN (“M.A.P.”)
7pm
2131 auburn ave
Atco 08004
agenda here
http://www.waterfordtwp.org/township/pdf/agendas/AGENDA.2015-09-09.REGULAR MEETING.pdf
Speak your mind in the 1st public comment period for agenda items before they vote on resolution
2131 auburn ave
Atco 08004
agenda here
http://www.waterfordtwp.org/township/pdf/agendas/AGENDA.2015-09-09.REGULAR MEETING.pdf
Speak your mind in the 1st public comment period for agenda items before they vote on resolution
NJ1015's "Ask the Governor" is on now. Trying to get through but haven't been able to. Call in to demand that the Governor's office look into NJDEPs road closures in our state forests! Even if he does nothing it at least raises awareness since so many people listen.
I believe I speak for Ben and everyone else who is on our side when I say THANK YOU to the Waterford NJ Council for drafting and tonight passing a resolution opposing the MAP plan of the DEP. They gave us a forum to discuss the issues, they listened, and tonight they acted.
I will email the Mayor today and thank him and the Committee for the support.
I have to admit I was a little disappointed when I left August's Committee meeting. After seeing how the "Traveling Rob Show" appeared to have been received by the Committee, I held little hope that Waterford would entertain a resolution.. It is very apparent that the Committee was listening very closely to all of us that spoke during the public portion.
I have to admit I was a little disappointed when I left August's Committee meeting. After seeing how the "Traveling Rob Show" appeared to have been received by the Committee, I held little hope that Waterford would entertain a resolution.. It is very apparent that the Committee was listening very closely to all of us that spoke during the public portion.
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I felt the same during the Environmental Committee meeting, I am glad and also thankful our council did the right thing
Big article on the front page of the Press of AC. Will post the link shortly
Edit: Here is the link: http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/...a-5741-11e5-886b-ffbe15a6078b.html?mode=print
Mod edit: Posting an entire article and using their picture without their permission can get me sued. Already happened to me once. Please just link to articles in the future. Thanks! -BR
----sorry, don't want to cause you any trouble. Matt---
Edit: Here is the link: http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/...a-5741-11e5-886b-ffbe15a6078b.html?mode=print
Mod edit: Posting an entire article and using their picture without their permission can get me sued. Already happened to me once. Please just link to articles in the future. Thanks! -BR
----sorry, don't want to cause you any trouble. Matt---
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It looks like the spots that are always being used to promote the agenda for closure are the few spots that everyone agrees should be closed off. Something should be said about the other 200+ miles that were added on.
Overall a good article, but this single sentence is probably the biggest problem we face:
It's about as big a generalization/blanket statement as one can make regarding the act of driving a vehicle off the pavement. In overly-suburbanized NJ statements like this conjure images of the stereotypical hillbilly/redneck/piney in a literal monster truck wantonly destroying everything in his path "for fun." I honestly believe that our biggest enemy is an apathetic public, that before this article, or those like it, never heard of Wharton State Forest. People who have absolutely no concept of the nearly half million acres of public land in state, have never seen it, and would rather spend a crisp fall day at Chuck-E-Cheese or the mall. These people spend their lives in suburbia, paying no mind to the rural part of the state, that is, until they read an article like this, at which point they go from being apathetic, to automatically against us, saying to themselves "How awful! Those ignorant rural people want to drive their big trucks through the woods and destroy it!" I'd like to believe that if they had any connection to the land prior to that, that they might understand why someone might want to tread lightly through the forest in a vehicle to get to a remote hunting/fishing spot, kayak/canoe launch, photography location, or, just to enjoy a nice day.
It's about as big a generalization/blanket statement as one can make regarding the act of driving a vehicle off the pavement. In overly-suburbanized NJ statements like this conjure images of the stereotypical hillbilly/redneck/piney in a literal monster truck wantonly destroying everything in his path "for fun." I honestly believe that our biggest enemy is an apathetic public, that before this article, or those like it, never heard of Wharton State Forest. People who have absolutely no concept of the nearly half million acres of public land in state, have never seen it, and would rather spend a crisp fall day at Chuck-E-Cheese or the mall. These people spend their lives in suburbia, paying no mind to the rural part of the state, that is, until they read an article like this, at which point they go from being apathetic, to automatically against us, saying to themselves "How awful! Those ignorant rural people want to drive their big trucks through the woods and destroy it!" I'd like to believe that if they had any connection to the land prior to that, that they might understand why someone might want to tread lightly through the forest in a vehicle to get to a remote hunting/fishing spot, kayak/canoe launch, photography location, or, just to enjoy a nice day.
