Garbage, Fertilizer, Rodenticide, Insecticide Removed When Recent Trespass Grow Successfully Cleaned Up

When law enforcement removed a trespass marijuana grow this June on national forest land in Trinity County, they saved millions of gallons of water and allowed the cleanup of potentially hazardous rodenticides, insecticides and fertilizers, too, according to Mourad Gabriel, Ph.d and Executive Director of the Integral Ecology Research Center (IERC). Over 15,000 plants were removed from the nearly three acre complex.

After the marijuana was removed, IERC and others went in a few weeks later and helped clear the site of trash and chemicals.

“This operation brings the tally to 29 cultivation sites we and collaborators have been able to reclaim on our public lands since 2014,” Gabriel wrote. “This specific site had over 3/4 of a ton of refuse and nearly 2 miles of irrigation line in addition to deleterious items that pose as threats to wildlife and salmonid populations.”

Below is a report which includes photos that scientists with IERC compiled on the cleanup:

Shasta-Trinity National Forest is home to numerous game species and non-game wildlife which are dependent on the unique critical habitat attributes that public lands within this bioregion provide. In late June 2016, a large public land, trespass marijuana cultivation complex named Dubakella Grow was discovered on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest managed by the United States Forest Service.

Dubakella Grow Site lies on the Salt Creek Watershed which contributes to the South Fork Trinity River, a Hydrological Unit with a salmonid population that is functionally independent with a high risk of extinction (NMFS 2014). capture1The Salt Creek watershed is considered to be adversely impacted by illegal water withdrawals, and nutrient and pesticide loading that is associated with outdoor marijuana cultivation (NMFS 2014). This cultivation site lies within United States Fish and Wildlife Service delineated Critical Habitat for the Northern Spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) that is listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ECOS 2016).capture2Finally, adjacent previous cultivation sites (<1mile) which Integral Ecology Research Center (IERC) is currently monitoring have detected Pacific fishers, which are a species of conservation concern, both state and federally.

The Dubakella site was quickly eradicated by federal, state and local Law Enforcement in order to disrupt the continued misuse of these public lands and over 15,000 plants were removed from an affected area of 2.96 acres. Research scientists from IERC were brought into the site to document and ascertain the magnitude of impact that this trespass grow had. During initial documentation of the site, an estimated several thousand feet of irrigation line, numerous substantial water diversions, significant tree removal, hundreds of pounds of fertilizer and several containers of illegal and restricted use pesticides were recorded. capture3The site was placed on a high-priority list for documentation and reclamation due to these factors, and correspondingly was placed as a site for long-term monitoring for potential legacy influences. Reclamation operations were completed September 7, 2016.

Environmental Conservation Online System. 2016. United States Fish and Wildlife Service http://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/ accessed September 2016.

National Marine Fisheries Service. 2014. Final Recovery Plan for the Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast Evolutionarily Significant Unit of Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). National Marine Fisheries Service. Arcata, CA.

capture4

Dubakella Reclamation Synopsis September 7, 2016

Organizations Involved

Governmental: Trinity County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) & U.S. Forest Service

Non-Governmental: Integral Ecology Research Center (IERC), Trinity County Resource Conservation District (TCRCD), The Watershed Center (TWC),

Reclamation Organizers: Drs. Mourad Gabriel and Greta Wengert (IERC); Donna Rupp (TCRCD); Tom Evans (TWC)

Support: Logistical and financial support was contributed by the above-mentioned entities. Specific funding for the reclamation of this trespass marijuana cultivation complex was provided by the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery Grant to TCRCD and a Section 6 grant from the US Fish and Wildlife Service to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Integral Ecology Research Center.

Number of trespass sites cleaned: One large complex Location of site: Shasta-Trinity National Forest Watershed impacted: South Fork Trinity River

Personnel: 14 total; TCRCD(4), IERC (6), TWC (3), USFS (1)

Total water diversion restored to watersheds: 11.25 million gallons (per grow season)

Total amount of trees cut: 149 trees

Total amount of fertilizer used at site: 430 pounds

Total amount of rodenticide used at sites: 6.6 pounds; illegal containers of zinc phosphide; aluminum phosphide (restricted-use pesticide)

Insecticide used at sites: 32 oz of banned toxicant Carbofuran in an illegal container.

