The New Jersey Pinelands Commission welcomed Richard Prickett of Pemberton Township, as he attended his first meeting as a commissioner.
Gov. Christie nominated Prickett to fill one of seven gubernatorial seats on the commission, and the nomination was recently approved by the state Senate.
“I am very proud and humbled to have been selected to be a Pinelands commissioner,” Prickett said. “I think it is important that future generations of people experience the natural beauty and history of the Pinelands the way I have for most of my life.
“The Pinelands is one of the many natural wonders that make New Jersey a great place to live. I look forward to serving on the commission, listening to citizens’ points of view and finding ways to solve the challenges that come before the body in ways that sustains our way of life in the Pinelands.”
“We’re very appreciative of the governor’s appointment of Richard Prickett,” Nancy Wittenberg, the commission’s executive director, said. “Mr. Prickett will provide the commission with a wealth of knowledge about the Pinelands, and we’re pleased to have him on board as we continue to carry out our mission to protect the region’s unique resources.”
Prickett has been a member of the Pemberton Township Council since 2002. He served as council president in 2002 and 2006 — and was a member of the township’s planning board from 2003 to 2005.
Prickett retired in 2006 after teaching high school science in the Lakewood School District in Ocean County for 26 years. There, he taught Advanced Placement biology, environmental science, physical science and chemistry.
Prickett was named the Lakewood Township Teacher of the Year in 2004, and he was recognized by the Pinelands Preservation Alliance as an outstanding Pinelands educator in 2005.
Since 2003, Prickett has served as a trustee on the Whitesbog Preservation Trust and he is currently president of the trust’s board.
Prickett holds a bachelor’s degree in life sciences from Rutgers University and an associate’s degree in psychology from Burlington County College.
He fills a seat on the commission that has been vacant since former Chairwoman Betty Wilson resigned in October 2008.
