Is the Garden State Losing its Green? · Apr 16 by Kurt Peterson
Please be aware of the following issue currently facing the state of New Jersey. Due to budget reductions, the Department of Environmental Protection is proposing to close 9 state parks and reduce operations in others.
The following sites are proposed for permanent closure according to an nj.com article:
Monmouth Battlefield State Park, 2,928 acres, Monmouth County. Visitor center, restrooms, closed.
Stephens State Park, 805 acres, Warren County. Camping area closed.
High Point State Park, 15,827 acres, Sussex County. Swimming, camping, interpretive center, office, closed. Trail access limited.
Brendan T. Byrne State Forest (formerly Lebanon State Forest), 36,647 acres, Burlington County. Camping, group picnic area, Indian King Tavern, office, closed. Trail access limited.
Round Valley Recreation Area, 3,684 acres, Hunterdon County. Swimming, camping, Wallace House, office, closed.
Parvin State Park, 1,952 acres, Salem County. Swimming, camping, interpretive center, office, closed.
Jenny Jump State Forest, 4,288 acres, Warren County. Camping and office, closed. Trail access limited.
Worthington State Forest, 6,584 acres, Warren County. Camping and office, closed. Trail access limited.
Fort Mott State Park, 104 acres, Salem County. Hancock House, historic sites, office, closed. Access to ferry service, open.
The following 3 parks are proposed to partially close:
Ringwood State Park, 4,044 acres, Bergen and Passaic counties. Shepherd Lake swimming area closed; Ringwood Manor, reduced hours. State Botanical Gardens and Skylands Manor, open.
D&R Canal State Park, 5,379 acres, central New Jersey. Bulls Island Recreation Area closed to campers. Rockingham Historic Site and towpath, open.
Washington Crossing State Park, 3,126 acres, Mercer and Hunterdon counties. Reduced hours at Clark House, Johnson Ferry House and the museum.
It’s also important to note that the Appalachian Trail passes through High Point State Park and Worthington State Forest.
What you can do to make your voice heard:
1) Support the Keep it Green campaign by contacting your legislators, sending letters to editors, and volunteering for the campaign.
2) On April 23rd starting at 12:30pm, strap on your packs, rack up your climbing gear, or lace up your trail runners, and hop on a bus from any of the parks being targeted for closure to rally at the Campout at the Capital. Contact the NY/NJ Trail Conference for details and information on catching a ride to the Capital to make your voice heard. And yes, they want everyone to wear their outdoor gear!
Green spaces don’t exist without public support.
Commenting is closed for this article.
The Joy of Backpacking Go ahead . . . hug your planet. Everyday.
Well… At the risk sounding like I am in favor of Corzine’s idea – btw, I do live in NJ – let’s try to have a little perspective here.
(1) This is probably a political negotiating tactic. This isn’t want he REALLY wants, just a good chip to get the attention required and then he’ll use this to bargin something else out of the budget.
(2) Most of this land is already protected – maybe even federally – is it not? In other words, there’s little chance of it being commercially developed. So now that Corzine is proposing “No more human’s allowed” the “environmentalists” are having a fit? Huh?? What did I miss?
Are we now being lead to believe that human invasion of Mother Nature is a good and necessary thing?
(3) On a per capita basis how does the NJ parks system compare to other states? How many Jersey-ites are actually using these services verse those from out of state? What will be the impact on the rest of the park’s system once the displaced traffic is absorbed into the remaining parks? How might surrounding states be impacted?
(4) Pardon the digression here but NJ is one of the most affluent states in the world yet we constantly have “budget issues”. Does the word scam come to mind? Obviously something is terribly wrong when not even NJ can afford its own excesses.
Rant over. Hope this helps.
— Mark S May 7 #