Portions of Edwin B. Forsythe Wildlife Refuge Reopen in Galloway

Portions of the Edwin B. Forsythe Wildlife Refuge in Galloway Township have reopened after some cleanup following Superstorm Sandy, wildlife refuge officials said Thursday night, Nov. 15.

Other portions in Galloway, as well as Barnegat, Brick and Holgate remained closed, officials said.

Trails adjacent to Wildlife Drive in Galloway have reopened, although Wildlife Drive itself remains closed due to large holes in the tops and sides, which has rendered it completely impassable in some areas, officials said.

“We do not yet know how long it will take to make the repairs or how long the Wildlife Drive will be closed,” Refuge Manager Virginia Rettig said in a release.

The trails are open from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., while the Visitor Information Center is open from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. during the week and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on weekends.

All admission fees have been waived temporarily, officials said.

The Scott's Landing Boat Launch in Galloway is open, but the Barnegat Observation Platform, the deCamp Wildlife Trail in Brick Township, and the Holgate portion of the refuge remain closed, officials said.

“We’re very happy to re-open some areas, although we hope people will understand that their visit to Forsythe will be different than their experiences in the past, as it will be some time before we truly return to normal and reopen the wildlife drive," Rettig said. “People will be able to hike the trails and access some of our most popular areas by foot, including our Leed’s Eco-trail Boardwalk and the Gull Pond Observation Tower."