State Forest Access Plan Indefinitely Suspended

HAMMONTON — The state Department of Environmental Protection held out an olive branch to the off-road vehicle community at a meeting attended by about 400 people Thursday night at Hammonton High School.

The DEP has indefinitely suspended its Wharton State Forest Motorized Access Plan, which would have closed more than half of the routes historically used by motor vehicles in the forest, representatives told the crowd. The statement was met with loud, long applause.

The DEP will step up enforcement of existing laws and will work with the off-road community to develop ways of minimizing damage in the forest, they said.

“We want to apologize for the way the plan was rolled out and developed,” said DEP Manager of Constitutent Services Kerry Kirkpflugh. “We are starting from scratch working with stakeholders and all of you to develop a map.” 

Entire article at
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/top_three/sorry-about-wharton-plan-dep-tells-off-road-enthusiasts/article_9e022050-8429-11e5-8e73-3f1068d6f966.html

Related post
http://gadfly01.blogspot.com/2015/11/wharton-road-closure-meeting-at.html 

http://opentrailsnj.org/

 NJPineBarrens.com
Thanks to everyone who showed up at the meeting at Hammonton High School last night. Whether you are for or against the MAP, just the fact that so many people who obviously care about the Pine Barrens were gathered in one place makes me happy.