Pinelands towns concerned about illegal off-road vehicles

Twenty-six Pinelands municipalities either have ordinances to issue fines and penalties against illegal off-road vehicle (ORV) riding or are currently reviewing draft language to implement an ordinance.

Plumsted implemented an ORV ordinance in April after repeated damage to farmers' properties by illegal ORV use. According to a press release, the Kro-wicki Farm on Route 539 in the New Egypt section of Plumsted has suffered repeated damage from illegal ORV use and its owner supports the effort by the township to increase enforcement.

"Illegal off-road vehicle use has caused damage to several farm fields, which costs farmers time and money to replace crops. It is the township's job to protect private property owners from this type of illegal use. Plumsted's ORV ordinance provides for maximum fines of $1,200 for each violation with the ability to confiscate vehicles. I urge other municipalities to implement similar ordinances to help protect private property owners," Plumsted Mayor Ron Dancer said.

"I would like to applaud Plumsted for being one of the leaders in trying to reduce illegal ORV use. A number of other townships have also stepped up to the call for increased enforcement: Bass River, Buena Vista, Jackson, Lacey, Woodbine and Woodland," said Jaclyn Rhoads of the Pinelands Preservation Alliance. "Although a significant percen-tage of Pinelands municipalities have or are passing ORV ordinances, all of the Pinelands municipalities need to join this campaign to protect private property owners and public property."

According to the alliance, ORV riders have a park available in the Chatsworth section of Woodland Township, Burling-ton County, and several facilities in Pennsylvania that are within a couple hours drive.

Pennsylvania has more land, is less densely populated than New Jersey and has the right environmental conditions to accommodate this type of activity, according to the alliance.

Illegal ORV use in the Pinelands can significantly impact the wildlife and plant communities, which are often enjoyed by hikers and nature enthusiasts.

"More and more people want to come to New Jersey to enjoy the wilderness that exists in a vast region of development," said Judi London, president of the South Jersey Tourism Corpora-tion. "When an eco-tourist is walking on a trail and is disturbed by off-road vehicles riding through the woods, that person typically will not want to come back to that site. As an owner of off-road vehicles, my family rides their ORVs at legal facilities such as Chats-worth and facilities in Pennsylvania. My family abides by the law and respects the rights of low-impact recreationists who use the forests for what it was intended to be used for - protection of nature."

Fred Akers, of the Great Egg Harbor Watershed Association, said, "The illegal operation of all-terrain vehicles (ATV) in particular, has become a serious public safety and property damage issue in many rural municipalities. Many irresponsible riders both young and old get injured or killed, put others at risk, and cause substantial property damage to both public and private property. The Press of Atlantic City recently reported that illegal ATV use was 'one of the most common nuisance crimes in the region' based on growing public complaints."