Grassroots Organizing Can Save the Pine Barrens

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The Pine Barrens continue to exist because the people of New Jersey want it to. However, public opinion alone is not enough to win. The public’s power needs to be organized, the message must be honed, and the people’s energy must be focused and mobilized to the areas and public meetings where they will make the most impact.

We also need to fully understand the rules of the legal and bureaucratic system in which land use is governed and how to use these to our advantage. This capability is only possible with a dedicated organization by its members. Because of the steadfast support of our members, Pinelands Preservation Alliance has been able to put resources into difficult missions that often prevail. We have staff that can learn the rules of the game, make connections within the arena, communicate about critical next steps with our members and the public, and most of all we have the legitimacy that comes from having thousands of members who support the mission year after year.

Time after time, when called upon, Pinelands Alliance members take time out of their busy lives to show up in force and let their presence be felt by those who are holding the levers of power in government. This is the critical difference when it comes to decision-making. While there may be other organizations, like for-profit corporations, that have more money and can contribute directly to campaigns and political interests; they don’t have what we have- the power and the will of the people, who, when necessary, will make it very clear what is expected of the elected and appointed officials. 

When it comes to the Pole Bridge Forest, it is quite clear what the community in Pemberton Township wants. However, a slim majority of municipal officials still acted contrary to their wishes for reasons we may never fully know. Despite this, the community kept up the pressure, Pinelands Alliance members from around the region showed up to help, and those officials who were acting against the public interest either resigned, lost their election, or chose not to run for office again. Now there is a full slate of representatives who came from the movement to protect the town and who have a clear mandate from the people to take strong actions to support the wishes of the community.

The next step in the Pole Bridge Forest is that the township planning board will pass a memorializing resolution. This resolution will be crafted by those who voted against the project and the board’s attorney. The applicant will likely appeal the decision to go to the Superior Court in Burlington County after this resolution is memorialized, but the Pemberton Township Planning Board made their decision based on sound rationale derived from expert testimony – which is exactly what they are entitled to do. We expect the applicant will attempt to invent some reasons to contest the decision against them, but since no new evidence can be introduced on appeal, a judge can only decide based on the merits described by the board and the record of the application. Since we presented strong evidence with the best experts in their respective fields, we believe it is very likely that a judge will affirm the board’s decision. This may set the path for eventual preservation as open space, but we will have to wait for the corporate applicant to realize that this is the only course of action in their interest. 

While we came out on top of this matter, there is still more work to be done! The effort to protect, preserve, and enhance the Pinelands National Reserve continues. Our next target is the headwaters of the Black Run Preserve. The headwaters of the Preserve are 780 acres, still in corporate hands, that could be protected in perpetuity for the benefit of the public and the ecosystem as a whole. The Pinelands Commission has yet to act on its plan to re-designate the area as a Forest Area, which would significantly aid the end goal of permanent protection within the NJ Green Acres program. We are now calling on the Pinelands Commission to act expeditiously on this proposal and we need your help to do it. Sign our petition here!

We also need your help to get involved in your local community at whatever level you can. Having a seat on your town planning board, zoning board, township council, or other elected or appointed office can make a tremendous difference when it comes to decision time. We also need your support as a member, since it is our members that make this organization as potent as it has been. With you, we can continue to have success in the preservation of the Pines for all to enjoy.