Visitors beware, forests are dangerous these days

Nearly a quarter million illegal marijuana plants were seized on the Mendocino National Forest (MNF) last year and the prime growing period is now beginning, prompting national forest officials to advise the public to be especially vigilant when visiting the forest.

The Tehama County Sheriff's Department began its eradication efforts for this growing season three months ago.

"We have located some activity already and are pursuing investigation in a number of areas," Tehama County Sheriff Clay Parker said. "We don't just want to rip and pull illegal gardens, we want to catch people, the suspects growing the gardens."

In so doing, law enforcement in the area is doing its part to keep the public safe.

"We want the public to be aware that this illegal activity and occupation is taking place if they encounter marijuana gardens on the national forest," Tom Contreras, Forest Supervisor, said.

Illegal marijuana growing is an increasing problem on public lands in California. National Forest System lands are becoming increasingly used for growing and harvesting illegal marijuana gardens and these operations can potentially present a safety hazard to forest visitors and employees.

Contreras said most of the marijuana gardens are in remote locations. The national forest has vast and mostly uninhabited lands with many areas of rich, fertile soil and a climate that provides the necessary conditions for growing marijuana.  Plants are put into the ground between May and June and harvested in late September through November."

"If a private citizen comes upon something suspicious, don't enter the area; just leave and notify local law enforcement authorities immediately," Julie Lombard, Forest Service Law Enforcement Patrol Captain, advised.  "Do not enter any garden area."

Last year, law enforcement personnel seized 220,359 marijuana plants from the Mendocino National Forest.

That same year 57,717 marijuana plants were seized from illegal gardens by Sheriff Parker's marijuana eradication team, along with nine firearms, 1,560 pounds of processed marijuana bud, and five vehicles. His team also made 22 arrests.

"Our efforts this year are not just about plant count, but more on the arrest of those growing and harvesting the gardens. We hope to catch them early in the season before the plants have grown and cost more to eradicate," Parker said.

In 2006 the Forest Service Law Enforcement team eradicated 405,399 marijuana plants from 55 illegal marijuana sites on the MNF.
Lombard said, "The larger growing operations often have armed individuals tending the gardens. Most of the increase can be attributed to the proliferation of foreign Drug Trafficking Organizations."

Growers can live in the Forest near these sites for months at a time. Officers have come across these illegal camps with exercise facilities, tree houses, barbed wire fences and numerous firearms, Lombard said.

The camps often contain cooking and sleeping areas that are within view of the cultivation site. Some camps have tents, hammocks and sleeping bags on the ground and have been found with large overhanging tarps as cover for the entire campsite.

There are some things to watch for which may indicate marijuana is being grown in an area.  They can include:

• Isolated tents in the forest where no recreational activity is present.

• The utilization of trailers with no evidence of recreational activities.

• A pattern of vehicular traffic or a particular vehicle seen in the same isolated area on a regular basis.

• Unusual structures located in remote forested areas, with buckets, garden tools, fertilizer bags, etc.

• Signs of cultivation or soil disturbance in unlikely areas.

• Black piping and trash scattered in forested areas.

Forest Service law enforcement officers work with County Sheriff's Departments, California National Guard, and Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP) teams. 

For additional information or to notify law enforcement authorities of a suspected garden area in the Mendocino National Forest, please contact Forest Service Law Enforcement at (530) 934-3316.