Monthly Archives: September 2016

Wharton State Forest Hunter Vehicle Access Program

The DEP has announced that they will be allowing vehicle access to two of the Enivronmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA) during hunting season this year. A pass can be picked up at Atsion or Batsto offices. The passes are valid from 9/24/16 – 01/01/17. The specific ESAs that will be accessible have not been identified, but we will seek clarification on which will accessible and update you.

Full detail provided by the DEP is as follows:

2016 WHARTON STATE FOREST HUNTER VEHICLE ACCESS PROGRAM

In 2016, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) designated areas on Wharton State Forest to be environmentally sensitive areas (ESA’s) for plants or wildlife. As a result, the State Park Service installed signage to advise motorists accordingly as to the locations of these ESAs and State Park Police have vigorously enforced off-road offenders.

The DEP is providing limited, off season vehicle access to licensed hunters into two specific areas. No cost vehicle access passes shall be issued as part of in-person registration at Wharton State Forest’s Atsion or Batsto park offices during normal business hours. One pass shall be issued to each hunter holding a valid automobile driver’s license. The pass must be carried in the vehicle while driven within the two specific ESA’s and left in plain view in the windshield whenever parked with the hunter afield. Additionally, the vehicle access passes are non-transferable.

State Park Police may issue summonses to any driver operating within the two specific EASs who fails to possess the hunter vehicle access pass. Additionally, motorists may NOT operate vehicles off the roadway. No entering fields, bogs, swamps or adjacent woodlands.

Passes will be available at 9:00 A.M. on Saturday, September 24, 2016, and will expire on January 31, 2017 coinciding with the duration of the Winter Bow Season. The program will be evaluated throughout the fall and early winter for next year. Hunters must abide by established seasons and regulations while afield.

Questions regarding the program should be directed to the Wharton State Forest Superintendent at 609.561.0074

Erosion Prevention at Jemima Mount

Now that the heat of summer is breaking, we plan to get back out to IMG_2322Jemima Mount to complete the project we started there. We will finish filling the trenches with deadfall to prevent further erosion. We will also be extending one of the railings to prevent go arounds. The first part of the project that we completed in the spring has been a great success so far, proving that we can create solutions to problems without mass road closures. Let’s keep up the good work! Please join us!

Event Details:

You can meet us at Atsion Ranger Station and 9:00 AM 10/2. If your vehicle is not able to make the trip, we can carpool. Alternatively, you can meet directly at Jemima around 9:30AM. Any questions, please post in the comments.

-We will be dragging nearby deadfall into the trenches so it is recommended you wear a good pair of work gloves.
-Wear long long pants and bring plenty of bug spray to prevent chiggers and ticks
-This is a family friendly event but all minors must be accompanied by an adult
-If you are attending, please RSVP to this event so we can get a rough headcount.