Grow site trash removed: 1,540 lbs Irrigation pipe removed: 9,940ft (1.88 miles) Estimated Cost for Reclamation: $8,920

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silverlining
Guest
silverlining
7 years ago

Someone should invent a waterline shredder. That stuff is a real pain to dispose of.

Lost Croat Outburst
Guest
Lost Croat Outburst
7 years ago
Reply to  silverlining

No reason to dispose of waterlines, black pipe or PVC. Simply re-purpose it for a legal garden. Offer it free to other farmers. Have you priced a 100′ roll of 3/4 ” poly pipe?

silverlining
Guest
silverlining
7 years ago

I hate to tell you but 3/4 inch line won’t be big enough for legal gardens.

Henchman Of Justice
Guest
Henchman Of Justice
7 years ago
Reply to  silverlining

Says you?

scooter
Guest
7 years ago
Reply to  silverlining

I’d have no use for 3/4″ tubing. We normally start with 1″ line from source for garden applications. Half inch lines run through garden rows to individual plants fed by quarter inch tubing.

silverlining
Guest
silverlining
7 years ago
Reply to  scooter

One and a half inch line or even larger from storage to garden allows for Cal Fire size fire hydrants that come in handy anywhere wildfire can happen.

Henchman Of Justice
Guest
Henchman Of Justice
7 years ago

Exactly,

but just think about who profited on the sale of black pipe that ended up getting destroyed?

Think about how gubbamint avoids enforcing laws so that an already fucked up economy does not look or become worse……all those tax and profit generating sales transactions……sell pipe that will get destroyed intentionally…..not conservation, that is for sure….

Chemicals – appeared contained, not leaking (don’t trump up charges – as discussed on the rape thread yesterday about piling on false allegations because it is easy if something else connected is legitimate)

Also, what were the races of the growers? Were they illegal immigrants? Mexican Nationals? City slickers? Local natives? White immigrants?

Ironic how the agenda is not to say “illegal immigrant” or something tangible to that effect for a reasonable minded person to be informed as to nationality/race of the illegal trespass grower when it applies.

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
7 years ago
Reply to  silverlining

Our local (Mendo Co) refuse collection center will take pvc pipe if it’s cut to 4′ lengths. Longer than that jams their equipment. af

silverlining
Guest
silverlining
7 years ago
Reply to  Anon Forrest

You pretty much have to cut it into 4 foot sections to get any kind of efficiency when putting it into a truck.
That means a lot of time cutting line. PVC is hard to cut with shears and needs some sort of saw.
The prevalence of bears biting into black poly line has gotten myself to use heavy grade PVC as it is harder to bite thru.

Freedom fighter
Guest
Freedom fighter
7 years ago

All fruit of the poisoned tree called cannabis prohibition. Legalize cannabis and all these illegal Backwoods gross go away in favor of normal agriculture.

B
Guest
B
7 years ago

Agree

Henchman Of Justice
Guest
Henchman Of Justice
7 years ago

Hmmm,

The state lets in illegal immigrants for free, but the costs transfer onto taxpayers…….the state gives illegals licenses and registrations……the state has to clean up the devastation left by illegals……

Theme – illegals part of bad and doing bad cant be trusted, but the state just wants to create a problem on the front end knowing they’ll fund the devastations on the back end with grants.

Scheme – to grow the size of gubbamint for employment purposes since overpopulation creates a low to no job environment for everyone in private sector.

If robbing Peter to pay off Paul never occured and greed was still what it is on an individual level, society would have fallen decades ago……this is all about social equalization to avoid a catastrophic event that ends the free world once and for all, because face it, technology will allow clans to survive in a lawless land after devastation presents itself in finality to overall society.

Only a hardliner will resolve society now.

Who
Guest
Who
7 years ago

The problem is clear the black market in other states will always be there and bootleg marijuana will move to it. The other problem if you remove the black market in marijuana it’ll switch into heroin because the same arguments can be made and the greed and addiction will continue for those who want to participate in it.

Wow
Guest
Wow
7 years ago

Maybe the old pipe could get turned into playground material or equipment

Mogtx
Guest
7 years ago

Bravo to the clean up crew.

gooz
Guest
gooz
7 years ago

Let’s see high estimate of 4 gallons per day @ 70 day growing season give or take. So at a savings of 11.25 million gallons they must have had 41,000 plants. Oh wait only 15,000 plants removed

Only a government agency or college can come up with numbers like that.

