Restore Public Vehicle Access to the Southwest Section of Wharton State Forest in NJ
Restore Public Vehicle Access to the Southwest Section of Wharton State Forest in NJ
Why this petition matters
We, the undersigned citizens of the state of New Jersey, request restoration of vehicular access to the southwestern section of Wharton State Forest, in particular to that area bounded by Nescohague Creek on the southwest, and the Sleeper Branch on the northeast. Here, there are over 6,000 acres currently shut off to public use for outdoor activities requiring a vehicle, such as hunting, fishing, exploring, canoeing, photography, animal and bird watching, nature studies, etc.
For over 15 years, vehicle access to the southeastern section of Wharton State Forest from the eastern side has been blocked by a condemned bridge over Nescohague Creek at Pleasant Mills. And now, West Mills Road, the western public access road from NJ Route 206 and managed by the Town of Hammonton, is no longer available for vehicle access. The Town of Hammonton took an action that set up a chain of events that caused the road to be barricaded against public vehicle use. The Town of Hammonton assumed West Mills Road is not necessary for public purposes, but this premise is incorrect, as the public has been using West Mills Road to access the forest in this area for over 100 years.
We request that New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection quickly explore all avenues for restoring public access to this area. One alternative plan would be to grade a new road immediately parallel to West Mills Road which will merge with West Mills Road beyond the Town of Hammonton’s border. This will also provide a better fire break in this area.
We request quick restoration of public vehicular access to this section of Wharton State Forest, from both route 206 at the western boundary, and from Pleasant Mills at the eastern boundary. Several hunting and fishing seasons have already been missed. Delay is denying access to all forest users.
Petition Closed
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Decision Makers
- New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Parks and Forestry