Pyramid Mountain Natural Area or De Facto Dog Park?

Where is Our Naturalist; Are we Living up to what Pyramid was established as a Natural/Historic Area? Perhaps the word "Sacred" should be designated in the title, as it surely was to the original peoples.. Lord Sterling Environmental Center No Pets Allowed and people know why?

Honorable Morris County Freeholders
Subject: Morris Parks/Pyramid Mountain Visitor Center Closure Petition for an On-Site Naturalist Station.

Please find the following concerns of importance. On a Recent Visit to the Raptor Trust in Millington, NJ, i was struck by the contrast while stopping at "Lord Lord Stirling Park's Environmental Education Center"; at least three staff were present and accounted for; the surroundings were well policed from litter or other negative visitor impacts.

In fact the Lord Stirling Environmental Center alone has; 6-Naturalist, 2- Maintenance workers, and 4- Administrative personal, stationed at this Park Component of Somerset County.

Pyramid Mountain Visitor Center was "permanently closed" during COVID, and appears to have no plans to reopen. The one Naturalist, Douglas Vordieff, was transferred to the Frelinghuysen Arboretum.Although the Arboretum is a important component of the Morris County Park System; it is not a "remaining" spectacular natural area such as Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area. One of the many reasons this land was protected was because of its also remaining plant and rare plant inventory recorded by Lucy Meyer and her formed movement to save this Natural and Historical Area.

Pyramid Deserves a Permanent Naturalist Stationed there.
As an Arboretum compared to a Remaining Natural Area; one would think calls for a permanent station of a Naturalist at the Pyramid Park Resource.The Public should be entitled to such a Morris County Employee with said job title. The Park in my opinion is being allowed to become a sub-standardly ruled park, it is little paid attention to by Park Police, who rarely venture past the Parking Lot. Pet Owners routinely disobey rules; dogs off leash, and waste tossed in plastic bags. Pyramid Mountain has become a de facto Dog Park. Pyramid also lacks a Threshold Element encouraging visitors to respect the area. Carry In Carry Out; No Smoking; No Loud Radios. No Fires, No Alcohol.

Dogs and Nature reserves don’t mix: Lord Stirling; No Dogs Allowed and People Understand why.
People enjoy hiking with their dogs in natural areas, since dogs derive a lot of pleasure from sampling all the scents in such areas, as well as getting some great exercise. Some dog owners delight in seeing their dogs roam free off the leash, since the dogs get even more fun from that.
However, due to the disturbance to wildlife caused by dogs, many parks and preserves have banned them. This page lists some of the reasons behind that ban:
Direct Predation. Even though my experience is that dogs are rarely successful in catching the many birds and squirrels they chase, dogs occasionally directly kill wildlife, or injure the wildlife enough to cause their subsequent death. Dogs roaming off trail can trample vegetation, and if dogs are numerous they can remove the vegetation in popular areas by trampling, scratching and digging. Trampling is the major effect of hikers and their pets to plants. Much more can be found on why dogs should not be allowed in Natural Areas; and We do have Pet/Dog Parks already established with tax-dollars

One must ask; why was Pyramid Mountain established as a Park designation"Natural and Historic"? The natural is not being properly incorporated into its meaning.
This designation alone demands higher standards and expectations. Why can Somerset County be such a contrast in how they manage their resources? At the Lord Stirling Environmental Landscape Resource, No Pets are allowed, and for all the right reasons. This rule is in itself an educational tool for the public, and a demonstration by Authority of having the Resource not the Public as the goal and objective of maintaining and sustaining the entrusted landscape. (April 4th ran into a dog-walker at Jonathan Woods; 6-dogs off the leash)( Have seen multiple dogs off leash at Pyramid.)

Finally the Park is in need of more aggressive invasive curtailment projects; especially with barberry.. "heard many things about the barberry situation in Morris County, especially from our Morristown NPS volunteers".. anonymous...NY/NJ Trail Conference ..strange how NJ does not have an invasive plant sale ban; as other states do.

Here-by ask that the Morris County Freeholders look into the possibility and necessity of protecting our remaining Natural Areas such as Pyramid Mountain, and Hiring a Naturalist to be Stationed at the now vacant structure of the Pyramid Mountain Visitor Education Center.

Sincerely Awaiting Your Reply

An original member of Lucy Meyers Pyramid Mountain Movement, and Park Volunteer