Greets.. newbe here.. As stated a very good article.. This pissed me off..
"Wharton received a $600,000 federal grant this year to improve motor vehicle roads in the forest, and has spent about half of it on about 10 miles of road repair, purchase of a dump truck and grading and trimming tree limbs on another 90 miles of roadways, said Auermuller."
There were some VERY good & valid points made..
Such as "They suggested some firebreaks will disappear once vehicles stop driving on them," &
“It only keeps out law-abiding citizens,... The people who are doing the damage will continue to drive where they shouldn’t,...
They know what they are doing is illegal,.... But they don’t care, and enforcement by New Jersey State Park Police has not been effective."
"Wharton received a $600,000 federal grant this year to improve motor vehicle roads in the forest, and has spent about half of it on about 10 miles of road repair, purchase of a dump truck and grading and trimming tree limbs on another 90 miles of roadways, said Auermuller."
There were some VERY good & valid points made..
Such as "They suggested some firebreaks will disappear once vehicles stop driving on them," &
“It only keeps out law-abiding citizens,... The people who are doing the damage will continue to drive where they shouldn’t,...
They know what they are doing is illegal,.... But they don’t care, and enforcement by New Jersey State Park Police has not been effective."
Got to give Armeuller credit, he really is effective at painting a picture that is hard to disagree with when look at on the surface, unfortunately that is where most people stop. I'm left with the image of most forest users driving huge monster trucks running over little bunnies while knocking down trees and tearing up wet lands after reading/hearing a statement form him. Then, by saying its only the ORV community opposing the MAP, he makes anyone who speaks out against the MAP look like an environment hating bunny killer. As long as he is able to frame the conversation around stopping the big bad 4 wheelers we are going to be fighting a loosing battle.
We need an equally compelling "surface" message. I think most reasonable people will oppose the MAP if they can get beyond the sensationalism in the Press article.
We need an equally compelling "surface" message. I think most reasonable people will oppose the MAP if they can get beyond the sensationalism in the Press article.
I have been reading this thread for weeks and I cant hold it in anymore after reading the article in the Press today. I am so tired of seeing Armeuller point out the same old picture of the ruination of Mount Jemima. Yes, I admit that is horrific damage and no one here would argue that an area such as that should be closed off. However, this and a few other places are reused over and over to give people the false impression that the entire Pine Barrens area is being turned into a tossed salad by motorized vehicle use. Truthfully many of the "main" roads which had larger puddles that kept growing were never fixed to the point that normal traffic could not get through. Eventually they become so damaged they require major work and money to repair. Then the blame, it must be from and ORV or motorcycle... It appears that the complete lack of small routine maintenance is a major contributor rather than abuse by law abiding motorists who want to enjoy the forest. I sure wish there was a way to illustrate that you can drive on hundreds of miles of trail and very rarely witness destruction. Most of the roads on the MAP designated to be closed are in pristine condition and that point is never brought up to the public either. It's easy for Armeuller to show destruction, BUT proving this is a very small area just doesn't seem possible for us by showing a few pictures ? Also if they call some of the 10 mile repairs done on High Crossing Road near Carranza improvement... it isn't - they created a gravel superhighway and made that area alien to the sand roads that belong in and characterize the pines. To me that is true destruction of the Pine Barrens - Is this the future for the largest MAP approved roads ? I hope not.
Just saw this on the Wharton SF site and the only linked map is the hiking trail map here:
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/maps/WhartonAreaMapFinal_reduced.pdf
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/maps/WhartonAreaMapFinal_reduced.pdf
I find the use of the jeep image entertaining.
I just watched some of the Medford meeting in which Superintendent Keck praises all of the work Auermuller has put into the MAP. He goes on to state how Auermuller started working on this plan 4 years ago - coincidently that is the same time the PPA published their plan for motor vehicle access. Go figure. I guess he was too busy in those four years to seek any public input.
I just watched some of the Medford meeting in which Superintendent Keck praises all of the work Auermuller has put into the MAP. He goes on to state how Auermuller started working on this plan 4 years ago - coincidently that is the same time the PPA published their plan for motor vehicle access. Go figure. I guess he was too busy in those four years to seek any public input.
I was on sandy causeway road today, The water running off the road and pooling on the side was orange from the gravel.