Matthew Meyer
Guest
Matthew Meyer
7 years ago
Reply to  gooz

A government agency, a college, or the CGA?

If you use 6 ga / plant / day and assume a 120 day growing season, you get pretty close to their number.

CGA introduced that 6 gallon figure, and it’s since become the standard number used in official discourse about the environmental impacts of cannabis cultivation. Never mind that it was developed in the context of full-sun medical cultivation, where average yields are several times that of trespass grows in manzanita etc.

The combination of cynicism, incentives to inflate figures, and sincere efforts to restore trashed lands make for mixed feelings about these cleanup projects.

AnonymousHumboldtian
Guest
AnonymousHumboldtian
7 years ago
Reply to  Matthew Meyer

I’m sorry, plants do not use 6 gallons per day. Those plants would have severe root rot from being wet 24/7. You might use 6 gallons per day out in the imperial valley, but nowhere in the emerald triangle.

bumblebee
Guest
bumblebee
7 years ago
Reply to  gooz

these weren’t light dep so how do you get a 70 day season? even indoor takes longer. it says per growing season.. so that could be more like 180 days.. 15,000x4x180= 10 million 800 thousand ..thats where they get their estimate.[edit].. and who’s side are you on anyway? you like what these pos mother fuckin trespass growers are doin’? dont you think this is an awesome thing they’re doing, going in and cleaning up this garbage?? [edit].

Forester
Guest
Forester
7 years ago
Reply to  bumblebee

And do not forget that this is on rocky soil and not commercial grade high water retention soil, SO 6 gallons is a high reality. These folks are also taking water pressure measurements for this #. So no inflation, just plain ol Science.

AnonymousHumboldtian
Guest
AnonymousHumboldtian
7 years ago
Reply to  Forester

No, it’s not a high reality. They used a lot of water, but no one waters their plants every day. It’s a waste, and not even good for the plant to be wet all the time.

Henchman Of Justice
Guest
Henchman Of Justice
7 years ago
Reply to  gooz

Exactly, like gubbamint sponsored agency types operated the site for a 30 day trial period to collect data to quantify a quality report sheet….all agencies “trump up” their bullshit reports for funding….just sayin’.

And since a plant uses varying levels of water at various cycles or phases of growth, it seems a full growth trial period is the only process that facts are believeable to the extent the numbers being given can be claimed as believeable without actual qualitative and quantitative research.

anon
Guest
anon
7 years ago

The reality of the weed industry ,

My Back
Guest
My Back
7 years ago
Reply to  anon

The reality of illegal Mexicans coming into our country and on to our public lands, destroying the wildlife and nature with their illegal cannabis cultivation. Then, f@cking poisoning us with their poisoned cannabis. I took one puff of herb on the east coast that made me puke and dry heave. I felt horrible. One puff and I got poisoned. Multifaceted reality.

Who
Guest
Who
7 years ago
Reply to  anon

A sad reality indeed.

Susy Barsotti
Guest
Susy Barsotti
7 years ago

Oy vey.

Dyerville Loop is Not Alderpoint
Guest
Dyerville Loop is Not Alderpoint
7 years ago

No shredded pipes on play grounds! No shredded tires! You want you kids bring that crap home in their pockets ? Think for a minute. All washing eventually back into the creek? No thanks. Re use it in your garden. Burn it for your kids next marshmallow roast!Now were usin our noodles!

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
7 years ago

Burn the pipes? BURN them? What? Check your noodle connections. Something has short circuited. af

My Back
Guest
My Back
7 years ago
Reply to  Anon Forrest

I was told some years ago, by a worker at a plant that recycles the plastic, we are better off burying it. He said it was awful. He talked about the pesticides and fungicides used in trash bags and how the workers would constantly get bad lung and skin irritations. He said it was not eco groovy. Plus the book Cradle To Cradle (title?) said plastic was not designed to be recycled. There are other ways and it starts with the manufacturer and ends with them as well. Not saying your wrong, just giving perspective.

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
7 years ago
Reply to  My Back

Thanks. The folks at the main center in Ukiah tell me it’s shredded (like tires) and used in paving. Of course there is nothing good about paving, either.
I understand the use in burying “dead” pipe; if it is layered in runs 12″ to 24″ apart, parallel to the slope, it can help to slow down a moving razor-back source of erosion. af

My Back
Guest
My Back
7 years ago

They cleaned up that mess for less than 10k???? WOW! Good job. The government would have charged 30k

Joe Mota
Guest
Joe Mota
7 years ago
Reply to  My Back

“The government” does most of this type of work via contracting. The US Forest Service and Trinity County Sheriff’s Office were the lead agencies. This was a government job.

