Putting a stop to closing hundreds of miles of Pinelands

Just six days after launching their campaign for freeholder, candidates Katie Gibbs and Ryan Peters are joining a growing army of outdoor enthusiasts opposing a State plan aimed at closing hundreds of miles of dirt roads and trails in the Pinelands.

“This is a prime example of an unjustified government mandate that we have vowed to fight against,” said Gibbs. “This is a case of the State imposing its will without a public hearing or any input from those directly affected by its action.”

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently posted its newly formatted Wharton State Forest Motorized Access Plan (MAP) on the Internet, and hard copies of the plans are expected to become available by the end of the summer.

The MAP purportedly delineates a 225-mile network of unimproved roads in the Pinelands and, in doing so, effectively closes roads that have been used by legally registered motor vehicles for years.

“The more we read into this the more alarming it becomes,” Peters said. “Not only has the State signaled its intent to proceed without any public hearing, but it has been quietly posting signs throughout the Pines banning motorized vehicles, which is the first time most people heard of it.”

Gibbs and Peters applauded Medford Lakes Borough Council and Medford Council — both Pinelands communities — for adopting resolutions opposing the MAP.

“Government overregulation and mandates have been an ongoing contention among many Pinelands residents, businesses, and taxpayers for years,” said Gibbs. “This action by the State only intensifies that distrust for state and federal regulators.”

Gibbs and Peters said they sided with those who believe that the Pine Barrens should remain accessible to all, whether they choose to explore by foot, canoe, horse, or motorized vehicle.

“We don’t discount the need to protect the environment, but arbitrary decisions that blindside those most affected are not the way to go,” said Peters. “The State needs to take a step back and include the public in this discussion. Forcing this mandate down the throats of local residents without the benefit of their input is the wrong way to go.”