Post by tomhedden on Aug 27, 2015 13:14:32 GMT -5
This board has been dormant for many months but I felt it was important to have something here in case anyone was visiting to see how the NJTLC felt about the M.A.P. for Wharton State Forest.
This project was funded by a Recreational Trails Program Grant of around a half million dollars, and the net result of the effort was smoothing and grading roads through Wharton and then closing about half of them.
On this topic, I cannot and do not intend to speak on behalf of all of the past NJTLC board members. These concerns are not only mine but I have not taken any votes or other official actions to determine the position of everyone who has ever been involved with this organization. Simply stated, these are my first-hand observations of a major effort undertaken by the NJDEP in Wharton.
1. There was little or no public input prior to the money being spent and the roads being closed. This fact may be disputed by the handful of people who were "in the know" but the vast majority of stakeholders were not consulted in any way.
2. The newly repaired roads have made access to the sensitive areas of the forest that were under the most pressure from irresponsible users far too easy. They may as well have put up welcome signs.
3. Law abiding and organized user-groups will be the most harmed parties in this plan. Equestrian and motorcycle events will be vastly more difficult and require far more manpower to organize and run safely. In some cases they will no longer be possible.
4. The money was spent poorly and erratically. Roads were repaired at great expense and then closed.
5. In the name of this project, many tress have been sacrificed. The felling of trees across roads has happened but that's not the major issue here and much has been made of that. However, the repair pits or "tank traps" they've dug along the sides of the roads (which number conservatively in the high dozens) are blocked off by trees. Some of these are truly tragic losses: majestic 100+ footers that are now lying in the dirt.
6. Grant money from the RTP has very specific allowable uses and a great deal of the MAP does not follow or adhere to these.
7. Not one dime of the grant money was spent on the Enduro Management Plan trails which are sadly in need of repair. This is not a surprise as the entire EMP is so deeply flawed.
8. This whole effort has created such an enormous backlash that the voices of the responsible users are now being lost in a sea of outraged righteous indignation. This will be a nightmare for law enforcement as their resources are already stretched thin and the loser will again be the forest.
Too many times we have seen this pattern evolve. Actions are undertaken to protect the forest without the input of those who know the forest and the results are harm to the forest.
This project was funded by a Recreational Trails Program Grant of around a half million dollars, and the net result of the effort was smoothing and grading roads through Wharton and then closing about half of them.
On this topic, I cannot and do not intend to speak on behalf of all of the past NJTLC board members. These concerns are not only mine but I have not taken any votes or other official actions to determine the position of everyone who has ever been involved with this organization. Simply stated, these are my first-hand observations of a major effort undertaken by the NJDEP in Wharton.
1. There was little or no public input prior to the money being spent and the roads being closed. This fact may be disputed by the handful of people who were "in the know" but the vast majority of stakeholders were not consulted in any way.
2. The newly repaired roads have made access to the sensitive areas of the forest that were under the most pressure from irresponsible users far too easy. They may as well have put up welcome signs.
3. Law abiding and organized user-groups will be the most harmed parties in this plan. Equestrian and motorcycle events will be vastly more difficult and require far more manpower to organize and run safely. In some cases they will no longer be possible.
4. The money was spent poorly and erratically. Roads were repaired at great expense and then closed.
5. In the name of this project, many tress have been sacrificed. The felling of trees across roads has happened but that's not the major issue here and much has been made of that. However, the repair pits or "tank traps" they've dug along the sides of the roads (which number conservatively in the high dozens) are blocked off by trees. Some of these are truly tragic losses: majestic 100+ footers that are now lying in the dirt.
6. Grant money from the RTP has very specific allowable uses and a great deal of the MAP does not follow or adhere to these.
7. Not one dime of the grant money was spent on the Enduro Management Plan trails which are sadly in need of repair. This is not a surprise as the entire EMP is so deeply flawed.
8. This whole effort has created such an enormous backlash that the voices of the responsible users are now being lost in a sea of outraged righteous indignation. This will be a nightmare for law enforcement as their resources are already stretched thin and the loser will again be the forest.
Too many times we have seen this pattern evolve. Actions are undertaken to protect the forest without the input of those who know the forest and the results are harm to the forest.