Wharton State Forest - Area Patrolled Sign Posting

Jason Howell

Explorer
Nov 23, 2009
151
55
Two Day Volunteer Action on Friday, April 29th and Saturday, April 30th at 8:00am in Wharton State Forest. Come either day or both. These signs may allow Park Police to ticket drivers and who have been found destroying areas regardless of whether or not there is a sign at their specific location.

To RSVP
, email Kerry Pflugh of the DEP at Kerry.Pflugh@dep.nj.gov the deadline to register is tomorrow, Wednesday the 27th.


Subject: RSVP to Wharton State Forest Sign Posting

Let her know which day(Friday, Saturday, or both) and which location (Atsion or Batsto) you are choosing.

From the DEP's Recent Email
"At this time, we have 50 metal signs that will be posted at various entrances to the forest. A total of 65 signs will eventually be posted at park entrances. We are requesting the assistance of a maximum of 20 volunteers per day for either Friday or Saturday. Volunteers will be broken up into four groups of five volunteers with one State Park Service staff member serving as the Team Leader. Two groups will meet at the Batsto Visitor Center, 31 Batsto Road, Hammonton, NJ and other two will meet at the Atsion Office, 744 Route 206, Shamong, NJ. Arrival time for the volunteer day is 8:00 AM at both locations.
The type of work we can expect to perform will include the possibility of sign assembly onto posts, as well as the actual posting of signs at park entrances. You should expect to use manual post hole diggers, shovels, wrenches, pry bars, levels etc. We advise that you bring work gloves, wear comfortable clothing, and bring your own food and beverages. Bottled water will be made available.
After you arrive at the meet-up location, you will be transported to a sign posting site in State vehicles. You can however, use your own vehicles if you have pickup trucks. This would also assist us in transporting the sign materials to the various sites, thus reducing the need to return to the meetup site."
 

smoke_jumper

Piney
Mar 5, 2012
1,518
1,050
Atco, NJ
These signs may allow Park Police to ticket drivers and who have been found destroying areas regardless of whether or not there is a sign at their specific location.
You could be a little more enthusiastic. I'm sure the letter calling for volunteers to place little brown signs a year ago was much more positive then this. Helping this new plan succeed should be in everyone's interest for the good of the pines.
 
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SuperChooch

Explorer
Aug 26, 2011
391
428
47
You could be a little more enthusiastic. I'm sure the letter calling for volunteers to place little brown signs a year ago was much more positive then this. Helping this new plan succeed should be in everyone's interest for the good of the pines.
Yep, you don't have to look any further than the OPRA'd emails to know that is true. This isn't about actually solving the problem for them. It is not their idea, therefore, they aren't going to support it, even if the plan is superior to their own.
 

Jason Howell

Explorer
Nov 23, 2009
151
55
You could be a little more enthusiastic. I'm sure the letter calling for volunteers to place little brown signs a year ago was much more positive then this. Helping this new plan succeed should be in everyone's interest for the good of the pines.
I hope you can make it!
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,154
4,258
Pines; Bamber area
Thank you Dave Dempsey. I appreciate what you've done, and I appreciate the help of all the others. I understand this is going on today as well.
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,603
8,181
Pola Galie hard at work.


pg.jpg
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,603
8,181
There were 8 people there this morning and two state employees as well. We were divided in half and had 4 signs for each group to install. I knew everyone in our group so for me it was a comfortable outing. Our first location was West Mill Road at 206 and the photo above was taken there. In advance someone had placed a red flag at the location where the sign would go. Our next location was Sandy Ridge Road close to Chew and then we had two at the JCRR tracks on both sides of Chew Road. It was at this location we were informed the Superentendent was coming and before we could put the sign in the ground he arrive followed by Al Horner. Mr. Horner preceded to get a few photos and promptly left.

The signs were made by jailed convicts. Take notice of the letters at the very bottom right on the sign.

We did get to have a short conversation when we were completed and a few bits of information came out. Yesterday, during the press tour a dumper was caught on Jackson Road as they drove by. That is all I heard so I am not sure what transpired. There also was a teenager recently who received a massive amount of tickets for his illegal ATV activity. If you own an ATV you just should not be out there. We also learned there will be more signs in the future and the stakeholders will again be notified to help install them. I missed some of the conversation but I believe they are not the same sign and or size. I could be wrong on that.

We also learned that the police who have recently started patrolling the area seem to be happy with how things are going and they are making a tremendous about of stops. At least one member of this site has told me he was stopped twice by them to just see what was going on. They appear to enjoy conversations so if you are stopped try and be friendly and talk with them. If you are doing nothing illegal you should not be concerned.

Have you been to the ranger station lately at Atsion? I haven't been so it was interesting to see they blocked off much of the field to keep the heliport separate from the parking area.
 
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