Pinelands Evolution

[dogg57]

A common perception today is that the vast area known as the New Jersey Pine Barrens is an undeveloped, undisturbed expanse ideal for fleeing the daily grind to find a little peace and tranquility. Ask the average non-southern New Jersey resident what images the Pine Barrens conjure up and you might hear about the endless tract of trees they drove through to get to the seashore, the folklore of the Jersey Devil, or the place where Paulie and Christopher got lost trying to bury a body on The Sopranos.

The Pine Barrens (or Pinelands) is, in fact, one of the largest contiguous stretches of wilderness on the East Coast, encompassing parts of seven counties, three state forests, and over a million acres protected by the state DEP. “Barrens” is sort of a misnomer, though, in that hundreds of species of plants and animals — many indigenous and completely unique to this area — lurk in those bogs, woods and creeks. 

What is also erroneous is the common assumption that the Pine Barrens is, and always was, undeveloped. In fact, when the nation was in its outset during the 18th and 19th centuries, the Pine Barrens was a hub of all sorts of industry.
By Ray Schweibert


http://www.atlanticcityweekly.com/news-and-views/local-history/Pinelands-Evolution--133089408.html

 

[Boyd]

Uh-oh.... another thread about "evolution".

 

[46er]

And, by definition and the articles description, it's hardly a wilderness.

 

[dogg57]

And, by definition and the articles description, it's hardly a wilderness.

Well you can always email Ray Schweibert


 

[bobpbx]

And, by definition and the articles description, it's hardly a wilderness.

You have such a knack for putting a damper on the fire. We all understand it's not a true wilderness, but can't you let us think it is?

 

[manumuskin]

Wilderness is a state of mind and it happens to be the state my mind is in whenever I'm deep in the barrens.It is hard to hold onto when a jet roars overhead or a dirt bike is whining in the back of my head a reason why I so hate noise pollution but I hold onto the state nevertheless.
PS
I am so so glad this thread wasn't what i thought it was
PSS
If you were to break your femur while bushwacking alone in the heart of Great Swamp and you had told no one where you were going.I'd say you would have a true wilderness experience on your hands.

 

[Gibby]

I prefer the devolution of the Pines. I can think of a place or two that gives the feeling of being in the wilderness. Sometimes it doesn't even feel like you are in New Jersey. It is a nice feeling to get away to a spot where you can not hear civilization or see any human activity. However, I always come across beer cans where I think people have never been.

 

[46er]

You have such a knack for putting a damper on the fire. We all understand it's not a true wilderness, but can't you let us think it is?

Now, now Bob. You know as well as I that putting dampers on fires is the job of the FFS. You are much to kind to credit me with changing the way folks think. I'll try to use that gift on election day

 

[bobpbx]

I'll try to use that gift on election day

That little smug smiley face at the end of your post suits your personality perfectly.

 

[manumuskin]

Comes down to it we create our wildernesses.Other then Alaska all our wildernesses are there because of government protection because they have been turned into public land.If it were nor for that protection the Barrens would be a developement,the Smokies would have houses up every holler,The Everglades would be farmland and there would be condiminiums on the edge of the Grand Canyon.So if the wilderness is a product of our creation and most wildernesses have been mauled by us in the past before protection,then they are not really true wildernesses after all.I figure a wilderness is somewhere I can get hurt then die and rot away before someone finds my bones.I know many places in the barrens like that so while the whole area is shot through with roads I could list dozens of pocket wildernesses in the area where if no one knew where to look you would definitely not be found till hunting season and then maybe not for quite a few of them.Some of our official wilderness areas listed on Wilderness.net are much smaller then the barrens and some are smaller then Great Swamp so certaim areas in the barrens could well qualify for wilderness designation,they are creating new wildernesses every year.Just made three more in WV and on of them in one of my favorite places.Lets start a campaign for Barrens Wilderness,size is not an issue.

 

[46er]

Lets start a campaign for Barrens Wilderness,size is not an issue.

That sounds like a great idea, NJ has 2 so designated already. It could use a couple more, like areas of the pinelands and up in the NW corner. The Pinelands is already recognised by the Biosphere bunch, the NPS also recognises it and a good portion of the state up in the NW.

I do have a problem calling a 6 acre site, like Pelican Island in FL a wilderness though.

Yo, Bob.

