Dear Editor:
Governor Christie environmental concerns and priorities may make him one of the worse governors for his times ever in New Jersey. Add now to his list proposals emanating from his administrations NJDEP to clear-cut and sell the heart of the NJ Highlands forest; Sparta Mountain. Property bought for the public trust to be forever preserved as forest or deemed in 1990’s a “Critical Treasure”, of the Highlands region, a place that should remain undeveloped and be preserved for posterity.
The present administration in Trenton thinks resource stewardship should stimulate private enterprise; in a State heavily populated with less and less we need more and more protections of such areas. Here is a clear example of forsaking science and the public trusts for economic concerns, in this case a fabricated market for forest products. So lands set aside for protecting our water supplies and Jersey’s remaining beauty; the very institution of government that should honor and protect the trust will ignore biodiversity.
This scenario wishes to use the trees of the mature forest of the Highlands to pay for State expenses. This poor policy stems from ignorance of the importance of the natural world in that they provide us with wonder and ensure future sustainability. Sparta Mountain and the Highlands are home to several endangered species of plants and animals. Sparta Mountain lays the headwaters of the Rockaway River.
We have here a form of power that is mean in its very nature and application that nature somehow has no rights or long-term viability even when these lands are established under Green Acres, Open Space, and private donations and purchases it means nothing to Trenton’s Bully in favoring private economic concerns over the public interest.
Billions of dollars have been spent on establishing these biospheres.
Sparta Mountain itself was saved over 20 years ago from development. The State claims; not backed by any science at all and contrary to known science that clear-cutting will benefit all species in every habitat on Sparta Mountain; because one rare bird species was rescued by minor-forest clearing. This analogy for clear cutting for logging smells of a twist of spite against others concerns for other life forms; “ a we’ll use the rare bird minor cut, to have our way and show them” Literally not knowing the difference from the forest for the tree.
The Governor has knocked and ridiculed both Highlands and Pinelands water Protection legislation, without just cause and in the name of private interest. How can a Governor not support the very land and people he is entrusted to serve? He sees New Jersey as his own private estate, in fact he cannot think in terms other than his own private interest, he thinks only of real estate not landscapes.
From nature comes all life. No economies are possible without ecosystems of the world. New Jersey with less and less needs more and more protections, and advances in landscape preservations kept, not sold to senseless economic schemes that endanger future wellbeing. The governor and his private interest are interfering with nature and the citizens of this State treating our sacred places like playthings in a manner sure to do harm. We have a Governor that pays no respect to the laws. These lands were and are entrusted to the State for the purposes of their original intentions inviolable. What spirit does the governor embody? Not the spirit of the land and people of New Jersey. When was the last time if ever a time when this Governor walked, hiked, pondered the remaining beauty of New Jersey. I say never. The undermining of Sparta Mountain Wildlife Management Area’s 3,461 acres is one bad plan stemming from “Christie’s NJDEP”. Please find and more and write or call your States Legislators. Christie has been to the Mountain Top and now it’s gone, in the name of austerity. We have water problems; water deficits ruining Sparta Mountain will ensure more water quality and quantity problems this you can be sure. NJ Highlands 17% of the States landmass provides 70% of the states population and industry with its water. New Jersey Love it or leave it alone, Mr. Christie!
Nick Homyak
Lake Hiawatha, NJ 07034
