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Five illegal marijuana cultivation sites reclaimed in Mendocino National Forest
MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – The Mendocino National Forest, in cooperation with several organizations, recently cleaned up five illegal marijuana cultivation sites on the Covelo Ranger District.
Approximately 20 people, representing seven organizations, including the Mendocino National Forest, spent five days gathering trash, black plastic pipe, pesticides and other materials used for illegal marijuana cultivation.
“It’s great to see seven individual organizations come together to restore our shared National Forest system lands,” said Forest Supervisor Sherry Tune.
The Forest Service was joined by participants from California Department of Fish and Game, the High Sierra Volunteer Trail Crew, Conservation Corps North Bay, Willits Environmental Center, Mendocino County Sheriff and the Mendocino County Public Safety Foundation.
Participants collected 45 bags of trash, as well as an equal amount of trash that didn’t need to be bagged, including tarps and tents.
More than five miles of irrigation tubing and 350 pounds of dry fertilizer were also gathered at the site, along with various pesticides.
The area cleaned was 2.4 acres and appears to have been used by at least 10 individuals over the course of several years, according to a report from forest headquarters. There was evidence of at least 2,300 pounds of fertilizer being used at the site following the collection of remaining empty bags.
As part of the cleanup, soil specimens were collected and are awaiting analysis. This will help determine damage to the watershed from the marijuana cultivation at this site.
Since 2010, the Mendocino National Forest has been making a directed effort to address the environmental impacts of illegal marijuana cultivation on the Forest.
“It’s really nice to see the Mendocino National Forest be so proactive in cleaning up grow sites,” said High Sierra Volunteer Trail Crew Director Shane Krogen. “They are well on their way to being the second forest in California to have 100 percent reclamation.”
The average cost to clean a site on the Mendocino can be more than $3,000 per acre.
“The steep terrain, remote areas and seclusion of the Mendocino that are such a draw for forest visitors can pose a challenge to cleaning up the sites used for illegal marijuana cultivation,” Tune said. “Through the efforts of our employees, partner agencies and outside cooperators, we can work together to restore the fragile ecosystems and watersheds that are being impacted by pesticides, fertilizers, redirected water and trash.”