Forester
Guest
Forester
7 years ago
Reply to  Joe Mota

If you read the press release, it clearly states this effort was from grants. So this WAS a GRANT Job.

Henchman Of Justice
Guest
Henchman Of Justice
7 years ago
Reply to  Forester

It appears this was a gubbamint sponsored job…..legal acting privates just dont do as they please on public land, they must first get gubbamint to approve, allow, create cause for, fund or allow to be funded via grants, etc…

Follow the money and sphere of influence of the political authoritative processes.

Hick
Guest
Hick
7 years ago

Perpetrators should have been made to clean up the mess. While chained together. “PICKEN IT UP BOSS”.

THC
Guest
THC
7 years ago
Reply to  Hick

I don’t think they actually caught anybody when they busted it, just like most of the busts that happened on public land.

Henchman Of Justice
Guest
Henchman Of Justice
7 years ago

15,000 plants on 3 acres on S/TNFL. (Basically, north and east of Willow Creek as Trinity feeds into Klamath)

Fact – Just like Garberville, the scumbags hang out in WC too.

Fact – the profiled vehicles of mobile scumbags tend to have some unusual rear license plate cover (fake plate, can’t tell until close up)

Fact – past decade +plus or so has seen a noticeable increase in license plates from outta state…..first it was summer only, then year round after 215/420 law passages…..

Some states profile out of state vehicles, partly for trafficking drugs and humans, etc…..

Kym posts a story of Hezekia Allen discussing opinions/facts on rape and exploitation and human trafficking…..

Do cops in California profile out of state license plates for a routine greet and meet in areas of known trafficking (Garberville, Willow Creek, all of Humboldt County – a drug producing, using, manufacturing, trafficking county) where drugs and parafernalia (humans too?) are being trafficked?

G-ma
Guest
G-ma
7 years ago

They did the crime so it should be their job and part of their punishment to clean up THEIR mess and what they damaged!!All of it!!!

Emma
Guest
Emma
7 years ago
Reply to  G-ma

That would probably be considered cruel and unusual punishment or racist in this day and age.

Just Sayin
Guest
Just Sayin
7 years ago

The speaker in the video is speaking with a large degree of bias. From a scientific perpecrive , the guy is full of shit. Some of what was shown is environmentally damaging but other shots are not. One specific thing he breezes by in a second is that that landscape had recently had a fire and that cleared the land .. Yet he quickly shuffles passed the picture with the burnt stump as he says the land was cleared.

The truth hurts
Guest
The truth hurts
7 years ago
Reply to  Just Sayin

I agree, screw that scientist for helping clean our public lands and having local non profits work on this. Dam him for helping. I need to break from this conversation to bury my head in the sand.

Susan Nolan
Guest
Susan Nolan
7 years ago

Thanks for posting this, Kym.

IHateWeed
Guest
IHateWeed
7 years ago

Thanks you for cleaning up all the garbage! Weed sucks!

BS
Guest
BS
7 years ago

Hey Just Sayin, The guy speaking is a well-known scientist and he knows what he is talking about. You are the biased one. All that poison is decimating the wildlife.

Average Joe
Guest
Average Joe
7 years ago

I’m just an average citizen. This grow sounds bad. 11.25 million gallons of water per growing season and nearly two miles of plastic pipe sounds really bad, in addition to everything else found. I am surprised the cleanup costs were so low.

I wish people would be considerate and responsible and love the land and people instead of just being plain greedy and stupid for what they do to make a buck.

I doubt state legalization of weed will make these problems disappear, no more than medical marijuana did. As long as the price is at a certain level, taxes and regulations are applied, and marijuana remains illegal in other states, black market weed and outlaw grows will continue to thrive and proliferate.

Trinity
Guest
Trinity
7 years ago

I just finished a packing trip into the Trinity Alps where there was the same situation going on, except forest service left all the garbage at the trailhead it was strewn everywhere by wildlife 🙁

Lynn H
Guest
Lynn H
7 years ago

I think it’s kind of odd they left cameras and also left all the poison for a few days…