WMA Farm Lease Auctions
- Thread starter 46er
- Start date
I’ve pondered the pros and cons of this program myself. I think the bottom line is that the positive and negative impacts are so varied from tract to tract that it’s impossible to generalize about the program as a whole. It’s recognized by most people familiar with nature that plant and animal diversity is far greater when some form of human management is applied to the land, be it farming or specific habitat management. But good intentioned management often creates problems as well. Agricultural eases have long been common on other state lands, such as the Whitesbog section of Brendan Byrne St. Forest, or on federal land, such as the Delaware Water Gap Natl. Recreation Area, and are generally considered successful. They keep a traditional and slowly vanishing activity alive and create broader birding, hunting and other recreational activities for the public.
The thing that concerns me is that there is express permission given for hunting only; no other activites are mentioned as being permitted and there is a separate provision to allow for the erection of fences and gates on the lease. 