Personally, I think the reset would be good even with the current problems. Thinking that everything can be fixed in a decent amount of time is nonsense.
I love to play fresh characters, going around and trying to be better than I was before. But right now, the map is completely spammed with abandoned places (even with decay), and whatever you need is easier to find than to craft at this point. I used to like scavenging, but now it's just too much. You find abandoned places with pearls, troll hides and bones, and all kind of stuff just waiting for someone to grab it; go figure what you could find in the 'forgotten' active claims you can find everywhere.
Another option (no idea if it's doable) would be expanding the map and having new characters spawn only in those new areas. You would still have the late-game players to test stuff, and allow new players (or returning ones) to have some kind of fresh feeling. No walled off resources, no trails and claims, just a new area of the map where people can spawn into or move to.
Sure people could just walk back to the older part, but that would require actively seeking it, you wouldn't bump into it every step you take.
At this point, I'm hoping for a XMAS or new year surprise reset...