The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection plans to remove weakened trees in the upper campground area and restore the land to a natural state.
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New Jersey is permanently closing a Delaware River island campground where a 46-year-old man was fatally struck by a tree while sleeping in his tent.
An assessment of tree health following the death last June of William Arias, 46, of Bound Brook, N.J., determined the upper campground at Bull’s Island Recreation Area is susceptible to silt buildup from repeated floods, and that weakens roots of trees in this area.
“Based on this examination and more frequent flooding, we determined that the prudent course is to permanently close the upper river campground area and restore it to a natural state,” state Department of Environmental Protection official Amy Cradic said in a statement.
The New Jersey Sierra Club blasted the DEP following Thursday’s announcement of the closure, accusing the state of failing to maintain its parks as part of a push toward privatizing the state amenities.
“Our concern is that as warm weather comes and families are looking for places to go there will be fewer and fewer places available,” Jeff Tittel, director of the Sierra Club chapter, said in a statement.
The Arias family was enjoying just such an escape at Bull’s Island, on the border between Delaware and Kingwood townships, when a sycamore tree weighing several thousand pounds crashed through their tent June 28.
Arias was killed instantly. His wife, Elcetia, suffered multiple broken bones and needed to be freed from beneath the fallen tree. Their 12-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son, and a 9-year-old nephew, were not physically harmed.
Efforts to reach the family for comment were unsuccessful.
Back to nature
The DEP Division of Parks and Forestry plans to remove weakened trees in the upper campground area and restore the land to a natural state; a bath house and other amenities will be removed. It will remain closed until deemed safe for public access, then reopen for passive recreation only such as hiking, DEP spokesman Lawrence Ragonese said.
The down-river campground, instead of reopening early next month as usual, will be closed this season to allow for further tree risk assessment. Day-use activities in the lower section of the recreation area, including the boat ramp and picnic area, will remain open, according to the DEP.
The Division of Parks and Forestry may re-open the down river campground next season, if it’s deemed safe.
The division is evaluating acquisition of land away from the river for a new campground to replace sites lost by the upper campground’s permanent closure.
Ragonese said an in-depth analysis of the trees’ roots were needed to determine the root problems that contributed to last year’s fatal incident.
“It’s a really strange and unusual issue because the trees in that park, when you go there and you look at them and you assess them visually, are as healthy as you could ever imagine,” Ragonese said. “Last year they were full in bloom, no signs of any problems with the trees.”
Ragonese said he could not provide a cost estimate for the assessment, noting the project also includes replanting of tree species in the upper campground.
Storm damage remains
The DEP says significant amounts of storm debris remain in the area following Tropical Storm Irene last August.
The New Jersey Sierra Club in a statement Thursday said the campground costs New Jersey families “one of the only campgrounds in the Central Jersey area” available to them.
“Hurricane Irene back in August has caused damage to the park and it they have still not fixed the park,” Tittel stated. “Instead they are busy privatizing our parks.”
Ragonese countered that the state is not privatizing parks. Rather, instead of closing parks as other states are doing, New Jersey is opening up concessions to private operators of equipment rentals — such as bicycles and kayaks — and other amenities as a way to expand services offered and generate revenue.
“If that’s the comment (Tittel has) made, it’s irresponsible, it’s ridiculous,” Ragonese said. “That park is maintained."
Of Arias’ death, Ragonese continued: “That issue is a tragedy that has nothing to do with maintenance of a park or privatization of a park.”
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CAMPGROUND LOST
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection announced last week the upper campground at Bull’s Island Recreation Area in the Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park is closed permanently. Silt-rich soil and flooding has rendered trees there unsafe, according to a study launched after a tree crashed through tent last June and killed a man camping with his family.
Plans call for eventually reopening the campground land to passive recreation such as hiking. The lower campground on the island will remain closed this year, pending further safety assessments.
