Legal trails could lead to restoration, respect of Wharton State Forest. Watch video
WATERFORD TWP. -- A state-sanctioned off-road riding system slicing through the sugar sands of Wharton State Forest seems counter intuitive, given the ongoing initiative to protect it.
However, an online petition by Atco resident Dave Demsey claims that a "responsibly used multi-purpose trail system" ranging between 100 and 200 miles could combat erosion, encourage cooperation between seemingly opposing groups and even educate riders about the land beneath their tires.
"My ideal setting would be a place that families can go explore and ride in a responsible matter in areas that are not quite as sensitive as others," Demsey said. "With over 500,000 acres of state-owned forests, and over 500 miles of roads in Wharton State Forest alone, I believe there is room for all breeds of people."
With the closure of the Chatsworth off-road facility in 2008 and the lackluster response to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) ATV park in Woodbine, the only places to go riding in New Jersey are on private property, two race course-style tracks in Middlesex and Cumberland counties and illegal options such as sandpits or gravel mines.
Race tracks aren't in every rider's wheelhouse and a trespassing ticket isn't the ideal capstone to a Sunday ride. So, says Demsey, open up a trail system within Wharton State Forest that gives those with thousand dollar machines somewhere to use them.
The search for legal off-road riding in N.J.
However, the DEP recently clamped down on off-road riding there beyond the larger roads that cut across the 125,000-acre site and a plan to come to terms on where you can and can't ride never materialized.
The department declined to comment on Demsey's petition. A request for comment left Wednesday with the Pinelands Preservation Alliance was not immediately returned.
The DEP has recently "bolstered enforcement" within the state forest, issued "hundreds of summonses" and installed signs to deter off-road riding that deviates from the main routes, a DEP spokesman said last month.
Demsey, who lives right on the edge of Wharton State Forest, proposes a number of benefits as part of his petition that has gained more than 1,000 online signatures of support.
The positive aspects he envisions include riders working with environmental groups to repair the damage already done, self-policing to ensure the trails aren't later taken away, educational classes and volunteer time to maintain a permit to ride the system, decibel meters and other environmental monitoring.
"With a park of significant size and fun, along with a trail system, I believe we would see the damage in the pines really start to diminish," Demsey said.
Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find NJ.com on Facebook.