 

[manumuskin]

That was the wilderness on my mind but I couldn't recall the name.I am sure there are many areas in the Barrens larger then 6 acres that would qualify.Hell they shut roads down just top create wilderness like the mullica river wilderness camp.Has a road running right through it but the signs stop regular folks like us from using a good through route whereas for some reason it doesn't destroy the wilderness feeling when Rangers regularly patrol through there to check for camping permits.(who in their right mind would camp illegally in a designated camping area knowing they check?)The Ranger vehicles I take it have been wildernessized?I know in the western wildernesses the Rangers hike into cabins or snowshoe or kayak however the rest of us would get there except in emergencies they can be flown in.Here they ride up on closed off roads.

 

[manumuskin]

I'd nominate Great Swamp,Bear Swamp,Timber Beaver swamp and Tulpehocken swamp as four wildernesses for starters

 

[46er]

The Ranger vehicles I take it have been wildernessized?I know in the western wildernesses the Rangers hike into cabins or snowshoe or kayak however the rest of us would get there except in emergencies they can be flown in.Here they ride up on closed off roads.

I'm sure there vehicles have been, and at great expense to us taxpayers. Too bad, or perhaps its a good thing, they no longer drive the beaches looking for scofflaws.

I recall one fishing trip into the backcountry of YNP near the boder of the Absaroka Wilderness. My sons and I were enjoying ourselves and out pops this little guy, must have been in his early 20's, with this humungus backpack and asks to see our permits. Could have knocked me over with a feather and thoroughly impressed my kids. We chatted a while, he'd been on the trail for 3 days with 2 more to go and he was off to find that nights campsite. Kids still talk about him.

http://www.westernfolklife.org/externals/songs/12_Wilderness_Ranger.mp3

 

[manumuskin]

Now thats a ranger! I have no problem with rangers who don't feel they are entitled to break all rules in order to do their jobs.Nothing like enhancing your wilderness experience with the smell of exhaust and the sound of slamming doors.Now if we could just get rid of those damn jets always flying overhead,those semi's roaring down 206 and I won't even mention dirt bikes
I really need to move to the rockies.

 

[manumuskin]

PS
awesome song! I need to learn that accent!

 

[Spung-Man]

That’s a refreshing perspective, seen through the lens of an industrial historian! Jerseyman’s absolutely right. The Pine Barrens have been ruthlessly exploited for its natural resources since the end of the seventeenth century, through the 1930s. Its forests were razed again and again for lumber, cordwood, naval stores, and most importantly charcoal. Additionally large tracts burnt to the ground, often due to arson. It is odd to acknowledge this point but the forests are now in the best condition they’ve been in during the last 250 years.

Manumuskin,

I really like your point on government’s role in conservation.

 

[manumuskin]

That’s a refreshing perspective, seen through the lens of an industrial historian! Jerseyman’s absolutely right. The Pine Barrens have been ruthlessly exploited for its natural resources since the end of the seventeenth century, through the 1930s. Its forests were razed again and again for lumber, cordwood, naval stores, and most importantly charcoal. Additionally large tracts burnt to the ground, often due to arson. It is odd to acknowledge this point but the forests are now in the best condition they’ve been in during the last 250 years.

Manumuskin,

I really like your point on government’s role in conservation.

I'm not totally anti government.I just get fried when they makes rules that only us peons have to follow.It's like why do cops never use turn signals and they will bust a U turn quicker then a heartbeat but you'll get a ticket for either one real quick,not to mention all the times I've seen them on cell phones.And now I have a brand new son in law who is a Millville cop.Going to have to chill my stance somewhat

 

[Boyd]

Well I guess you guys are defining "wilderness" as a state of mind (you feel like you're in the wilderness), and I think that's a valid way to look at it. I can walk 5 minutes from my back door and get the "wilderness feeling" myself.

But then, when I'm working on my maps, I think it's just a sad illusion. I don't think you could go anywhere in the pines and be more than 10 miles from a Wawa. You can be in the "wilderness" of the Plains and it's only about 5 miles from the shopping center they built at the Parkway exit. Kind of detracts from the romantic image of the Plains that Harshberger and Beck wrote about.

I still love the pines, don't get me wrong. I just don't think it matches the definition of "wilderness" that could be used to describe some of the vast undeveloped areas you can find in other parts of the country. All of NJ is less than 9,000 square miles. There are two national parks in Alaska that are each larger than 11,000 square miles.

 

[Spung-Man]

"Urban Wilderness," maybe?